Great Central Railway Goods Galore Gala 6-7 May 2017

From the General Manager in 'Rail Mail' Newsletter -

"We now have firm plans in place for Standard 4 Tank no 80136 to join us for our Goods Galore event on 6 & 7 May. The loco arrives courtesy of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the Standard Four Locomotive Trust and (I'm pretty sure!) this will be its debut appearance at GCR."

More details to follow on the website...

 

Certainly a nice engine to have visit the railway and good for the Moors for letting it visit. Hopefully its back up north for the summer and its work during the busy summer months.

 

It's only staying for the the gala weekend then will head back to the Moors

 

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/special-events/goods-galore/

Guest Locomotive No. 80136
48624, 47406, 78018, 92214, 6990 and 45305 (Subject to completion of repairs).

Shunting displays: At Quorn and Woodhouse with 3F 47406 between 10:45 and 14:00 on both days.

Express train: Departing Loughborough at 12:30 each day and travelling non-stop to Leicester North. A rare opportunity to travel on an 8-coach steam hauled express. The crossing gates at Quorn & Woodhouse will be locked to allow the passage of this service at 25mph through the platform.

Demonstration goods trains: We will have four goods trains in operation over the weekend including our Permanent Way Ballast train, Windcutter Wagons, Mixed Freight and recently restored box van train. At the end of each day, a double headed freight train hauling over 30 mixed wagons will depart from Loughborough - a sight to behold.

 

Looks to be shaping up to be a good event. Accommodation booked

 

46521 Ivatt 2 will replace 45305 due to overrunning repairs

 

Brilliant, need to see blossom on goods

 

Timetables published for the Gala. Does anyone know what Set D would be?

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Saturday-6th-May.pdf
http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Sunday-7th-May.pdf

 

Set D is the Pullman Dining Train, no passenger accommodation I'm afraid.

 

Will there be a souvenir booklet with the full working timetable available on the day? Looking to come and see 80136 on its hols!

 

Yes there will be a gala programme with full WTT's inside.

 

80136 has arrived safely ready for this weekends gala.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nor...653614&notif_t=like&notif_id=1493807320585704

 

Hello

Looking forward to attending the Gala on Sunday. Does anyone know which way the locos will be facing?

Thanks in advance

Stan

 

I am pretty sure all current GCR locomotives are facing towards Leicester North and I have not seen anything about turning them.

 

Sunday looks to be the best day weather-wise. Looking forward to riding and line-siding both days

 

Seen a photo of the 4MT unloaded facing south too.

 

Nice to se that attention is being given to repainting some of the goods rolling stock at the GCR, there being 3 freshly refurbished and repainted vans in the "van train" that was running yesterday. Two were fully signwritten and these are shown below at Quorn...



The chalked Woodford Halse destination on the Shocvan was a nice touch.

One of 78018 on the ballast train a well....

 

My shots from the gala over the Sunday

 

Thanks to everyone at Great Central Railway for putting together another brilliant Gala. Spent Sunday traveling and taking photos, mainly at Quorn and Woodhouse station. Here is a selection of my efforts. I'll try and post some more later.

Hope you enjoy
Stan

 

Another great weekend at the GCR, travelling on Saturday and taking photos in the much improved weather on Sunday! Really good to see lots of unusual workings, the 8 coach express is something I would like to see done again. Would have been even better if 70013 or 777 had been running and could have hauled it. I hope visitor numbers were reasonable, the railway didn't seem hugely busy or the trains that full compared with the winter or autumn galas.
An selection of pictures here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/djcs_trains/albums/72157680841407542