RHDR 95th anniversary steam & diesel gala 14/15 May 2022

Safe to say I'm looking forward to this event!

The RHDR have their 95th anniversay bash on the weekend 14/15 May.

The website says
'The “95th Anniversary” Steam and Diesel Gala will be taking place on Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th May 2022. For this event all available RH&DR steam locomotives will be in service plus diesels J B Snell and Shelagh of Eskdale, which is on long-term loan from the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway.'

And there are plans for a visiting loco, a mix of passenger and freight trains.

Plus all night running again - which I loved back in 2017 - and tickets available for the whole weekend for £45 per adult saving £3.00.

More details here: https://www.rhdr.org.uk/special-events/steam-and-diesel-gala-2022/

Looking forward to seeing if there will be a visiting engine Personally, I'd love to see 'River Irt' or maybe 'St Egwin' from the Evesham Vale Light Railway.

 

The parallel run during the all-night running in the May 2017 gala was just incredible - an experience unlike anything else I've ever had while enjoying railways. I'd naively thought the two trains would just run side by side in position, but the drivers were alternating in allowing each other to overtake to give passengers a unique view of the opposite engine working in the middle of the night. Working hard too, both rakes were extremely long. A real thrill.

I won't be able to make this event this year but I'd fervently encourage anyone who can to do so! These RHDR galas are so inventive these days, they really make the most of all the possibilities the double track and their set-up offers. For this one I'll just be planning my thereotical moves and keeping an eye on Railcam with one eye while working and looking forward to the next time I can attend one. Fantastic line.

 

Hopefully they will have Gladys the Bar Car out https://www.instagram.com/p/CawfcfpIx8N/?utm_medium=share_sheet which is out for volunteer training today.

 

Visiting loco just announced on Facebook as River Irt from Ravenglass. Also, on the website link as per the below.

95th Anniversary Steam and Diesel Gala (rhdr.org.uk)

 

Delighted to hear this!! 'River Irt' is a lovely engine!

 

Katie from Ravenglass also just announced as visiting!

 

Just come to the end of a 2 day visit to the wonderful RHDR for the 95th anniversary gala. A great time was had despite the change in the weather today. The RHDR put on a most engaging show with very helpful and informative staff. It really is a mainline in miniature and it is remarkable that the railway has survived with so little change. It deserves more support.

 

I had hoped to stay to the end of today, but the person I traveled with needed to return home in a hurry so I missed the parallel run - will get it one day!

That aside enjoyed the day, with plenty happening and some decent runs, although finding space on some trains became very difficult (not made better when you stand on the platform next to a compartment letting passengers off, and other people jump in from the opposite side, crossing tracks to do so!)

On to the centenary...!

 

Not seen the RH&DR that busy for a gala weekend for a long time, clearly caught the imagination and the weather on Saturday definitely helped

Photos now available at https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/RomneyHythe/95th-Anniversary-Gala-May-2022/



Video also available at

 

What a great event!
Thanks to everyone involved in putting it on As others have said, it was very busy on Saturday which was great to see. I think one of my highlights was being at New Romney at the start of the day to see the 95 parallel run, all the locos coming off shed and the shunts to get everything ready - there was so much going on it was hard to know which way to look! The triple header of 'River Irt', 'Shelagh of Eskdale' and 'JB Snell' was fun as well. Riding in one of the semi open carriages, it seemed as though Shelagh of Eskdale was making almost as much smoke as River Irt at times!
I also enjoyed a great run with Samson on Saturday evening up to Romney Sands and back tender first - it sounded like it was really going for it! Funny how what most railways have to from necessity is a special feature on the RHDR!
'Katie' was also a very sweet little engine - fun to see her out and about!

Here's my video - one of my longest ever! Hope you enjoy it