NYMR Spring 2010 Steam Gala - Giant Gala of Giants

Todays pics start here with an A4 on Pullmans - http://markt79.fotopic.net/p64631201.html

 

Having visited the NYMR for a quick couple of days last week and witnessed some of the problems that the railway was facing, on the wednesday locomotives were down to two steam and one diesel, I can only say well done to Steven and Steve to take the trouble to post on here and also to the rest of the guys on the railway who really must think someone upstairs has it in for them. The railway will recover to its stunning best and I just hope that most visitors are understanding and dont give the staff to much of a hard time.

 

Thanks for the kind thoughts towards the NYMR and its problems. When you think that last October, the Railway was confidently expecting to have eleven locos available from the home fleet, you will see how things can go wrong!
825 - now requires a boiler lift to rectify what is hopefully a minor problem (fingers crossed)
6619 - presently awaiting a replacement crank axle. Hopefully not much longer, now
30926 - in traffic
45212 - being re-tyred following slipped tyre. Tyres in stock and progressing
45428 - running in after a long overhaul but not yet match fit
49395 - now requires a re-tube
53809 - protracted winter repairs and now a broken tender spring. Hopefully back soon
60007 - protracted winter repairs after additional work found necessary. Should be out imminently
63395 - protracted winter repairs. Should be out imminently
75029 - quickie boiler overhaul (retube & re-rivet foundation ring) has turned into a major one requiring additionally a part new barrel and bottom of outer firebox
76079 - in traffic

Our biggest worry over the winter was whether Bridge 30 would be ready, not the motive power! The bad weather has had some effect (63395 & 53809) but the problems with all the others were not expected. We'll bounce back, though!

 

Just got back from a absolutely smashing three days!! A very well done to everyone at NYMR for working together to produce a great lineup, despite numerous and unfortunate problems. Let's hope more locomotives are out for next weekend.

 

Is Repton back up and running again as I heard she failed yesterday and the 25 had to go and rescue it. Is 45428 up and running again. Is 63395 likely to be out for the second weekend.

 

Questions galore just no ??????????????????????????s
Just be grateful for anything next week additional to this week.Things might be clearer by Thursday do you not think?

 

sorry about the lack of question marks. I don't know as I post on here now and not the nymr forum as it's a more polite atmosphere here.

 

But you are still asking the same sort of questions.

 

Good Evening

Yes, it was good to meet up with Steven on Sunday at last, thanks for sparing your time.

Have been to the gala for past two days and enjoyed all of it (well almost, the Autumn style weather!, what was going on there!?)

The N2 was a steady plod on load 4 up to Goathland before my Battersby trips, sampled again on the afternoon, with a slightly quicker run up the 1 in 49.

Sunday was mainly spent sampling 45407, 44871 and 60019 "at speed" on the Battersby line, with 44871 getting my vote for best run out of the three.

I was also on the 1555 when Bittern did a few wheelslips, it did the same coming back as well with the 1755 ex Levisham, but always kept going.

Yesterday, was more Bittern, photographed D5061 at Levisham on the freight, then trips with 44871, 45407, 76079, before finishing the day off with 44871 banked by D7628 to Whitby for a rousing return on the 1800 back to Grosmont with the 25.

Well done to all for putting a good show with what you managed to have available.

Hope that 30926, 53809 and 45428 appear over the next couple of weekends.

45428 was on the wheeldrop last night.

Looking forward to more visits next weekend.

Best Regards

 

47406 I think you will find it was 45212 on the wheeldrop as I saw it there on the sunday and not 45428 . Does anyone know why Repton failed sunday afternoon ? There was a rumour of piston trouble so wondered if anyone can confirm . Thoroughly enjoyed my day on the railway . Thanks to everyone on the NYMR !

James

 

Called in again today. Class 25, 60019 & 76079 working plus 45407 on the Whitbys. N2 had been out on the 10.30 from Grosmont banked by a diesel, whether this will happen all this week I couldn't find out. Very few people around and I'm sure it wasnt paying The 15.30 only had people in one coach and the first train into Whitby only had enough people to fill three coaches and the 14.00 departure from Whitby only had enough for one coach. Does anyone know what the access charges are?

45407's air pump is very annoying! If it's on vacuum stock does it have to be working at all? I'm sure the Grosmont residents must have been glad when it left this afternoon!

45428's tender wheelset is now out and work on exposing the S15's outer firebox for welding now seems to be done. Plenty of people working at the shed.

Bet they wish they had taken 44767 after all!

 

45407 can run in vac only without the air pump on heritage railways but, the AWS/TPWS operates through the air brake system so, when running on Network Rail, the air system has to be operational all the time. It is the same with 76079 at present but there is a possibility that this might change. I don't know about 44871 but I'm guessing that it is identical to 45407 in this respect.

 

Steve

Thanks for your hepful and informative reply

 

There may seem to have been only a few people on any one train but I reckon from our monitoring of daily takings that there would be around 700 passengers yesterday. Certain departures are always emptier than other and some do tend to have to run to get stock back to where it is next needed. We would certainly have more than covered the operating costs and made a contribution towards the fixed costs of operating, which is always the key query over whether to run on a given day or not.

We would shorten sets in some cases but stabling is a major problem and changing formation means that NWR Fitness to Run needs doing after each change instead of the usual 3 day interval - all time consuming for C & W Staff.

Track access to Whitby is remarkably reasonable - it is based on a formula of the additional costs caused by operating the train and this principle is a requirement of EU legislation on Open Access (the British DfT don't particularly like it). That 150 or so on the first train to Whitby will easily have covered the Track and Station Access and much of the operating cost for the whole day! I still find it remarkable the way the Whitby trains have re-written what we thought we know about how early or late passengers are willing to travel - 09:00 ex-Pickering every Whitby morning and 19:00 or even 19:30 back at night. When I am at Pickering at that sort of time, I always like to just watch a couple of hundred people detraining because it is so surprising!

I have explained the situation with regard to 44767 on the NYMR Unofficial Forum and obviously it is a commercial matter between Railway and Owner but briefly, the expected mileages per contracts with Home Based owners meant we could not assure the owner of 44767 of a mileage figure at the time he needed to be sure it would be getting work, so he quite understandably looked elsewhere. As it has turned out, currently none of the contracted locos are available for a wide variety of reasons (and I think we know there is a lesson to be learnt here), although 44767 has also been out of traffic being painted for the past 2 or 3 weeks.

Steven

 

Very interesting and this is one of the great features of this forum, getting informed answers. I often come to the NYMR and wonder why 7 coaches are being dragged up hill and down dale with a hard worked class 4 when a smaller set would suffice. This would mean that for example the J27 and Lambton 29 could be used more often. The need to do Fitness to Runs explains a lot. You are so right about stabling, a long term difficulty on the line.

 

Hi James

It certainly was 45428, the Eric Treacy nameplates giving the game away!

A shunt had been undertaken with 49395 and 45212s tender moved towards the tunnel, presumably to allow 45428 to move up there with 08850 doing the work.

Cheers

 

Good to hear about 45428 hopefully she'll be out on the weekend? any news on repton yet.

 

Some updated information for the weekend:

Friday

Locos planned for use: 44871, 45407, 53809, 1744 and 60019

Double-headed Black Fives and Goods train in use. 1744 on the teaks.

Saturday

Locos planned for use: 44871, 45407, 45428, 53809, 60019, 1744 and 76079

Trains to Whitby, Goods train (Grosmont to Goathland - 45428) and Local (Pickering to Levisham). 1744 on the teaks and 45428 on its first passenger train (hopefully)

Sunday

Locos planned for use: 44871, 45407, 45428, 53809, 60019, and 1744

Trains to Whitby and Battersby, Saloon trips including chance to view Bridge 30 (Grosmont to Goathland - 45428). 1744 on the teaks and 45428 on its second passenger train (hopefully)

Battersby – 60019 (morning), 44871 (afternoon) and 45407 (two trips Whitby to Battersby)

This is the last chance to ride behind 60019 on the Esk Valley and NYMR at this visit as the loco leaves the Railway for mainline duty the following week.

All subject to availability and completion of repairs in some cases.

Steven

 

Valve gear receiving attention.

 

Given the weather forecast for Saturday, I hope the MPD have plenty of dry sand for use thereof, particularly for the A4.

Not a flippant comment, a serious one.