MHR Autumn Steam Gala 21-23 October 2016

I have no info on the other visitors although it would be logical for them to be Country facing......

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50657/2016/10/19/advanced

46100 next Wednesday...

Good spot Batch!

James

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P92114/2016/10/18/advanced

And this looks like its move from Crewe the day before. With all that moving about at Willesden, and then with the reversal at Guildford on Wednesday, I would expect it to be facing the opposite direction at the MHR to when it leaves Crewe. If its coming under its own steam on Tuesday, it will almost certainly be smokebox first, meaning that it should face Alresford when it arrives at the Mid Hants.

 

Timetable with loco allocations now on web-site

 

See here: http://www.watercressline.co.uk/shopimages/PTT_AGala2016v1.0.pdf

 

Actually I beg to disagree. The way I read it is that it will come Crewe to Willesden smokebox first, reverse at Willesden West London Jct, travel tender first to Southall, then smokebox first to Guildford and tender first to Alton, thereby facing Alton for the gala. At least I hope that's what's going to happen - I'd much rather it was facing Alton from the photography point of view.

 

That's what usually happens when visitors come via the ML link. I will hopefully be in Guildford on Wednesday to see this move as I have a few days off work next week.

 

I can't see the 08 Diesel Shunter full line trip going down very well with the punters to be honest. I don't know about other folks on here but I would rather watch paint dry than travel behind one of these loco's!
Bit of a bizarre decision to slot this into the middle of a STEAM Gala.
Also, going by the timetable allocations (43106 starts duties from Alresford, 46100 starts from Ropley, 53809 on double headers starting at Alresford) it would seem all of the visitors will be facing out of Alresford?

 

Apologies for the misinformation...I got the arrangement of the lines at Guildford in a bit of a twist!

 

Re o8 trip, there is a very good reason for this related to events in 1976 and also the running of the Pines over the weekend
Not sure we can read much about the directions of the loco from the timetable.... the only actual double headers (as opposed to top and tails) involve 45379, 92212, 76017 and 89, three of which we know are facing London and 89 has been requested that way. Those of you with time on your hands next Wednesday can watch 46100 arrive and let us know asap!

 

The 08 makes no sense to me. Especially if Cheltenham is sitting in the yard doing nowt, better to get that out and have a 33 or something as a thunderbird.

 

Led to believe 30925 is stopped for maintenance.

 

I will let you all know about the 46100 move as I will attempt to tweet live with a picture from the platform at Guildford. Can't wait to see 46100 for the first time.
Regarding the 08 Special, I know about the Anniversary but I find it a little irritating that the MHR have decided to use a Diesel in what is advertised as a Steam Gala.
When I suggested using a Steam Loco during the Diesel Gala as the visiting Diesel loco's couldn't attend that idea did not go down well at all.

 

Oh don't be such a misery guts...
There are 16 Down trains and 15 Up, between 09:15 and 17:55 on each day, surely you don't begrudge one run to commemorate 1976

 

There could have been a couple more steam hauled services in the time it takes the 08 to get from one end of the line to the other
Anyway I will still be attending two days of the event and will be enjoying myself travelling on the trains. Just got to plan how to travel behind the three visitors as much as possible.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

The MHR have posted on Facebook that 46100 is expected to turn up facing Alton, as are 53809 and 43106... that means every locomotive appearing will face Alton (obviously, subject to change!).


James

 

To be fair, no you wouldn't, it just replaces 1 steam trip.

Yes, it takes longer (a fair bit longer), but it departs 20 minutes after the previous Alton departure (not 35) with the following departure only 10 minutes later than the earlier schedule would suggest.
In the Up direction there are no missed slots, every departure is between 30 and 40 minutes apart.

The timetable is quite different to previous galas, I was pleasantly suprised to find out that I'd be behind both 46100 and 43106, generally we've had a home loco on the RAT stock over the past few years. If you're there on Sunday come and say hello

 

Excellent!

 

How boring! Easy to plan photo locations & times etc, but it's nice to have some variation in direction of travel so we can get photos/video of locos arriving chimney first in both directions at the intermediate stations.

 

Jeez.........................

First we have folks moaning the Gronk is out during the gala, commemorating the last ever BR train on the line, because the date fits ( there is also an exhibition to go with this to show where we have come from in 40 years ) Seems like a bit of fun to me - bet the train it hauls is rammed........... if it is coaching stock & the damn thing at least has con rods!

And now folks are moaning that all loco's are now all supposedly smokebox 1st out of Alreford...................... bet you don't moan about that at the Worth Valley with all facing Oxenhope! Make a bloody change for me.

C'mon guys give the folks who organise this a break, they're trying something different to keep things fresh for everyone, be a bit boring doing the same thing year after year and as @Hampshire Unit has alluded to, there are a whole host of things planned - to find out, turn up at the weekend!