KWVR Winter Steam Gala 2017 3rd-5th March

Until you pair them up ;-)

 

Sometimes a double header recreates a scene from the old days and is therefore quite nostalgic. On the whole I prefer a gala that has little or no double heading, even if fewer locos are steamed.

The KWVR used to do some decent diesel galas, but I remember some quite silly double-header combinations, e.g. Deltic+Western, Class 14+Class25. It must have cost them a small fortune to hire in all this motive power.

 

That's a tripple-header...

 

I disagree the more double headers the better the gala and it is part of the fun of galas. To make up different combinations of double headers and who would not like to see two locomotives pulling one train passing by. It makes up part of a gala with extra trains, more passenger sets and a freight train. How is it silly when it happen during steam days and a locomotive rescuing a failed locomotive happen. Plus it was common with the early diesels brokering down.

 

... but enthusiasts like them to be authentic combinations that did happen in the days of regular steam. A pair of Black Fives comes within that (e.g. on the Highland main line) but a Black Five plus a Castle perhaps not. A lot of strange combinations happened on the Somerset and Dorset on summer Saturdays up to 1962!

John

 

Exactly. Every time I visit a heritage railway I wear my Nostalgia Specs, the ones that let me pretend it's still the good old days and I'm not an OAP. Wacky double headers kind of spoil that illusion.

I can't deny that people like them, and the volunteers seem to get a kick out of it too. You can't please all of the people all of the time.

 

Any progress Kieran?

Cheers


Andrew

 

Is a Black 5/ B1 a classic Combination ?

 

Must have happened on several occasions.

 

Pretty sure there was a mainline tour a year or two ago where it was Black 5 and B1 over the S+C...

 

Errrrrrrrr... ok then

 

Red Bank parcels?

 

Yes, any combination of Crab, Black 5, Jubilee, B1 would be typical.

 

Will the B1 be in and out by rail?

 

West Highland Line perhaps ?

 

I think that was the first Winter CME of the 2014 season, the one that dosn't start from Euston.

 

They were most certainly working hard when they were double-headed. 7822 and 34053 were both fantastic as a pair.

 

Hopefully the Crab does get a solo run. The sound of it up Eardington Bank with load 10 on the SVR was pretty special !

 

Fab video .... thanks.