Great Western Society's 50th Anniversary Gala 10/11th & 17/18th September

Haven't seen a thread with this on so thoght i'd pop this up, straight from the website:
The Great Western Society, famously started by four schoolboys in 1961, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary.
We are planning a special celebration over the weekends of 10/11 and 17/18 September.
There will be visiting locomotives, currently expected to be GWR 0-6-0 3205 (which the GWS helped to save), Pannier Tank 9466 and Autotank 1450 (in lieu of the Society's own 1466, which in not currently operational) and also the GWS Taunton Group's renowned pump trolley - try it if you dare! There will also be displays about the Society's activities past and future, photographic line-ups and various stalls and other attractions.
First Great Western have added their weight to the celebration and will be bringing an HST onto the depot for the first time, for a naming in celebration of the achievements of the GWS. They are also promising to bring Pendennis Castle - the class 57 diesel version - for a visit.
More details will be provided nearer the time, but we suggest you put the dates in your diary now!



I've always thought the story of the four school boys was great and am looking forward to
this gala.

 

O yes there is!!!

http://railways.national-preservation.com/showthread.php/31961-GWS-50-Didcot

 

There seems little hope of a 'Three Kings' line-up now at this event, unless they are going to announce it nearer the event.

It seems a bit odd that they are planning another 'A4' line-up in 2013, with the two A4s from North America, but a line-up of the 'Three Kings' in preservation is proving difficult to organise.

I know which one I would prefer to see!!!!

 

I think that this was always speculation. Can't see it happening now.

 

Althought I will be attending both weekends, I was a little let down by the lack of former GWS engines like 5029 especially. And the general lack of visiting engines, at the 175 event last year? we had lots of engines. But I suspect the cost of bringing them all in is very very high.

It would have been nice to get the three kings, but it looks like 6024 in on the mainline for at least one of the weekends based at Bristol so that would be out. But what about 6000? We can only hope.....
Should be a good event though, hopefully Didcot will make the effort to get all the engines out the shed and display them around the site, not just in two rows behind each other outside the shed.

Regards.

 

I know what you're saying about the lack of visitng locos but the costs of getting them into the Didcot site must be considerable.

I'm sure that there will be an attempt to get the three Kings together somehow. Don't forget it is still early days for 6023 and I'd guess the priority for the team is to get the loco out on to the mainline.

I can't see Didcot missing out on creating the odd Cameo around the site as they did for the GWR175. I thought the layout on front of the shed for that event was very impressive!

 

Looks like 9644 is out of the Gala for some reason....
Taken from the GWS website:

(Please note: Pannier 9466 will not now be attending, as originally advertised, due to the owner withdrawing it from the gala)

Any ideas why? I though the owner was one of the main forces behind 6023 ?

Regards

 

We will be attending the second weekend. Be good to see a 14xx in action at the centre again.

 

An excellent day at Didcot yesterday. 3 locos and the Diesel railcar in action. Lots of movement around the site, between the demonstration lines.

 

Had a good day on the 17th. Made a bit of late start though as I didn't feel that great when I got up. Great to see No. 93 in action. What a work of art the Railmotor is! Wonderful!
A couple of videos here:
1450 with Autocoach on the Demo line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua1RBH_IFfo

Railmotor on the Branchline: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nySytspjlCQ

Also managed to see 5043 at Reading on both the outward and return legs of it's tour to London. A very Great Western day out.