Threlkeld Quarry Summer Steam Gala 25 - 27 July 2025

Annual event for the narrow minded ferroequinologists amongst us, set in an actual quarry with fantastic mountain backdrops. Event over three days this year, details lifted from their site below:

Annual steam gala (25th-27th July) update!

There's just under two weeks to until our Annual Steam Gala!
Visitors are:

'Woto' - courtesy of the Apedale Valley Light Railway

'Jennie' - courtesy of the Gully Family

'Diana' - courtesy of Phil Mason


In a change from previous years, we shall be having the gala on the Friday as well as the weekend.

A frequent passenger service will operate on all three days

 

Can a moderator please alter the date I got wrong in the title line, should be 25 - 27 July, thanks?

 

We had a full day on Saturday at the event, forecast said the weather was the best. Little sunshine just brief glimmers, mostly dull, but a great event on the railway as usual. Highlight was the use of Diana on the yet incomplete extension to the new museum/station, on a demo-freight. Attendance appeared to be less than usual years, quite thin after early afternoon, making for better photographic opportunities. Selection of shots below:

 

As it appears nobody else is interested in putting any images up for this event I will add Part 2!

 

An excellent event BUT in respect of fewer attendees note that this could be due to a combination of age and health issues. In my case a quadruple heart by-pass has led to reducing such events as charters - as much for the concern over spoiling an event for others should I suffer ill health during the event as for personal concerns over my health. I well recall many years ago when Russ Hillier invited a surgical friend to join him on a charter and the surgeon noted how much physical effort was involved in the activity hence my concern regarding joining charter events.

 

Hope the heart surgery continues to be successful, at my last annual MoT they found I have developed a leaky valve and may have to have a plastic one inserted. Your point is well taken, I have had one hip job done, successful and great, fully mobile on it and NO PAIN anymore! Unfortueately as the surgeon predicted the other one is on it's way out and I await a date for that one. But we do not let these things stop us, just change how we go about doing things. Instead of romping along the lineside we travel from station to station and photograph locally. Still enjoy ourselves, but do it differently.
At Threlkeld there may be another issue. According to the lady in the shop when buying our admission, the locally TV station had done a visit the day before. Good publicity says I, no so says she. The TV company reported a very busy day with visitors, the lady thought that may discourage casual visitors or the don't want busy for little kids. In the event the morning was brisk, the afternoon was dead, just enthusiasts. She was correct.