Great Central Railway- Winter Steam Gala - 26th-28th January 2024

75069 and 52322 join homefleet and railcars https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/winter-steam-gala-26th-to-28th-january-2024/ in addition to the two railcars

 

Glad to see it's not a Southern gala again, but a bit gutted it isn't Pendennis and Hagley visiting.
[I need a word with Father Christmas].

As for variety, 10/10 for ages, sizes, colours and railcars!
I really want to attend this, especially if Omaha is rostered for some freight turns.
Also, a 52322 and 48305 double-header? A Lostock Hall recreation?

I wonder if they've listened to me about the brakevan situation?

 

I might have to attend..

 

Was already looking to visit for this gala, but is even more tempting for a reunion with 2253. When I was 7 we had a family holiday staying in Pickering and 2253 was the main loco in use during our stay. I remember me and my Grandad popping down to the station to see it arrive a few times and the whistle always used to take me by surprise!

 

And why would that be?

 

I'm partial to an s160...

 

The railcars are nice but I always end up wishing they’d put a longer DMU set on at the winter gala, they get so busy.

 

I don't think they expect THAT many people to ride in them me thinks.
Although, the other thing is, the suburban set.
I remember last year it got so bad, they ended up putting the suburban and local set together.

It's a good business initiative having a gala in January but my goodness, it's bonkers on a Saturday!

 

They need to take today as an example of how popular they are as the NER Electric Autocar was packed. May be the GCR needs to run a DMU weekend or DMU Sunday.

 

18th/19th May is listed as a Railcar Weekend in the GCR Events for 2024. The Quorn Bus Rally is on the Saturday of that weekend as well.

 

I tend to go to the GC winter gala regularly and it's been either one of the two railcars each time for the past few years, and they really do get busy, full and standing most of the time. It seems to mostly be people shuttling between different steam-hauled sets, which to me would make it seem all the more logical to prioritise capacity and use one or both of the class 101 sets.

 

GCR love a crammage on galas, they've had a full brake and 2 kitchens on a 6-car train before!

 

As a member of the DMU owning group I'll try to answer that. first off both Iris and the NE Auto car are visitors to the GC and unfortunately both will be leaving the railway, so it would be prudent of the railway to get the best possible use out of them
before they go and as you can ride the 101's pretty much any weekend in the year it again makes sense to offer something more unusual to ride to attract people to the gala its not always about just moving the most people from A to B.

the second more pertinent point about not using the 101 sets is, that this year it will be 20 years since the first 4 Power cars arrived on the GC and remember these units are older that some steam locos running in preservation. The Green set has run pretty much continuously for those 20 years and is now in need of much tender loving care, including but not limited too a couple of engine rebuilds, a gearbox rebuild and must importantly tyre reprofiling/wheel swop as the tyres are almost at the limit of use. so we are limiting its availability until such time as we can send the wheel sets away to be reprofiled. We are working hard on getting the 122 unit finished in time for the GC's DMU weekend and hopefully we will have our full working fleet available for use, and then if finances and manpower are available the green set will be withdrawn and we will begin to rebuild/ refurbish the units as quickly as possible.

Colin

 

Thank you for the insight, Colin, much appreciated.

 

Heads up to anyone travelling up from London / the south for the event by train, replacement buses in operation between Luton and Bedford

 

Looks like that brings an end to my plans of going. Even leaving early means not getting there until 12 or so.

 

I have just checked TrainLine, doesn't say anything about that.
Although, isn't the alternative Euston via Nuneaton?

 

I'd always recommend checking with the people that actually run the trains to Loughbough, rather than a 3rd party ticket retailer who arent involved in planning our advertising the amended service.

https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co....-trains-between-bedford-and-luton-saturday-27

 

Whose responsibility is it to fix 2253 Omaha? Obviously the loco owner but at the SVR where it is at present or the GCR where it is going?
Thanks in advance

 

Some strong hints going round that the S160 won't be going anymore but a replacement guest instead - seen images of 75069 being moved to Kidderminster, already separated from its tender and awaits a lorry movement and is viewable from the SVR Kidderminster Station webcam. It's the only reason I can think of where 75069 is due to head off too.

If it is true, and when confirmed I'll update the first post in due course. The timetables for all three days are also available on the website minus loco allocations, presumably for this reason