North Yorkshire Moors Railway: Steam Gala 23-26 September

A few from a very warm final day:

2999 passes Park Gate Cottage:


8F 48305 heading away from Levisham:




Richard

 

Some great footage appeared online of some very enthusiastic running with the 9f and the 8f double header!

Has 5428 developed a fault?

Regards

Chris

 

Me in the front droplight!

 

Haha. Me in the front droplight again behind the 9F!

Was there a reason why the 8F was mostly kept on the 5-coach rake? I wondered whether the GCR had given a stipulation about cut-off, as they have done before.

 

Nope, 8F was going like the clappers on the runs I did. Was great to finally hear what an 8F really sounds like!

 

That sounds mega. I rode behind it with 5 on the Friday and photted it on the bank with the 9F and with 5 on the Saturday and it seemed a bit tame. Looking forward to seeing some footage of it!

 

We made sure we only caught it on the full set and it sounded superb every time, especially when it hauled seven plus a relatively sedate 5428, comfortably taking 9/10 coaches equivalent. It was the Star performer and lets be honest, the main attraction for the hardcore enthusiast.

 

The 8F with 7 on the back from Pickering in the dark on Saturday night was one of my highlights from the weekend.

 

And for those who would perhaps like to live a little closer to the line. How about this propertty.-

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/83792026#/?channel=RES_BUY

 

Yeah. It was what I was most looking forward to but I ended up not seeing all that much of it. I was there for all of the Friday and most of the Saturday. I left after 2999's final trip to Pickering. I really wish that I'd waited an extra 55 mins and had the 8F.

 

Very enjoyable gala, one of my personal highlights was seeing Lucie shunting the freight in Levisham on Thursday ready for 2999.

 

Fantastic show all round from the guys at the NYMR, as I said before the 8F won it for me and even the Saint came good after its shaky start with that glorious evening climb on Friday Or was it Saturday. I hope you enjoy.

 

I really enjoyed this gala, not to mention the Beer Festival.
Fingers crossed the set involved in the rough shunt / low speed collision is still fit to run. I heard they were to be run down to Pickering today (Monday) to be lifted off their bogies and the pins, frames etc checked. Similarly I hope the Gresley Buffet coach returns to service soon, the Teak rake is looking a bit thin on the ground at the moment. I couldn't help also noticing down at Pickering a very smart looking pair of BR MK1 GUVs and what looked suspiciously like a fish van in a state of near completion....
This gala is one of the first things I look forward to each year so I'm already thinking about September 2022 - B&B booked provisionally for Sat/Sun 24th & 25th Sept.
Thanks to all who organised, facilitated and/or delivered this gala.

 

The smart GUV's were courtesy of one of the recent filming jobs.
A lot of hard work went into making the gala happen as it did, with last minute repairs to locos to get them out on their trains, one reason for the various loco swaps. The availability of two of the guests was also in the balance until the Tuesday. The NYMR even had to send a footplate crew to Crewe to get Tornado from there to Grosmont.

 

Well it was all worth it, at least from my perspective.

 

No stewards on board, I hope?

James

 

One of Lucie from Sunday afternoon.....................

 

Super Power on the Grade by Matt Spencer, on Flickr

Blue Star Goods by Matt Spencer, on Flickr


Stranger in the Camp by Matt Spencer, on Flickr

Light Load by Matt Spencer, on Flickr

 

The photos and videos are reminding me that for many reasons this was quite the most enjoyable gala I have attended for some years. The feeling that Covid was not bearing down quite so heavily helped. I drank some pints in the Birch Hall Inn for the first time in a very long while, and rather more at the beer festival in Goathland and Levisham. Being able to spend a week in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire made the visit very relaxed and the fine weather made walking the line a pleasure. The wonderful LNER coaches reminded me of my youth and at last I saw 2999.

However, most of all, the friendly and helpful staff of the NYMR, despite the inevitable hiccups, made it all run with efficiency and panache. I thank them all.