Watercress Line Spring Steam Gala: 29th April-1st May 2023.

A report in the latest issue of Heritage Railway quotes a Watercress Line spokesperson who states that 4079 will be the only visiting locomotive for this event.

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So its now been Announced on Facebook (so beyond a Magazine) officially

Pendennis castle is visiting

 

Strange that they're quoting it as being 29th to 1st April; I'd have assumed that the Friday would be part of it too.

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The 1st May is a Bank Holiday, thus Monday rather than Friday

 

That didn't stop them last year.

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The Monday is also the King Alfred Running Day when all available King Alfred vehicles will be in use, plus visiting vehicles as offered by their owners.
FOKAB are planning to feature 1929 Leyland Lion RU 8678 on its return to Hampshire from Scotland. Most buses which will work to Alresford will be visiting
buses appropriate to the region, but not from the King Alfred fleet.

Alresford station yard could be quite congested.

Cheers, Neil

 

More information now available online. Kilmersdon on driver experience at Ropley during the event.

https://watercressline.co.uk/special-days/spring-steam-gala

 

Queen Mary brake van rides, crane demos and 1788 driver experience do sound interesting.
I'll admit, maybe I was a bit TOO harsh about this event.
Guess when a strikes called over the April Bank Holiday, I shall eat "humble pie" and visit you guys.

 

Pricing seems a bit on the high side for a single visiting engine gala and a much reduced home fleet this year, especially the on the day price.

£35 advanced purchase online, £39 on the day.

Compared to G&WR with 3 visiting locos announced so far.

£34 advanced purchase online, £36 in the day.

SVR Spring Gala with 7 locos out with 2 visitors.

£34.20 advanced purchase on-line.

Swanage Railway again with 2 visiing locomotives and a good selection of motive power:

£30 rover ticket.

Bluebell Railway Branch Line weekend:

£37 for 1 day rover, however membership discounts apply at the Bluebell.

I wish the MHR well with this event and may still attend myself if the weather plays ball and I decide to take the long drive up from Devon to Hampshire. However since the scrapping of membership discounts for Gala tickets a few years back, coupled with the cost of living crisis, attendance to these events is now a very considered choice, whereas in the past I wouldn't have very much hesitation to attend.

In fact I've probably attended at least one MHR Gala every year since I was a teenager back in the 1980's, sadly however the 2020 Autumn gala was my last visit to a MHR gala, since the new policy came into force.

 

Well yes, that is true, there is definitely better value for money out there, then again, I suppose they have had a lot of ups and downs with various management leaving and arriving, so they don't know if they coming or going.

Personally, wouldn't bother running this event because of all the rather chopping and changing they are going through, perhaps waited for it all to all settle down, then think about such an event.

Those that do go, I hope they are'nt disappointed and they have a great time behind 4079 plus the other things, for those however, who wish to experience a proper GWR event, I do recommend the West Somerset.

Closer to Devon and worth every penny.

 

Bloody hell, what is the matter with this guy? Most people, if they don't fancy visiting a gala simply don't go - they don't try to stick the knives in. Give it a rest man. <BJ>

 

He is well worthy of the ignore button.

 

Personally I prefer mainline steam to heritage railways but as the Mid Hants is my local I always endeavour to attend their galas partly from a use it or loose basis and partly because I am yet to not have a great day out there! Also at £35 its seems a bargain compared to a mainline steam trip!!

 

Gala timetable https://watercressline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Spring-Gala-2023-Public-Timetable-V2.pdf

 

Sounds like they must be reasonably optimistic about getting the 7F fixed in time then. Can't help thinking that they are still one loco short though - it would only take one failure and out come the diesels!

 

If the 7f can be fixed, there must be very limited opportunity's now to travel behind it, As well as the gala, could the organisers highlight that this could be the last gala appearance of the 7f, book now, you might not get another chance? are there plans for one last swansong for the old girl, something like a last non stop pines express.

 

Fingers and toes crossed everything rostered makes it for this event. Really looking forward to it.
A couple of queries:
Going by the locomotive notes the direction 4079 will face has not been decided yet?
Also the key for the service notes doesn't make much sense; 2A18, 2A20 & 2A22 but no reference to these workings in the timetable?

Depending on the visitor numbers the last train back to Alton with 41312 could be somewhat cosy.

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Yeah the service notes don't make sense. I assume this is an error.

As for the last run of the Ivatt. It feels to have very early finish for a gala.

I want to assume that following the release of the timetable that the 7F is expected to run. (Ticket ends around November-ish)

 

I think the timetable is a cut and paste job hence the errors. There is no overlap of services at the Alton end. Presumably the direction 4079 will face hasn’t yet been decided. It will be doing a lot of work so there will be opportunities both to travel behind it and do some linesiding. Yes it’s a very early finish for a Gala. Maybe the timetable isn’t complete?

 

Jokes on you two, I'm going.
Trust me, it wasn't easy.

I do notice on the timetable that they have two passenger sets running:
6x Mark Ones for the RAT.

Yet, they don't specify how many coaches for the PASS set.

Bit of deja vu from Swanage last month.