Didcot 175 Events

Now that sounds good Big Ben... would settle for 3 Castles and a cheeky couple of Kings though ;-)

 

Hi Martin, did you get my message asking to book me in for a couple of places for the night shoot? I sent a PM but not sure they#re sending properly as my sent box is empty :-(

 

Martin,

I sent you an email last week, asking if you could confirm my booking for the Didcot Evening Photo Shoot. Can you confirm my booking?

I am hopefully booked under Edward J Dyer

Thank You

 

http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/events/gw175.html

Just noticed the webpage has been updated giving a programme of events. Looks a very good event and I will definitely be there for the first saturday.

 

Have other people received notification from Martin for the Evening Photo Shoot?

I have tried to email him but have not received a reply.

All I want to know, is whether I have been successful or not!!

 

Will pop along on Wednesday to scratch 3650 and 7827. Anyone have any idea how long the small branch line is? I understand the main running line is 36chains and gathered it would be somewhere in the region of 1/4 mile.

 

As an email went out some time ago to those who were successful - I would guess the answer is no you weren't. Might be worth checking your spam folder to check a response hasn't gone in there.

 

440m (480yd) standard gauge, 250m (270yd) broad gauge (measured from Google Earth).

 

Can someone from the GWS confirm what time the fun starts on Saturday 1st? The web-site says 10:30 but I see that the main line railtour is due to arrive just after 09:30 so wondered if the centre would be open a little earlier? I like to get to these events before the world and his wife turn up!

 

I would think its unlikely that anyone will be on the gate to let you in before 10:30 if that's the advertised start time, and unless (very unlikely) the mainline locos are running the demo lines, the locos for those will still be getting into position. If you turn up at 10:30 you won't find it overcrowded - you can lose a lot of people into that site without it feeling crowded. When Tornado was there last year it was only when a lot of people gathered around the turntable that it became obvious quite how many were in!

 

A few days ago whilst pouring through the Didcot website I was also looking for confirmation of the opening time myself as I thought it would appear somewhere on the event page. If I remember correctly I decided to click on the "Ticket-Web" link and then click on the "Buy" link and the opening time is given as 10:00hrs for May 1st.

Paul

 

Many thanks for your help.

 

7828 Lydham Manor left Churston just after 11am on route to Didcot by road.

 

Just a quick update,

16 different beers are now on site, 13 are settling ready for this weekend (only 10 available at any one time though), the remaining 3 will be racked up when some of the others have been finished. The beers include some from Arkells, Two Bridges, Windsor and Eton, Box and Bristol Beer factory. Commemerative glasses are also available as well as some bottled beers to take away.

Already on site are visiting engines Nunney Castle and the 55, I believe that the Manor and 14 also arrived on site over night following their inspection to be towed over the national network, City of Truro and the 94 will arrive later in the week.

 

Thanks for the update baldric. I am really looking forward to this event. It looks to be even better than the event which featured 4472 and 60532 amongst others back in 2000. My Father and I are coming by train for this visit instead of driving so we will be able to have some proper drinks this time and the beers on offer sound very good! Lets just hope they've got the weather forecast wrong as it was rain when I last checked.

 

A big thank you to all the people at Didcot for putting on a brilliant GWR 175 Gala.
Was there today with the 5043 Tour and we couldn't have been made nore welcome.
If you are thinking of going to this event, stop thinking and do it. I don't think there will be anywhere in the country that will put on such an impressive display of GWR power as this.

 

I visited today. I last visited Didcot about 5 years ago so this event was a good excuse to go. I had a good day with lots going on. The demonstration line locos were changed several times and plenty of loco movements around the centre. A few of my photos from today are here http://railways.mjspencer.com/gallery/v/GW175Didcot/ Out of interest what time did it actually open as I entered the site just after 10am and was quite a few people already there?

 

A great day, lovely weather for the most of the day. Great atmosphere...


More pictures from me at.. http://picasaweb.google.com/preservedrailwauy/51DidcotRailwayGWR175#