Epping Ongar Railway- Steam Gala - 23rd-25th June 2023

Visiting

- GWR 94xx Pannier No. 9466 (courtesy of West Somerset Railway)

- GWR Castle No. 4079 "Pendennis Castle" (courtesy of Didcot Railway Centre)

Home fleet
- GWR Hall No. 4953 "Pitchford Hall"

- GWR 4575 Prairie No. 5521 as L.150

- Hawthorne Lesile No. 3437 "Isabel"



https://www.eorailway.co.uk/events/steam-gala/

 

Is 9466 in service now?

 

4079 Pendennis Castle added to the line up

 

When 9466 was confirmed I decided to go to this, having missed out last year when the loco was unavailable (I haven't seen either of the 94XX's yet), but after 4079's exploits on the MHR I'm looking forward to seeing the loco again here too.

 

You wouldn't have thought it was an ex-LNER line looking it this!
Still looks a cracker! I'll keep an eye for any untoward problems [strikes], if there are none, so going to be there!

 

Timetables are now on the website.

Friday: 4079, 9466, 4953 & L150
Saturday: 4079, 9466, 4953, L150 & Isabel.
Sunday: 4079, 9466, 4953

https://www.eorailway.co.uk/events/steam-gala/

 

Quick on on the timetable, I assume Isabel’s set is loco-brake van-DMU and it’s push pull with loco on the Epping end?

 

I suspect so as the driving cab of the DMU will be used as the controlling brake on the return journey to North Weald.

 

They don't hang about - 4079 has already arrived in Essex!

 

9466 arrived yesterday evening too

 

That it has. North Weald Yard is looking particularly 'Western'.



Should be a good weekend; I'll be floating about tomorrow.

 

Should be attending Sunday. Didn't get that much running behind 4953 last year at the 10 Year Gala and not seen 9466 before, so looking forward to it.

 

Steam is being raised at North Weald.

 

It was hot out there today but passenger loadings seemed fairly good. Five locos out tomorrow as star of the fleet Isabel will be doing shuttles into the forest with a DMU trailer and the shark brake van.

 

Our first ever visit to the Epping Ongar Railway yesterday and we had a great day, the only problem really being the weather which was just too hot at times! We found a couple of lineside locations in the morning - which was a bit hit and miss not knowing the line or area, then took the train from Ongar to North Weald and spent the afternoon either watching the action or having a run to Epping Forest and back. The locos were certainly working hard up the gradients. Thanks as always to everyone involved in the event, my video (photos to follow)...

 

Had an enjoyable day today, but as alts1985 says, the weather was a bit hot but can't blame the EOR for that! Spent the day in the 3 coach set and managed to get behind everything plenty of times, like on the MHR, 4079 sounded fantastic on the gradients, especially coming back from the line limit in the Forest.

 

Just announced on Facebook that Pendennis Castle will be in use next Saturday.

Also, according to the post, there are also no heritage buses that day.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=637725708380443&set=a.451419290344420&type=3&sfnsn=scwspmo

Sent from my SM-A137F using Tapatalk

 

Photos from Saturday...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/albums/72177720309332173

 

Still yet to go through all of mine, but one from Saturday afternoon of No. 9466 crossing Bridleway Bridge just after departing Ongar.