WSR Autumn Steam Gala 1 - 4 October 2015

Thanks for the report. You are quite right - more could have been done to publicise the goods trains. An oversight by the Railway at a very busy time, I guess. I'm sorry I didn't notice the lack of information and help plug that gap. A few pics of the first day now beginning to go online at wsr.org.uk

Steve

 

My footage of the Gala yesterday. I'll be back on Sunday to get more shots. Let's hope the engines keep up the good work.

 

Went down today shame theres no Saturday goods trains in both directions for those of us who can't get there for thursday and friday.
Same old tired format for galas is wearing a little thin in my mind. needs a refresh from top to bottom.
Tornado may pull the normals in but the rest of us aren't really fussed with it, seemed lazy to just get that in again.

anyway few photos at least the weather was good....

GWR Manor 7812 Earlstoke Manor Exiting Leigh Wood 3/10/15 by Thomas Guppy, on Flickr

Full album link https://flic.kr/s/aHskkYnJ5V

 

Let's just get this right Mr. Guppy. You're not pleased with a guest loco at a gala that pulls in the crowds. You also think that the railway is lazy by bringing in such a loco. Surely the railway must attract a loco that is popular with the public who are willing to pay with their hard earned cash to travel behind the loco. The priority must be to keep the paying passengers happy and not be too concerned by a few ungrateful photographers.
As for the 'tired old format', just wait until the Spring Steam Gala that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the closure of the Somerset and Dorset line.
That should be very good ......for the majority of us!! <BJ>
http://westsomersetrailway.vticket.co.uk/product.php/86/spring-steam-gala-2016

 

If goods trains are run on Saturday, they would have to be before or after the passenger trains, ie. 0800 or 1830-ish from both ends, the former is probably too early for most, the latter will be running in twilight or darkness. If they were to run during the day, they would have to be in the path of a passenger train, thus creating a 2 hour gap between services which is not desirable on the busiest day. The original idea of getting previous locos back from the early days was a good one, until it was discovered that very few were actually available, so there has been a bit of a disappointment on the loco front. Despite some enthusiasts not being particularly bothered about Tornado (myself included) it has to be acknowledged that it is still a crowd-puller. This time of the year, when most railways have their Autumn Galas, locos are in a bit of a short supply (I expect the hauliers look forward to being busy!)

I presume Mr Guppy has some ideas on how to improve the WSR galas - I suggest he sends them to the Special Events Planning Team - I'm sure they would be interested in finding out where they are failing!

 

It's the "normals" of course (as you so disparagingly put it) that to a large extent pay the bills that allow the rest of us to indulge in what would otherwise be a very expensive hobby.

If Tornado is still able to pull in sufficient additional fare-paying passengers to more than cover its hire and transport costs, then good luck to the WSR for making what is a commercially sensible decision. (And good luck to the A1 Steam trust for their continued ability to generate a premium cachet around their locomotive, especially within the general public).

Tom

 

Some photos of the WSR Autumn Steam Gala from Saturday 3rd October can now be viewed on my Zenfolio website at: - http://mickrogers.zenfolio.com/p1022314804



Thanks to everyone at the WSR who spent their day working to make the event a success.
Cheers,

 

Tornado is a beast of an engine, i would loved a mixed traction gala with diesels and steam loco from the past 40 years. Good gala looking forward to SDJR gala next year.

Impressive double headed manors. And today's double headed halls. Could only dream to see double headed manors and double headed halls on one train

 

Agreed!!



Richard

 

My footage of the Gala yesterday. Thanks to everyone at the West Somerset Railway who made the gala successful.

 

The WSR have ran a 0800 goods from Minehead on Saturdays in the past and a 1745 from BL putting the passenger later at 1840ish to Minehead. I believe on year there wasn't a 9ish train from Minehead and instead that was a goods run. They could run a BL-Crowcombe goods as well in the path where the express comes and passes the other set at BL rather than at CH.

 

My footage from the Saturday of the Autumn Steam Gala. A thoroughly enjoyable day!

 

Full set from the weekend up on my website:
http://richardsteampics.weebly.com/preserved-railways.html

Richard

 

Even if it wasn't the 6412/3205, Victor/Vulcan type of line-up I'd imagined (and been massively up for) when the theme was announced, I really enjoyed this gala.

I'm absolutely sub-'normal' and find it very hard to dislike Tornado. Extremely good-looking engine, an incredible achievement for the heritage railway movement, and I've enjoyed some fantastic runs behind it. In the three years I've been back into this, I've had it at the Mid-Hants, Swanage, Bluebell, seen it on the main line a few times and now at the West Somerset too and it's always been well worth a front coach window. A great performer up the WSR's banks last Saturday, I felt.

It's true there wasn't anything wildly special about the event, but Kilmersdon venturing a bit further was a nice treat, it was good to see some coach livery variety and I'm pleased the WSR is shaking the timetable formats up for the gala Thursdays at least. I wasn't able to make it until Saturday this time, but the quirkier workings of the March gala Thursday were great fun, reminded me of the 'pre-gala' events of the previous couple of years when the mid-week days beforehand had visitors and unusual workings. Timekeeping on my visit was massively better this time than it had been in March, incidentally. That was very much appreciated.

Ultimately an event that features two Manors, two Halls and Tornado immediately guarantees five engines I really enjoy (and even if they're all either relatively recent repeat visitors [Erlestoke was at the Cambrian event in 2013 wasn't it...?] or effectively home fleet), so despite feeling a bit underwhelmed by the way the planned theme wilted, it was never really going to be disappointing for me.