SDR 'Rails & Ales' August Bank holiday

With the South Devon Railway's next event looming on the horizon, it really looks to be a cracking gala.
The possibility of visiting locos 9017 'Earl of Berkeley' from the Bluebell and 1450, an old favorite of the line having run services when steam finished on the branch, and again when the preservation group took over.
Look out on the railway's websites for more info when it appears, for what is no doubt doing to be a great bank holiday weekend of steam.

 

Rails & Ales extends over four days from Friday 27 to Monday 30 August.
Locos shown on roster are:
Friday: 3205, 1450, 9017, D6737.
Saturday: 1450, 9017, 5526, D6737, D2246.
Sunday: 1450, 9017, 5786, 3205, 5526, W55000.
Monday: 1450, 9017, 5786, 3205, 5526, W55000.
Real Ale festival at Staverton open until 11pm on Friday, Saturday & Sunday so I expect there will be evening trains.

 

Sadly it looks like 9017 will miss its visit to the 'Rails and Ales' event, however it is still hoped to welcome the loco over the September Heritage Transport gala.
1450 will now be the star of the show, including the opportunity of pairing it with the SDR residfent auto coaches as well as its own GWR auto, recreating a 3 coach Sandwich set.
Is this the first one in preservation?
Plenty of real ale and cider availabe over the weekend, and loads of trains to help pass the time by at sleepy Staverton!

 

Will be the first 3 coach sandwich set I believe. We tried for SSS2 but sadly one of the coaches needed repairs so couldn't run Good luck though, hopefully it'll be a good event for you.

 

The SDR, then Dart Valley Railway, started off in 1969 with sandwich autos. 2 autos, 6435 (if my memory serves me well - anyway it was a 64xx), then 2 more the other side. I remember feeling slightly miffed as I couldn't get a standard three quarter front shot of the loco!

 

1450 arrived at Buckfastleigh today at around 18.30.

 

The final timetables have now been produced and although we haven't got 9017 for this event (or indeed for our Transport Gala in September - we hope to have it visit early in the 2011 season) the Rails and Ales event still has plenty to offer.

Friday evening sees additional trains running in the evening with 1450 and its trailer working four round trips and the railcar W55000 a single round trip.

Saturday evening will see 1450 and its trailer running along with 5526 and its two-car auto set. This will present a rare chance of seeing two seperate auto trains (1 GWR, and 1 BR(WR)) running together.

Sunday and Monday sees 1450 work a three-car set on the first trains of the day.

3205, 5526 and 5786 will be in steam at various other times, and on the Saturday Class 37 No. 6737 will be making its last passenger runs over the line for a while as it is due to go "on holiday" in early September, being away for around 12 months.

We expect 34 ales and 6 ciders to be on offer at the Real Ale festival at Staverton, and prices are again held at just £2.40 per pint - entry free but please use the trains from either Buckfastleigh (large free car park) or Totnes (good mainline connections) as there is very very limited parking at Staverton and this is likely to be needed for the staff.

For more info please see the sdronline website, which also includes the first photo's of 1450 back "at home"

 

Any idea when? I looked on the timetable and can't find it?

 

Try here at: http://www.southdevonrailway.org/News-and-Press-Releases/2010_TT_Rails_and_Ales.pdf

 

Auto trailer 178 arrived at about 17:00 today on a low loader, we're unloading it tomorrow along with getting all the other coaches into the right place for the weekend. Let's just hope the weather picks up a bit!

 

Bumped back to the top above the thread about the 2009 event.

 

A very good day spent at the gala, volunteer duties int he day then a relaxing evening at the real ale & Cider festival at Staverton.
The single coach auto and 1450 looked a trwad headin off along the branch full and standing on many trips even at 7.00PM when the main services had ended. A very good atmosphere with plenty to see and do.

 

Today-Mon-v good. First trip was 1450+ 3 autos..........loco between them! A first for me.

3205/5786 working hard. If you are around 69621 is in the works. 1420/5526/4920 nearby+lots of other beauts such as Lee Moor loco/Ashley etc

Great atmosphere in hot sunshine

 

some photos from today 30-8-10 at http://keyhamtrain.fotopic.net video at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=keyhamtrain#g/u

 

How does that work - can the linkage be run between carriages? If so, with all the rodding and joints, wouldn't the driver's controls become a bit unresponsive? I'd only seen it working with a single carriage, or with one carriage either side of the loco.

Richard

 

The maximum on either side of the loco is two auto trailers, that's done quite regularly on the SDR. It's unusual in preservation to see more than two autos, though. The original DVR services from Buckfastleigh in 1969-70 were four coach autos, two either side of the engine. They finished auto working (and topping and tailing) once they built a loop at Totnes and were able to run conventional trains. It's very unusual to run a two car auto set with one coach either side of the loco (as Llangollen Rly did recently) because it can be avery fiddly piece of shunting to achieve and then stable, for no great commercial (i.e. passenger carrying) gain. As a consequence, this correct use of a three car auto set is the first for almost 40 years.

 

Here is an old pic to prove it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chippy1966/4923855169/lightbox/

And this looks like the opening special: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chippy1966/4515583214/lightbox/

 

John/Stu - thanks for the info/photos. Where there are two auto coaches on the same end, does it matter which way round the first one goes (nearest the loco)? Or does the cab always have to face away from the loco?

Richard

 

Yet again, full marks to SDR for an excellent gala. I didn't get up early enough for 3 coach auto, but at the other end of the day enjoyed a ride in the railcar - rode that same one between Halwill and Torrington back in 1965!

 

I stand to be corrected, but its a convention. For example, the SDR has its own two auto trailers, so they always face the same way to allow maximum flexibility, i.e they can run either one as the leading vehicle. If they were both turned you would never have the chimney leading (always assuming that your auto fitted engine has the gear at both ends, which 5526 doesn't)! The photos I've seen of lots of stabled auto trains in BR(WR) days at Laira, opposite the Lee Moor Tramway crossing show them all facing the same way at each end.