East Somerset Railway gala 16-17 March

The ESRs 50th Anniversary gala, is 16/17 March! There should be a further announcement detailing what to look forward to regarding the event over the next week or so.

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I am confused as last year's Gala had a double headed train billed as 60th Anniversary Double Heading.
Although I thought the line opened in 1974 which would make it 50 years this year.

 

That was a recreation of the final BR steam passenger train 60 years on (final train was double headed prairies), this is for 50 years in preservation.

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Clue for visiting loco https://www.facebook.com/1000647258...tiEk1pZATkUFMXuCbthWoNFQ5U3hTtgASKmdJz3odAzl/

Home locos 4110, 46447 and Lady Nan have already been announced on Facebook

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Photo attached for those who don't do Facebook.

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My money is on 7827

 

Announcement is that 6880 "Betton Grange" is set to star at the ESR over the gala!!

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Is this for real? I may be out of touch but I haven't even heard of this loco turning a wheel yet!

Could be quite a crowd puller if it's true.

 

What money? Have you put a bet on?

 

Just a shame ESR isn't possible to do on a Saturday via public transport

 

Is she still running in at the Battlefield Line in February.. I know it's not there for their gala this weekend.

 

''Join us for the first running weekend of the 2024 season!

We are delighted to reveal that Britain’s newest steam loco, Grange class 6880 ‘Betton Grange’, is set to star at the East Somerset Railway’s 50th Anniversary Steam Gala on 16/17 March 2024.

Why not join us to see a Grange operate on GWR metals for the first time since 1965 for ONLY £20! 6880 will run alongside GWR Large Prairie 4110 and Ivatt 2 46447 as well as Barclay 0-4-0ST 1719 ‘Lady Nan’ on driver for a tenner operations.

6880 will be the first GWR 4-6-0 to operate on the ESR since the David Shepherd era when both 7822 and 5029 operated on the line.

Betton Grange is visiting with thanks to its owners, The Betton Grange Society Ltd.

Train schedule to be announced.

Steam Gala 2024 Tickets will allow unlimited travel on any of the above trains throughout the day.

1719 'Lady Nan' operating Driver For a Tenner (pre-booking recomended)

All subject to availability and late changes

Tickets:

Adult £20

Concession (over 60): £16

Child (3-17): £12

Parking: £5 (or free when booked as park of a Steam Gala 2024 ticket)''

 

Very pleased about this, I'd planned to travel from home in Bristol up to the Battlefield line to see the Grange but this is much more convenient!

 

I presume Betton Grange is subject to completion, given it's already slipped past one event this year?

 

Where is 6880 at the moment? Presumably to run at a gala in 6 weeks time, it will need to steam fairly soon and start running in?

 

It is only an 8 minute taxi from Shepton Mallet which you can get to by bus from Bath. A short taxi hop would be relatively affordable I would have thought, properly a tenner. It is a shame the line's railhead near Shepton Mallet doesn't have a station, as it would only be about a half-hour walk away.

 

Thanks for that info. Will look into that

 

I do not know the mileage from Shepton but Swanage to Poole at 20 miles is just under £50 on the "special deal" Poole Hospital has for patients with a taxi company. So that would make it around £20, worth a call to one first I suspect.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0m3812l5eo

Thankfully not steam train.