MHR Autumn Steam Gala 2014.

She went to GCR and MNR by road and is she even passed for main line running yet?

 

"Latest Steam Railway states visitors : - 70000 as 70025 Western Star, 5029 Nunney Castle and that they are in negotiations for another GWR 4-6-0."

Great news about the resurrection of 70025 (although I bet some people will moan that 70000 is visiting again). They are even changing the smoke deflectors over to Western Region modified versions (i.e. without the handrails). Very happy about the return of 5029 also. My last attempt at travelling behind her when she last visited the MHR was thwarted by my car radiator deciding to let go big time in Alresford station car park and I had to wait for the RAC to turn up! Fingers crossed I have better luck this time.........

 

You got that bit wrong - you should have gone for a run behind 5029 first, and then phoned the RAC back at Alresford Lol!!

Personally, I'm looking forward to the Brit carry the identity of a long lost sister, and it definitely keeps up the Western theme - hat off to JH for doing it.

I wonder "if" the other copper top will be 6023................................

 

I was tempted to do that but the bloody thing went just after I had got a ticket for the car park. I returned from the ticket machine to find a rather large steaming puddle under my Golf! Bloody Volkswagens! I called the RAC and the girl on the phone said that Alresford didn't exist as a place on their system?! Sometime later when she finally managed to get the system to recognise where I was she said I would have to wait over two hours! That's when I decided to head to the ticket office so I could at least get one round trip in behind 5029. But on my way there my mobile rang and one of their drivers called to say he was just arriving in the area. So I had to turn round and walk back to my car just as the RAC van turned up.

Back to the Autumn event, 70025 should be rather good as they intend running her with WR head-codes and headboards. The other visitor could be either 6960 or 6023. Wouldn't mind either of them.

 

Or both!

It will make a change for a loco to carry something different to the disc codes.

 

Should be a good gala. Wouldn't mind seeing reporting numbers being displayed on the smokebox doors for this event. If this could be done this would give the gala a real GWR feel.

 

And the green carriages will really enhance the GWR atmosphere.

 

With any luck the wine and dine set will be chocolate & cream by then.

 

I wouldn't mind 6960 as it would fit all the other Hosking locos. I really hope it'll be 6023 though.

Also Steam Railway says they hope to have 34051's cosmetic restoration completed and the loco displayed before heading back to York.

 

A Hall or Castle wouldn't be out of place if you think of it as an inter-regional working? A blue King might be slightly harder to explain, though...

 

I was only joking but yes, an inter regional working could throw up all sorts of combinations.

 

To all the budding photographers that will be photographing in Rookwood lane at this years Autumn gala. Will find the hedgerow at the back of the field that contains the hay stacks has been removed by the farm to make a mega field. The top of Rookwood lane should also make for a good video advantage point. You should be able to shoot a film sequence from stable lane bridge round to Wanders curve in the afternoon.

 

I like hedgerows. Havens for wildlife.

 

Deleted.

 

Is the farm happy for photographers to use that area with the hay stacks in it to take photos? I saw a number up there when I went to Rookwood Lane for the first time last month but stuck to the path as I wasn't sure.

 

if their going for a western themed gala can they get a Warship and Western and a Hymek also,and make it a 2 week end affair, the hydralics one week end, steam the next, or mix it , dirty down the steamers, and do a mixed traffic gala, with photo opertunites during the week in between

 

Perhaps Martin, you could send the suggestion to Colin Chambers. I'm sure the D&EPG at the West Somerset, could arrange a convoy to the MHR!

 

Would they take it seriously? i can see it actually working. because you would attract one set of fans, and of course the steam buffs wouldnt mind it, depending on how long they could stay, i would set aside one week end as a end of steam on Western Region tribute , when you would get a hymek being piloted by a castle, they could even re number locos, as for the engines, well the kings lasted till the end, as did castles, then theres the 9f and Brit. you would almost certainly i think cover your costs, and then theres the charter photo opertunities during the week also if you marketed it right.

 

While I'd love a bunch of Hydraulics on the MHR gradients, doesn't the D&EPG have a 'no visits elsewhere' policy on its fleet at the moment? (bar D9526's visit to the ELR Cl.14 event in July) And was it the Mid-Hants where D7018 had that catastrophic failure, or am I mis-remembering that? Not suggesting that would dissuade anyone from bringing their locos there in the future, it just came to mind when a WSR Hydraulic convoy was suggested.

Suspect the fanbase that would appreciate both steam and diesel sufficiently and not resent the other's presence is smaller than the hardcore supporters of each type so this fun idea is probably a non-starter, but I'd love it. In the meantime, looking forward to the separate steam and diesel events at the Mid-Hants in Sept/Oct and the diesel 'mini-gala' in between, should be attending all three. Wasn't going to go to the autumn steam gala but if the theme and visitors mentioned in this thread then I've got to find a way of shunting work around to be there as a committed GWR enthusiast.

 

I suspect photo charters for 5029 and 70000 will be a none starter due to the costs to hire the locos. A photo charter with Braunton would have cost in the region of £ 120.00 per day which is nearly double the usual cost of a photo charter on the Midhants.