KESR 50th Anniversary Gala: 1st - 2nd June 2024

A very enjoyable day at the gala, although busy always managed find a seat, and not wait too long to purchase refreshments Thanks to all staff and volunteers involved.

 

An excellent day. A timetable that worked well; very friendly, informative and chatty staff, volunteers and others; excellent food provision at Tenterden; and a wonderful display by the very large bumble bees frequenting the fairly small, but very well stocked with bee friendly flowers area between the platform end and the level crossing.

I have tickets for both days, but wanted to build up my collection of photos of 31806 and 76017 to use as required in my steam loco memoirs book (most definitely non-commercial!). And it's always nice to photograph 32678 after my first encounter with that loco on 9 September 1962. So I spent the whole day at a very busy Tenterden station.

A selection of low res photos that fit with my requirements - great care when taking the photo of 76017 departing on the 13.20 to Bodiam not to disturb the very bee friendly foxgloves - so some out of focus vegetation is in the photo!

Bryan B

 

Nice shots. Considering how busy the stations were trains we were on weren’t full. Our stock also had a refreshment trolley.

 

Action from the lineside yesterday. A top show from everyone involved.

 

Hopefully, most people were buying train tickets to support the event, but preferred to take photos and video rather than ride.

 

Not everyone wants to ride. Especially given how packed some of the trains were yesterday I wouldn't of blamed them.

 

A few from me, a truncated gallery after doing battle with the car parking in Tenterden (got basically the last space at the museum further up the hill, goodness knows where the long queue of cars waiting to cross the crossing after that ended up!), really good event. Hadn't been the K&ESR for a long time before yesterday, will definitely be back soon.

https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/KESRphotosets/50th-Anniversary-Gala-June-2024

 

I travelled on all three sets and didn't find any of them to be overly full .. even managed to find a seat on the vintage set when we were turfed out of our original seats to make room for the band.

 

That's probably the best photo of me from the weekend!