East Lancashire Railway October Steam Gala 22nd/23rd October 2011

Re: 71000 (NOT)

I visited the ELR gala yesterday, and I have to say I agree with 17F's comments. Having recently been to the Severn Valley's gala and admired the way that, on the whole, the stock on the latter line was chosen to match the locomotive - an early BR-liveried A1 with 'blood & custard' Mark 1s, a 'Manor' with Great Western stock, etc. - and whether travelling or at the lineside, it greatly added to the ambience. The ELR event, by comparison, was a bit of a let down! Okay, they don't have a fleet of pre-grouping designed stock to hand, but surely the 'Black 5' and 4MT - which continued working into the blue/grey era - could have been coupled to the blue/grey stock, with the 'Super D' hauling the maroon stock? It seems like falling at the final hurdle... it was certainly a far cry from the galas of old! Even the last-minute events, such as the 2008 'Three Cylinder Weekend' had more to offer!

 

Re: Steam Gala 22nd/23rd October 2011

The ELR gets plenty things right - why the capitals, did the blue/greys spoil a photo or two???
Heritage railways do not survive on photograhers or even steam galas alone.

From my understanding one reason why maroon TSO's were not out in abudance is that next weekend the ELR has 6 fully booked trains of 450+ 'Joe Public' Halloween trains that are/have been decorated (ie some 2700+ passengers) and it was felt that steam gala ticket holders (as opposed to photographers) would not appreciate lanterns or window decorations etc. on view.

Of couse, maroon TSO's behind 49395 wouldn't perhaps be approppriate -either???

 

Re: Steam Gala 22nd/23rd October 2011

I may be wrong, but the only regular passenger work undertaken by Super Ds in BR days (1950s) were the summer Saturday specials down the Sirhowy Valley line, in South Wales, to Barry Island. Super Ds from Abergavenny Loco were used. It is highly likely that W.R./GWR livery stock was used. Unfortunately the ELR does not have any coaches in this livery to replicate these trains.

 

Spencer no disrespect but i think you missed the point...

A gala is for enthusiasts... that is exactly what it is...a product targeted at a specific audience.

People who buy tickets also expect the right atmosphere.. Look at 828 on LMS marroons at the SVR as an example... They could have said we'll use GWR Mark 1's and double head it with a manor as it'll allow a longer train and more passengers and save the over use of the LMS carriages... But they didn't and several thousands more people turned up as they knew what to expect.

In this case some people didn't know what to expect and weren't best happy and are suggesting how it could be improved...myself and maybe others could have predicted it and simply stayed away. It's easy to dismiss a critic as Anti... But dig deeper it could be that they are a very much a frustrated pro..

It sounds like maybe your suggesting the timing of this gala was an inconvenience as the Halloween took priority and the gala won't make as much money, in which case maybe they shouldn't have bothered with the gala and had 2 Halloween weekends instead ?

Many railways have very successful gala's.. With a target audience aimed squarely at the enthusiast and it's intended experience, So is it the ELR or the passengers who have got the wrong expectation about what a steam gala and £20+ ticket is meant to deliver ?

Maybe I'm confused ? But if people offer advice on how to improve the product get met with what sounds like "we were too busy to care" responses how are they to be encouraged to revisit in the future, or was it the intention of the reply at aimed at alienating enthusiasts ?, in which case why bother with a gala if the target audience is not welcome ? As I said I'm confused at the reply.

One final thought.. Passengers take photographs too, and they buy tickets, I didnt see reference to these people in your post ?

 

Re 828 at the SVR. It was limited to 6 coaches and stock was removed from the LMS rake to facilitate this limit.
Incidentally, would a BR built A1 have pulled LNER livery teaks out of Kings Cross?

 

A selection pics from Saturday morning at the East Lancs Starting at - http://philmetcalfe.zenfolio.com/p315285020/h3a377481#h38bf878e

Also some from the night shoot - http://philmetcalfe.zenfolio.com/p315285020/h3a377481#h208b5100

 

If an A1 was to take LNER teaks out of kings cross I'll be right there online to buy a ticket.
Why.. Because I'm an enthusiast and it appeals.
828 ran with LMS coaches as it looked good.. I'm sure it could have run with DMU carriages instead.. But it wouldn't looked have good, which is the point being made.. The ELR doesn't have an LMS rake sure... But..

However if the ELR choses to run Thomas the tank engine in disguise, on a freight train instead of the super D at an enthusiasts gala... Well it's not floating my boat really. Sure I want to see the super D... But it's staying a while, so maybe on a quieter weekend when the fare is half as much I may pop in...as not much else will be different will it ?
Ok I may be sounding financially unenthusiastic, but forgive me thinking IMHO this gala wasn't appealing to my enthusiastic side either... Of course others, biased or unbiased may think differently and had a rapturous weekend and think this gala was on par if not better than equally priced SVR, NYMR, GCR galas ?

Spencer is also right, I wouldNt care much to visit if the coach was full of plastic cob webs...I can't fault a business in making a sound financial decision..,if Halloween makes more... Do it, so maybe the gala would be better on a different weekend maybe it doesnt matter in this instance if it overlaps on another major railways gala weekend ?

 

Tornado was used on Mark 1s at the recent SVR gala, not teaks - though there are a couple of pics of apple green A1s on teak liveried stock in my collection! The livery changes didn't happen overnight!

There are those among us who will remember the use of 'Super Ds' on a number of railtours in the early 60s - such as to Aintree and Longridge. Yes, these were predominantly formed of ex-LMS Stanier-designed stock - but from a front three-quarter view a Mark 1 is very similar to an LMS 57ft Period 3 vehicle. Don't assume this is written purely from a lineside point of view - I was a paying passenger too! Nobody expects the ELR to 'magic' up a rake of LMS period stock, I'm sure - but with a rake of maroon stock in service alongside the blue and grey, it wouldn't have taken much to match the 'Super D' with something that it *may* just have been seen hauling when in service. I'm sure many of us remember the days of 5s and BR4s on blue and grey stock. This is only intended as constructive criticism, though surely this sort of reaction should have been expected!

 

I think the whole conversation about which coaches are used for which neglect to look at the fact that the railway has just had a brilliant steam weekend. Yes okay maybe X engine had X liveried coaches behind it in service but sadly endless amounts of paint aren't available to paint the coaches each week to match the engine that's going to be hauling the stock!

Had a brilliant time at the ELR today, for me it's about the engines, at the end of the day, if you REALLY want a specific liveried coach to be behind an engine then photoshop it! Cheers to all at the ELR for a fantastic gala today!

 

I wouldn't go as far as to call it 'brilliant'! Good, yes - but again, you are assuming that my argument was purely that of a linesider, which it isn't. I like to RIDE the trains, rekindling the memories of times past, but it's so much better stepping onto something that looks 'right' - until someone invents a life-sized version of photoshop then your comment isn't applicable! And who needs paint? A maroon rake was already in service - all that was necessary was to use the locomotives in service on the alternate rakes, with a vast improvement immediately apparent! I'm commenting in the hope that the final bit of effort will be made next time.

 

I know that Richard and his customers will have two whole days with the Super D on freight, but why for those visiting the gala from long distances, and who work during the week, could not just one afternoon turn each day have been freight behind the 0-8-0?

Playing around with three industrials is just that - so I never moved from Castlecroft all weekend

The photo shoot was well presented, as always, but someone said there was a little fella looked a bit like a gnome on set - It wisnae me! a big boy dun it an' ran away!
The Super D looked very nice - black on black.

 

removed

 

Re the freights during the day. What you are forgetting is that, originally, there were no plans for freights during the day. The Bury- Ramsbottom trains were planned to be passenger shuttles. It was only the unexpected absence of 71000 that forced a rethink on the timetable. I have to agree, though, that it would have been nice to see the Super D on a freight.

 

I'm dead!

 

Well I was going to attend on the basis that the industrial (proper) engines were running the shuttles as that is more my thing to see, circumstances however dictated I couldn't make it and I'm glad I couldn't as I would have been very disappointed if they were stuck on the freight most of the weekend with no opportunity to ride behind them!

Oh, I see they did make some passenger turns then!!!

 

Good to see it's not all doom and gloom then!

 

Yes - only for a few minutes with his bowler hat on !!

Pictures now up on my site from Saturday morning at Burrs including the early freight and a few from the evening shoot at Buckley wells - pictures of John have been ommitted to protect the public

http://www.steamingnorth.com/thumbnails.php?album=135

John

 

Really enjoyed my first visit to the ELR on Saturday!

Here are the rest of my photos from the glorious autumnal day;


80080 by Teenage Steam Photography, on Flickr


49395 by Teenage Steam Photography, on Flickr


45231 The Sherwood Forester by Teenage Steam Photography, on Flickr

For the rest: http://www.flickr.com/photos/teenagesteamphotography/

Thanks,
Lewis

 

A point many overlook when they are happy taking pot shots at photographers.