Steel Steam and Stars 4 - March 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 2015

Just back from a lovely weekend at the gala with my girlfriend who's not neccaserily an enthusiast,but she thoroughly enjoyed the event....so thumbs up there!

Firstly,a top event,one of the best galas I've been to for a while,some really friendly volunteers and a generally good time all round. My favourite trip of the weekend was probably the final run on Sunday with 1450 and 4270,when the sun came out it had a sort of "last knockings" 1960's closure trip feel to it...not that I am old enough to have experienced the 60's,sadly.

I must say however that there was rather too much sitting around (I understand there was a fair bit of bad luck etc) and this view was shared by a number of people that I spoke to. This is probably due to the temporary terminus at Corwen East and the shunting that it involves,however sitting at each loop on some trips and taking 3 hours to do a round trip on the 10:35 ex Llan on Friday was a bit of a downer in all honesty. I never actually found time to visit the marquee at Corwen,when I was planning to visit on Sunday I realised that there was no train for two hours as a freight was booked,which was a bit of an oversight,surely?

From a passenger perspective for just wanting to ride up and down without changing trains every five minutes I have to say it was at times a little disappointing,however,all things considered it was still a fine event,although my girlfriend did keep wondering why we spent so much time stood still...however it gave us more time to admire the Dee Valley!

I'd certainly give the gala a thorough 8/10 and anyone who hasn't visited last weekend,but is considering it this weekend really must,it's a great gala.

My photo's from this weekend are online at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-walker/sets/72157650823764487/

Cheers,
Mark

 

Had an excellent first gala visit to the Llangollen Railway this last weekend with a selection of photos now up on my website: http://richardsteampics.weebly.com/recent-images.html
Well worth a visit if you haven't yet been! I hope all involved are rewarded generously in finances raised for the Grange and look forward to seeing her steam.

Two personal favorites are below:




Richard
(http://richardsteampics.weebly.com/)

 

Richard

I think you were the young lad sitting with me and my mate on the hill at Garth-y-dwar for the black 5 shot.

Very nice shots buddy, I like your collet shots and shall defianately take those other angles into account when I go to Llangollen again.

Regards Martyn

Here are some of mine from the weekend.

 

You managed to get rid of the line of 13 photographers in the field, then. I was standing next to you for the one of 3205 coming out of Glyn.

 

An excellent set of photos Macko. The second shot in particular is superb. I shall be in the in the valley with my camera this coming weekend, and, weather permitting, I shall be well pleased if I can achieve results that are even half as good.

 

I'm noticing a certain trend in photos, and I can see which photo every rag will want to publish.

 

A certain loco that would once have worked the Dee valley, hauling a nicely restored short rake of coaches?!

 

I think I did mention at the time the cloning brush would be coming out Nice to meet you.

 

Correct i was - hope you had as good a weekend as myself. Excellent both of yours - I have a habit of doing something different to the crowd, with mixed results!
Hope to encounter you again someday.

Thanks Richard

 

I'll just add my own 2 cents worth and say that 3205 and the MK1 subs looks superb. Be good if one of the mags either puts it as a centre spread or decides to give away a poster. Absolutly stunning.

 

Hello All,
Last Saturday, March 7th, I made my first visit ever to the Llangollen Railway for the second day of their "Steel, Steam & Stars IV" Gala. My photograph collections can be viewed via the links below;
http://railtractionphotosbyrichards...ay-steel-steam--stars-iv-sat7thmarch2015.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/myphotosrlsmith216/sets/72157651308101011/
Sample photograph here;

 

The most hilarious failure of a loco ever this evening. 92214's whistle got stuck on full blast and it ran out of steam. I wonder what will happen tomorrow...

 

Dreadful! Well 7822 I'll guess that you'll get a green engine sneezing all over a group off boys attempting to throw stones!

 

"It isn't wrong but we just don't do it...."

 

The Reverend Awdry saw this coming, to be fair.

 

Hope it dosn't rain there this weekend... =-O

 

How long did that go on for?

 

Perhaps it was the spirit of a former Swindon employee showing what they think about the plan to change her into 92220!

 

About 40 minutes. We all thought it had gone off but she'd just lost pressure. When it started to build up, the whistle came on again. The signalman in Glyndyfrdwy said he could hear it from there and couldn't work out what on Earth it was.

 

34092 looked stunning today with the Night Ferry headboard. I bet it looked great coming through Berwyn non-stop on the beer train. I considered staying to phot it but a recording of the Wales Ireland game called. Also, the timetable does work! I'm not sure why 3802 couldn't have replaced the 5 and 5199 taken 3802's place but I'm sure there was a good reason.