Along Western Lines: Llangollen Steam Gala, 29th to 31st August 2014

Had a smashing day in the sun-kissed Dee Valley on Sunday!!


46521 by Lewis Maddox, on Flickr


46521 by Lewis Maddox, on Flickr

Thanks,
Lewis

 

I was crewing the 26 on Friday, and was quite surprised by how many people were actually riding behind it, or photing it. Good to have lots of railway enthusiasts attending rather than steam / diesel only type people.

 

It was a shame it wasnt out this weekend, but it was chosen to have the beer festival on Llan station instead for a change in the hope of people using the tea rooms at each station, and the bar at llan. Each time i passed through Glyn and Berwyn the stations looked busy, so hopefully their restoration funds were boosted by the lack of bar car on the train.

 

To be fair the Thompson buffet is a lovely coach but does not fit in to a Cambrian Western region theme and so in my view was rightly given a rest this weekend. The loadings seemed pretty reasonable on the Saturday and Sunday and the weather was fairly lousy on the Saturday plus a Duchess was on the mainline nearby so perhaps not surprised at the lack of linesiders.

I personally had a great time at the gala, its such a friendly place and the effort that is being put into those little extra touches such as correct shedplates, correct train formation and cameos such as the parcel loading and fly shunting all add up to make it better than the average steam gala. Two appropriate guest locos (one of which is staying on as a new permanent resident), whats not to like?

I sampled every tearoom as always and this year Berwyn came out the winner, lovely freshly made sandwich plus a great fruit cake slice

Some images from the event below, others can be found at https://flic.kr/s/aHsk2UprJt



InspiringImages -20140902-1053.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


InspiringImages -20140830-1027.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


InspiringImages -20140902-1055.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


InspiringImages -20140831-1036.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


InspiringImages -20140831-7204.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


InspiringImages -20140902-1058.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr

 

My footage from the Sunday of the gala. Uploaded rather late as I've not long returned from a two week visit to North Wales.



And while we're on the Llangollen, I also managed to capture a driver's eye view from Carrog to Llangollen. Seen from the front window of their Class 109 DMU.