[May 29, 2018] Ivatt gala (Isle of Wight)

The timetable is now on the Isle of Wight steam railway web site under events. The event runs from 26-28 May and will reunite the railways 3 Ivatt locomotives again.This time all 3 will be in steam. The tender version 46447 is returning for a brief visit and will be double heading (not air fitted) a couple of services each day. 46447 starts off by working 09:37 Havenstreet to Smallbrook then the 10:10 Smallbrook back to Havenstreet only. 46447 then works a train of ballast hoppers and a brakevan around the station area
The 1418 Havenstreet to smallbrook is again double headed with 46447 as train engine. This forms the 14:41 to Wootton which is double headed throughout. There should be an opportunity to photograph all 3 locos together at some point in the day. There will be a display of photographs reflecting the lives of the 3 locos and there will be a real ale bar as well. 46447 will return to the East Somerset railway shortly after this event. Doubt if it will return in the near future as the Wootton headshunt is not long enough for it to runround in during normal operation.
The next event will see the two terriers and No 24 Calbourne running. No8 Freshwater is now in its last year of service prior to overhaul and No24 is getting close to it as well. I will put more info here when it has been agreed by the planning team.

 

Here is the proposed loco allocation for the Ivatt gala event over the bank holiday weekend. It is intended that there will be a line up of all Ivatts at Havenstreet between 1600 and 1625 each day.
When not out on the line 46447 will be hauling a period ballast train around Havenstreet station area.

Sat 26th 41313 duty A 41298 duty B
Sun 27th 41298 duty A 41313 duty B
Mon 28th 41313 duty A 41298 duty B
Hope this is some help with your journey planning. Newington

 

So which services will be hauled by 46447

 

See post one.

 

Matt, 46447 will be tender first and double headed Havenstreet to Smallbrook with the 0937 departure. That forms 1010 to Wootton. 46447 will come off the train at Havenstreet at 10:21. The 14:18 from Havenstreet to Smallbrook will be double headed with 46447 as train engine. It will then work right through to Wootton ,again as train engine arriving there at 15:02 (1441 ex Smallbrook). At some point between 16:00 and 16:25 all 3 Ivatts will be lined up at Havenstreet station, I think it will be the Wootton end. Timetable says a down train arrives at 16:15 so it will be at that point all 3 are together. On the grass outside the train story building would be the best place for a shot!

 

Ok thanks for the info

 

46447 is on its way!

Photos of being loaded at ESR:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/eastsomersetrailway/posts/?ref=page_internal

 

Modern traction ISLE OF WIGHT STYLE , This week end see the most modern railway traction ever seen on the IOW,

 

The diesel gala would trump that?

 

Video from an excellent day yesterday at IoWSR for the staff day. All 3 locos looked excellent and I hope the railway has a good weekend. A big thankyou from me to all who have made it possible!!

 

A video shot on Friday 25 of Ivatt tank engine 41298 & Ivatt tender 464447 having been formed up to double head the bogie set to Smallbrook, next running into Smallbrook and lastly both running round at Smallbrook.

 

The one and only place a Class 2 Ivatt looks like a large loco!

Considering a Beattie well tank would have been out of gauge on the original IWCR (due to those outside cylinders), it's amazing work done over the years now means even a 33/2 can visit the island to play.

I wonder ..... if suitable stock had been found, making the the transfer of some 84xxx class viable back in 1966, would we still have any of those ex-LBSC & SECR carriages today? Or maybe even 'Calbourne'? Perhaps, in the end, it all worked out as well as could be realistically hoped for .... though the loss of 'Chale' so late in the day still rankles, over 50 years on!

 

So many things to wonder about Another is the choice of site for the steam railway, if they had plumped for Sandown and headed towards Newport how far would they have got? Merstone? Pan?

 

Has anyone done a what might have been picture of an 2mt tank in BR blue either lined out, or unlined, with the double arrow on the tankside and the number preceded with an S

 

MK1 suburban's do not fit Martin that is why the line was electrified using tube stock.

 

... and that Tube stock is itself of historical interest, even though not officially preserved. What a shame that none of the 1928 stock was saved.

 

didn't LUL scrap two ex IOW coaches its a pity these weren't made available to be preserved somewhere on the island, or even at York ?

 

Whilst we are on the subject of what if's . If the M25 had not been built then there would be no Isle of Wight steam railway! As I understand it No 24 was purchased for use on the Westerham Branch preservation scheme. The scheme faltered as part of the trackbed was required for the M25. That meant 24 needed a new home and from that what we have on the Island grew!

 

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I am lead to believe that a 1928 coach was offered to the Isle of Wight steam railway. At the time the railway did not have the money for transport or asbestos removal. As well as money, the site did not have any space where it could be stored either at that time. Yes it is a great shame one was not saved. We must not allow the same thing to happen when the present stock is disposed of.