Pontypool & Blaenavon Summer Steam Gala June 24 -26 2016

Join us at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway Summer steam gala June 24-26 2016

Event Highlights

• Up to 5 locos in steam
• Up to 3 visiting locos
• Freight, passenger and vintage trains in operation
• Double heading and non-stoppers
• Intensive timetable
• Locos working hard up our steep gradients

Visiting Locos

• Ex BR(WR) Pannier Tank 1501 courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway and 1501 Pannier Tank Association
• Ex GWR Pannier Tank 1369 Courtesy of the South Devon Railway
• Andrew Barclay 1219 courtesy of The Andrew Barclay Preservation Group

Home Based Locos

• RSH Austerity 71515 'Mech Navvies Ltd'
• Andrew Barclay 'Rosyth No. 1'

Alex.

 

It'l be nice to see 1501 having to tackle the climb!

 

I think a repeat visit is in order, never afraid of the regulator on Mech Navvies shall we say , prob see the clag in Bridgnorth should 1501 get similar treatment.

What's the gradient on the mainline there btw ?, it maybe a short line currently but seems steep enough to make loco's work, hope they extend to a decent sized line in the fullness of time, a 56XX or 42XX on some coal wagons would be about as Welsh as you can can get.

Think the thing I love most about this line is the brake coach in the main set with the worksurfaces along either side, if you sit in the right place, you can window hang while sitting down, bloody marvelous!

 

the steepest section is a short stretch of 1 in 24 just after the rail over bridge near Big Pit, generally it is between 1 in 59 - 1 in 34 with a few gentler sections.

 

Our third and final visitor for our Summer Steam Gala is newly restored Andrew Barclay 1219, courtesy of The Andrew Barclay Preservation Group.

 

10% discount now available on advanced ticket sales for the gala https://tickets.pbrly.co.uk/#/BookEvent?id=40

The working timetables for the Gala are also attached. Please come and support us, you will not be disappointed!

 

Some questions. The WTTs refer to notes over the page but there are none so I suspect a page is missing? Can anybody point me in the direction of a full gradient profile so I can work out the power outputs of these locomotives (I don't just do main line you know!). Last are the shots with a path immediately next to the line taken just out of Blaenavon High? This section wasn't working on our last visit. Thanks. Don

 

Hi Don,

The notes referred to on the WTTs are shunting notes specific to operational staff purely to indicate loco changes and servicing breaks.

The line from Blaenavon High Level to Furnace Sidings (and including the new extension to Coed Avon below High Level) does indeed have a path alongside it for most of its length and there are plenty of other publicly accessible areas where there isn't a path.

Attached here is a gradient profile.

 

Excellent. May thanks We will be there

Don

 

There is a typo in the Saturday timetable as the 1232 from Big Pit appears twice. I think the first one should be 1212

 

Your correct! Should be Big Pit Dep 12.12, FS Arr 12.15.

Alex.

 

Loco News

1501 is due to arrive with us Monday afternoon and is staying with us for 3 weeks. So as well as running on the steam gala it will also operate trains on 2, 3, 9 & 10 July.

1369 is due to arrive Wednesday afternoon and will only be with us and operating trains over the 3 days of the steam gala.

Alex.

 

1501 is now with us and was in steam yesterday to test platform clearances and FTR exam. 1369 should arrive with us today.

 

We had a great day yesterday. What a wonderful little railway with an enlightened attitude to visitors without the overbearing elf and softies view seen elsewhere. Well worth the long drive to Wales for a total steam experience. Runs with all five engines and all was OK (well apart from a couple of minor glitches.) We walked back from Blaenavon to Furnace sidings and found some good photo locations.

 

My footage of 1369 and 1501 in action on the Saturday. Working both solo and double headed.

 

A selection of images from the Saturday of this three day gala can now be seen on my Zenfolio website at: -http://mickrogers.zenfolio.com/p377927012

Thanks to all at the P&BR.
Cheers

 

I briefly visited on a Saturday before going for a walk around the hills. I suppose it was a variation on the Statfold Barn/Tracks to the Trenches theme of trying to have a lot going on in a small area. There were 5 locos in steam, some challenging gradients, and a reasonably busy timetable. However, the longest run is only a mile from absolutely nowhere, via a small station, to nowhere and there were none of the supporting attractions you get at bigger sites. I felt fifteen pounds for an adult day rover was OTT and it would have been good to have had some depot access or similar laid on.

 

I thought it was good value for what was going on and very different from the run of the mill lines. Its actually 2.25 miles from Whistle Inn to Coed Avon, most of which we walked.

Does anybody have any information on the two vintage saloons, such as origins and weights?

Don

 

http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=221

http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=826

Not sure on the weights.
They look ok from a distance...you need rose tinted eye wear to look at them closely.
The GER coach has interior fittings by B&Q.

Nick

 

Thanks Nick that's very helpful

Don