GCR Winter Gala 2016

Very blustery out today line side and the sun came in and out all day. Managed to bag a couple of the visiting engines in decent light. Line side was busy and the trains looked full also. Cracking first day of the GCR gala.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/24598122981/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/24692916395/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/24063724644/in/dateposted-public/

Thanks for looking, Simon.

 

The trains were quite busy with only a few delays here and there.
Being used to SKP at the SVR, I'll say it fits the GCR better.

 

Excellent first day (apart from the wind) and all ran to plan and timetable !!

well done GCR

25 pictures from today here - http://steamingnorth.com/

John

 

I work at both railways, and when I saw SKP this morning on shed i was shocked at how different, and more impressive it looked. Sorry SVR friends ...I don't know if it's the double track and the straight rails at the gc but it's a main line engine and looks more at home here. Makes me look forward to Boscastle getting back out of the shed.

 

It fits better and when I was behind it today, no TDC was occurring which is quite rare tbf.

 

Popped over to Kinchley Lane this afternoon after finishing work today. Have to agree that Sir Keith looks just right on the double track:




Will be back tomorrow or Sunday (or both!), need to dig out my FoGCML card...

 

Does anyone no which locos are doing the tpo's today and tomorrow?

 

Looks great event, sadly 250 miles away. Looking forward to seeing 34053 at WSR in March

 

A couple of friends on Facebook have mentioned (moaned about) the relatively short rakes. While the number of coaches seemed ok yesterday, I can imagine today that was a fair bit busier.

 

Had a very good day at the gala, all the trains were very crowded until late afternoon. 31806 was very impressive on the TPO run and I agree with earlier comments that 34053 looked right on the the “mail line”.

 

is anyone that was there today able to advise what times the freight trains ran as presumably tomorrow
they will be the same times only not shown on website timetable

 

Yes it was busy today @Sidmouth but no worse than I've seen other galas and certainly the A & B rakes were about as long as you could go at Leicester North. I didn't see anyone complaining, but hell it was the first gala of the year and the weather was reasonable, so it was always going to be crowded.

Mind you, there were plenty of seats on the last round trip.


Maunsell U Class - 31806 by Tim White, on Flickr


Bulleid Battle of Britain - 34053 Sir Keith Park by Tim White, on Flickr

 

A very enjoyable day today in sunny Leicestershire. Fully gallery and video to follow tomorrow/later in the week...

 

Attended this today -- my first visit to the GCR since 2002, and an interesting contrast to SVR events in many ways. Certainly very busy, though not unbearably so, partly thanks to some of the ostensibly three-coach locals being strengthened. The general atmosphere seemed quite cheerful throughout, families included. The programme was well designed and a good size to stuff in a coat pocket. Any timetable slippage was minor and well made up. Staff were fine. Catering was inadequate for the level of patronage, leading to very long waits -- a hog roast van or similar to go with the beer place at Quorn might have been a good idea. Definitely many more pluses than minuses, though, and I came away with a generally good impression of the railway.

 

Unlike the SVR ASG WTT
Yeah, the waits on Friday were a bit long so I can imagine it was bad today with more people about. The beer tent was a nice touch, the cider they had on yesterday was good.
GCR to me seems best at galas whilst the SVR is best on a normal day.

 

Enjoyed my day out on the GCR. It was my first visit to the line, and overall was fairly impressed, although I can see how a normal running day might not actually showcase the line at its best. I noticed a slightly different problem on the GCR to what you get on your branchline heritage railway, as the 'end of line syndrome' where you have a wait of over 20 minutes for the next train seemed more commonplace at the intermediate stations- it probably just seemed this way, as I'm sure train frequency was pretty uniform throughout the day. I overheard some complaints about overcrowding, but luckily the train concerned was strengthened- I think, however, the extra carriages should have been added before start of play to prevent complaints, even if it meant depriving people of witnessing what was once a regular occurrence on the railways. The other issue was regarding 92220- there was definitely some confusion amongst some of the less-knowledgeable passengers, which reinforced my misgivings about the whole idea.

However, the main reason for popping down was to see SKP in new surroundings. It seemed in fine fettle, and I was pleased to bump into NickT of SLL at Quorn. As usual, it seemed the Bulleid locomotive was (quite rightly, in my opinion!) the main draw of the gala... I felt the United States Lines headboard on the mid-morning run was a nice touch. The U class performed well as did the N15, which hauled my final round trip of the day before food in Loughborough and the train back to York.

 

Agreed an altogether excellent day and well worth the 340 mile round trip drive, despite a big accident on the A6 which delayed my arrival by an hour. All the trains I was on were very crowded causing distress to some of the younger children and the only train I saw strengthened was the maroon and cream set, from 5 to 6. The 3 set wasn't even a full 3 as one coach was an open brake. However for such an intensive service timekeeping was excellent and the whole show run very professionally. When I went lineside after 2pm the gallery at Kinchley Lane for 34053 on the freight was such that I had to settle for second best up on the bridge. For me though the star of the show was 6990

 

Gallery from me now online at... http://preservedrailway.weebly.com/great-cent…

 

I am a regular at the winter gala and again enjoyed myself Saturday and whilst it was cold, there have been colder ones. I think the three carriage local was perhaps a learning for the future as it was really only a 2 and a half as said above. I had to stand more times than I previously remember as seats were hard to find even on the longer rakes. Perhaps people came Saturday due to Sundays weather forecast ? One other minor observation, there seemed to be a shortage of TTI's as my ticket didn't get checked all day. People seemed to stay longer than normal (no doubt to see the night TPO express) and all but the last train of the day were full. It remains one of my favourite gala's of the year and as always it good to see so many young people being involved at all levels. Standing on Loughborough platform after dark with so many movements still going on is one of the great heritage atmospheric experiences and feels a real privilege which is why I always visit on the Saturday. Well done everyone involved.