Foxfield @ 50

2017 sees the 50th anniversary of the Foxfield Light Railway Society, marking not only the formation of the Society but also the acquisition of the Society's first locomotive, Peckett 0-4-0ST 'Henry Cort', and the operation of the first ever passenger trains on the Foxfield Railway.

There are plans for special events to mark the 50th Anniversary this year, including a special 50th Anniversary weekend over the 13th/14th May and an extended three day summer gala over the 14th-16th July.

We will keep this thread updated with plans for the events, guest locomotives appearing this year and other news as it happens.

 

The Summer steam gala over the 14th-16th July is taking shape. The home fleet should consist of 0-6-0ST 'Whiston', 0-4-0ST 'Kent Electric No2', 0-4-0CT 'Dubs', 0-6-0ST 'Wimblebury', 0-4-0ST 'Eustace Forth', 0-6-0WT 'Bellerophon' (subject to repairs), 0-4-0ST Beyer Peacock '1827' (Subject to repairs) plus a visitor to be announced soon.

The Knotty Coaches will be in action alongside the standard passenger service set and a variety of freight trains will be in operation on Foxfield Bank.

Single day rover or multiple day rover tickets will be available.

 

What chance a return of one of the S&L "Uglies" ? The last appearance of RSH7673 was one of the memorable visitors to the line IMHO especially with its roaring up the bank - reminded me of many happy hours spent in the Northamptonshire Quarries !

 

It's unlikely to be one the of large Ironstone 18" RSH locos, but it should be something interesting.

 

After much negotiating and many failed requests for various reasons, we can finally announce that the visiting engine for the gala will be ex-Mountain Ash Colliery Peckett 0-6-0ST 'Sir Gomer' back in a colliery setting for the first time since being preserved.

She will also be joined by newly returned to traffic Hunslet 0-6-0ST 'Wimblebury' and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn 0-4-0ST 'Eustace Forth, both of which passed their final boiler exams in recent weeks and are going through the final stages of running in and repainting bringing the provisional total of engines for the gala to 6 at present. Hopefully 'Bellerophon' will have the repairs to crossheads and pistons completed in time to join the gala roster as well.

 

Sounds great. I hope that I can go.

 

Any chance of some sort of ride behind Dubs(brake van?) being available please?

 

Work continues to get Wimblebury and Eustace Forth ready for their first public appearances since return to steam with both undergoing repaints. Wimblebury will be appearing in unlined blue as 'N.C.B. No7' and Eustace will be sporting yellow and black wasp stripe buffer beams.

 

Just over a week to go to the gala and preparations are well in hand, Wimblebury has been repainted to plain blue for the gala and her original pressure gauge has been repaired and refitted. The timetable is being finalised and will be published here once it has been checked, suffice to say that we will be ringing the changes throughout the weekend.

 

Eustace Forth now in plain green with wasp stripe buffer beams ready for the gala this weekend, she will be paired with distant sister Kent Electric No2 seen alongside.


[Photo: Phil Civil]

 

Will the services on Friday be as intensive as the other two days, as I think that is the only day I could make it.

 

Friday will see all 7 locos out, the services will be only slightly less intensive than Saturday & Sunday, with coal trains on Foxfield Bank, double heading and banking and the Knotty coaches sharing passenger services with the standard Mk1 set.

 

For those who don't know here's the guest engine for this years Gala, Peckett 0-6-0ST 'Sir
Gomer'

 

Gala Timetables for Friday 14th and Saturday 15th/Sunday 16th

 

One of the loco crews will be making a very early start for the 06:32 departure from Caverswall Road on Saturday - unless that's the first deliberate error in the timetable? It also appears that the locomotive involved starts out as Sir Gomer and metamorphoses into Wimblebury and Whiston at Dilhorne Park between arrival at 06:48 and departure at 06:49.

The second error (or is it time travel?) involves the 19:25 light engine movement from Caverswall Road also on Saturday which is shown as arriving at Dilhorne Park at 10:42

Looking forward to visiting the gala on Sunday.

 

The early departures on Friday and Saturday relate to charters each day by the 3P20 Parcels Group. Not sure about the other issues you raised.

 

The 19.25 is a slip of the keyboard and should be 10.25, and it should be Sir Gomer down to the colliery for the charter on saturday. Thanks for mentioning the errors, hopefully you'll still enjoy the show.

 

Sir Gomer arrived yesterday afternoon and looking good. However we're hoping that a last minute issue with Eustace Forth's regulator is an easy fix and she will be able to participate over the weekend.

 

Any update on Eustance Forth please?

 

I'll be there on Saturday.

What are the arrangements for lineside viewing? I'll be buying a rover ticket, but really wanted to get some lineside shots at various locations.