Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway Updates

Quite a few railways open Santa bookings at the start of the year and I believe some offer Santa visitors the opportunity to book for the following year during their visit. It makes commercial sense.

 

It's also much easier to do ticketsales nowadays (particularly repeat), a couple of clicks of a mouse and you've duplicated last year's event and just need to add your new dates. You don't need to wait until you can dedicate phone line/office time to administer tickets and posting out physical tickets.

 

For anyone who isn’t following the events thread, the Hunslet Gala at the end of June now has a lineup of 6 confirmed locomotives which is incredibly impressive.

• HE 2387 Brookes No 1, 14” 0-6-0ST from Middleton
• HE 2409 King George, 15” built as an 0-6-0ST but currently running as a side tank, from Didcot
• HE 2705 Beatrice, resident 16” 0-6-0ST
• HE 1873 Jessie, 18” 48150 Class 0-6-0ST from Blaenavon
• HE 3794 Cumbria, 18” Austerity 0-6-0ST, owned by the Furness Railway Trust but based at Embsay for the last few years. Due to bow out after the gala, for overhaul.
  
• HE 2890 Douglas, 18” 0-6-0, converted from an Austerity tank, usually based at ELR.

In addition, it's hoped that HE 1440 Airedale No.3 will be on display in the shed - as the only other surviving 15" alongside 2409.

I presume this is the complete lineup as it’s already hefty, but a rough calculation suggests that they need at least one more loco in on a season-long hire (as 68067 and 52322 have both returned to their bases and HC1208 has gone out on hire, that leaves just 2705 and 3794 with the latter due to bow out at the end of June); I suspect 2890 is there for the season and the Polars but that hasn’t been confirmed. It’s shaping up to be a fabulous event and I have already booked a day off work!

 

Does anyone know if/when we're likely to get a new edition of YDR News? I emailed the railway earlier in the year and they said a new edition would be out 'soon' but that was a couple of months ago now I think.

 

We had a very nice trip on the line on Tuesday. Both trains were diesel hauled due to an earlier fire lineside and continued dry weather. Our train was the three carriage vintage set and they were a delight. All the staff were really friendly and helpful. Our sat nav took us to Bolton Abbey station despite putting in Embsay, but our reservation was quickly reorganised.
We were also invited to quickly visit the engine shed (when I expressed my interest and work on the GCR) and it was really impressive with extensive facilities for overhauling locomotives, carriages and goods wagons. The two road carriage shed holds up to 20 carriages.
The Afternoon Tea train was very busy with booked coach groups travelling.


The Hunslet Gala should be a real spectacle 27-29th June.

 

Just announced on Facebook the "P3/J27" No. 2392 will be visiting for the summer.