Great Central Railway "Railways at Work" Gala March 19/20th 2022

There are details of this on the GCR website. It is featuring the visiting BR Std 2-6-4 tank 80080. There will be lots to see, particularly at Quorn with parcels handling etc. Several goods rakes in use behind a variety of locomotives.

 

GCR website showing D6700 working freight services for this event along with 5 steam locos
https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/railways-at-work-gala/

Neil

 

D6700 is due to be running at this event. Edit...Not D6700, now D123 running on freight turns.

 

D123 now vice D6700

 

The timetables for both days are now shown on the GCR website

 

Looking forward to this one we should be there all weekend. Does anyone know which way locos are facing please? Doesn’t seem to be on website anywhere unless I missed it!

 

78018, 46521 and 48305 all face north (towards Loughborough/Nottingham)

73156 face south (towards Leicester/Marylebone)

80080 faced north in Tuesday for a photo charter so may be either way.

 

Thank you!

 

Thank you!

 

There is a you tube video previewing this event now on the GCR website.

 

They seem to have added three bus trips around the Charnwood Forest area departing from Quorn on the Saturday Afternoon as well now, in addition to the Loughborough Midland to GCR station shuttles.
Timetables are on the GCR website.

 

Nothing new about events on the website. I've been advised there will be a booklet of events for ticket holders to collect on arrival over the weekend.
Looks a good, varied event with plenty for enthusiasts to see, to phot and to travel on. Thanks be to the late David Clarke and everyone working for the railway.

 

Went to GCR Railway at Work Gala today Saturday 19th March 2022
I have just added a few phone photos rest of camera photos tomorrow
Photos included former NRM class 37 D6700 which was moving around Loughborough shed yard
D6700 seen here with 80080
https://railway-photography.smugmug...-Work-Gala-Saturday-19th-March-2022/i-B8L72b6

Neil

 

Not as busy as I had expected it to be yesterday - one telling comment from a member of staff being "People want us to put events like this on, but don't want to pay for them....."
From personal observation, there seemed to be an awful lot of photographers clutching home printed working timetables rather than the booklets you got when buying a rail ticket.
Road traffic on the journey there (A14/A1/A47) and back seemed a lot quieter than usual, so the current high fuel prices will have had an effect on attendence as well.

Biggest surprise was seeing D6700 on the afternoon mixed freight with D123.....



Other shots from around the Quorn area....

 

Sadly I couldnt be there this weekend due to the Luton-Bedford engineering works adding a further hour to my journey before being ill anyway. Wanted to see 80080 before it departed back for E.V.R and one of my last chances in its current ticket of 46521. Looked like a great event. As for printed timetables. I normally print one off at home anyway and use that as i have it in my pocket so i can keep the booklet as a souvenir.

 

Went to GCR Railway at Work Gala on Saturday 19th March 2022
Lots of action going on all day especially at Quorn with various loading and unloading a pick up goods train hauled by 78018 which was also turned on the turntable
4 Locos in steam LMS 48305, 45621 B.R. Std 73156, 78018 & visiting loco 80080
Stabled not in steam 6990 Witherslack Hall, 92214 City of Leicester & out of ticket Black 5 45305
2 diesels D6700 now based on GCR from the NRM & D123 Leicestershire & Derbyshire Yeomanry
And station cat
46521 & D6700,D9019 Loughborough Station 19th March 2022
https://tinyurl.com/5ufhfx8x

Neil

 

Does anyone know whether BR actually operated of those "Brush Pony" electric trucks as shown by my photo of "EP 69" in post #15?
There seem to have been several given to the GCR since the Brush Works closed as there was a line-up of 5 alongside the loco shed at Loughborough yesterday....


There always used to be a couple there which usually lived under Empress Road bridge, but those 5, plus the BR black liveried one at Quorn are recent additions with one also being presented to the Montsorrel Heritage Centre as well in the past 6 months.

 

The Windcutter Information/Sales stand at Rothley was certainly well patronised on Saturday. There were 6 members of the team there at various times and a big "Thank You" to all the visitors for their interest and support.

 

I visited on Saturday, whilst the freight trains look smart the coaching stock is rather rough and tatty, i think a diversion of funds and efforts towards what the public have to ride in is needed!