Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening Gala

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

I don't see why not. Should be Eddystone all being well.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

What's up with her please Greg? Iain

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Is that 08.40 of Cheddleton ???

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Yes it is.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Thanks

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Went this morning all trains are tailed by a diesel Leekbrook to Cauldon Lowe, and diesel Leading Cauldon Lowe-Leekbrook.
It is a pity this information wasn't displayed before you bought your ticket, rather than handed to you after.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

This last-minute change was mentioned on here late yesterday afteroon. 71000 and the 8F not available, so they've made the best of a bad job...

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

I can assure you a full steam service was planned right up till the day. Multiple failures meant this was the only way a 2-train steam service could be offered, as Steamage said, the best of a bad job...

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

And the very best of a bad job was 44767 taking the first train up the bank this morning. What a superb sound!! A single, uncluttered exhaust that echoed beautifully up the valley towards Four Fields Crossing. The 37 was just ticking over and let the Black 5 show us what hard work is! Brilliant.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Had another great day today,the sound from 44767 is absolutely amazing. I was stood on the bridge near Blackbrook (after trudging back and forth through some boggy ground!) to get the 37 coming back but as 44767 could be heard in the distance coming from Leekbrook on the final train i started my camera. What i didn't realise is that it would be switched on for 22 continuous minutes of Black Five racket! I will upload it,just as a sound track for you all to enjoy,loved the whistle as it passed the summit!

Just uploaded todays (and the other 2 days i have visited) fots to my site:

http://mark-walker.fotopic.net/c1918879.html

(Or the Flickr,link)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-walker/

Thanks to all involved.

Cheers,
Mark

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

You were lucky it was only one 37, it would have been far worse if they had both been outing

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

In your opinion.........

There are those amongst us who appreciate the time and effort it takes into running the 37.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Well since we have NSR 061 now sitting on its chassis and the chassis for 127 almost ready a three coach rake is on the cards if you want to make a return visit.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

A fabulous few days - shame that some toys refused to come out to play today, but those who like tin cans can have them all weekend as I am involved elsewhere now. Seriously - each to their own and a tractor sounds well , but give me a fire at one end and rockets at the other any day!!

A sensible move to offer Rovers at an afternoon price - well done!

Here's to the next time - don't let it be too long!!

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Good luck to them then. That doesn't mean I have to like 37s.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Whilst working yesterday on the Consall curves on a cold,sunny but still day, we could hear the Black 5 start from Leekbrook and follow its progress all the way up the incline. Absolutely fabulous as the valley reverberated with the sound, will try to be in the same place with hopefully same conditions the next time the 8f goes up.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

We try our best to keep people informed of changes e.t.c however I appreciate that it would be more helpful if before you bought a ticket you were told that trains were top and tailed with a diesel and not a steamer. Hopefully 8624 will be on CVR santa trains in the next week or so.

In relation to the diesel weekend, the correct timetable is going on the MCR website as I type. We have tried to keep it easy giving the locos we have, and will swap locos end for end during the day to give as many opportunities of different locos going up the hill.

Be warned we are putting a steam loco on both rakes of hauled stock to provide heating. It was our intention of preheating the rakes then providing bursts of heating when they returned after each trip at Froghall however it is - 4 today at Cheddleton and as the trains are away for upto 3 hours it would not be a popular move. The steam crews are under strict instructions that they are providing heating only. The steamers will be coupled at the South end just inside the diesel.

Gregory Wilson.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Yeah Yeah - I'll bet those smelly old tin cans end up needing a shove from "real" engines.

On the subject of customer info might it be an idea to sticker up the MkIIs and obesrvation car as unheated so that people know. One way in the beavertail was enough yesterday. Has it got no batteries at present as it was lit at Llangollen???

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Pity about that as I was looking for something to do on Sunday, but don't fancy going for just diesels.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Well it's been diesels only since we published any details of the gala. The only change is that of needing steam for heating. Try as we might we could not get any diesels with working boilers !

Gregory Wilson