Tracks to the Trenches - September 2014

Cross-posted from the Events/Gala section:

Dear All,
It has been a little while since anything was posted about this event, so this may be a good opportunity for a little update!
The event organising team have been burning the mid-night oil for months (& for some - years!) to develop this event. Everything is coming together very well - with much new railway constructed and a replica section of trench network.
The event website (www.ww1-event.org) is being regularly updated - under the "Event Attractions" tab, we are showing the current status of visiting locos, equipment, groups etc.
This is looking set to be the biggest gathering of WW1 railway equipment for a very long time. In addition to the locomotives, there are many WW1 railway wagons that will be in attendance.
Advance tickets are available through the event website - advance purchases benefit from a free copy of the event guide.
We hope to see you there - only ~1 month to go!

 

I've looked at the website, but I am struggling to see what steam locomotives will be running apart from the Joffre. Can you provide more information please?

 

Thanks for pointing this out.
Sorry - very badly timed website server issue affecting the listings & contact on the website.
I will update when all is back on-line.
Cheers,

 

I'm pleased to report that the web-issue has now been resolved and all event listings and functionality has been restored to the event website.
Updates will be regularly posted to the site & the listings.

Please see Tracks to the Trenches - 2014
Tracks to the Trenches - 2014
The interactive website for the Apedale Valley Light Railways (UK) major WW1 Centenary event on 12, 13 & 14th September 2014
View on www.ww1-event.org
Preview by Yahoo
Cheers,

 

As we are getting closer to the Centenary event, developments are really starting to speed up!In the last couple of weeks, BBC has screened a 5 part series called "Railways of the Great War" - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04dbrkp/railways-of-the-great-war-with-michael-portillo-1-a-railway-war-begins
Some of our collection features in the 3rd episode, giving you a flavour of what is to come next month....
The attending attractions/exhibits section is being regularly updated - it seems to be the largest gathering of WW1 light railway equipment for a VERY long time!
The advance ticket purchase facility is remaining live until 1st September. Please see www.ww1-event.org
See you there?
Cheers,

 

What steam locos will be working?

 

Hi Michael,

With the exception of a couple of I/C locos, everything listed in the Rail Exhibits page of the Event Attractions menu tab, is intended be working throughout the weekend.

Cheers,

 

www.ww1-event.org​

Yet more arrivals from all corners of the UK (& France indirectly) - Vale of Rheidol, Deepest Derbyshire, Statfold and Leighton Buzzard. The booked RAILWAY line-up is nearly complete for Tracks to the Trenches. But will there be any last-minute surprise extras? There's only one way for you to find out!!

​

ROAD VEHICLES, TANK and LIVING HISTORY displays start arriving today!!

www.ww1-event.org​

 

Visited today. I was very impressed by the effort that had been made. Its not just the locos and the wagons and the field railway but an awful lot of effort had been made in tidying the site, mowing grass so "the field" was suddenly useable space, tidying the "dump" etc etc. The ability to get volunteers doing that and not just their pet projects is what makes an organisation.

Nice trenches as well.

Well done.

 

Just back from my first ever visit to Apedale. Amazing collection of exhbits and very sobering trenches. If you are pondering whether to go, don't ponder any more - GO!

 

I can do no better than echo Anthony's exhortation - if you were wondering about going then do so - you won't be disappointed. For me the display which moved me the most was the film show in the cinema - wounded soldiers being loaded into Simplex-hauled wagons to be moved away from the front.

Mark

 

An absolutely first class event in every way! A big pat on the back to all involved!

 

Was a great event will be very hard act to follow for the next WW1 event

 

Indeed, one of the best narrow gauge events I've attended, and extremely educational to current generations. Some of the poems and stories posted in the trenches certainly made you stop and think.

Talking to one of the organisers on Sunday afternoon, he said that they were keen to receive feedback from attendees as to what was good and what might be improved, although personally, I'd struggle to think of anything in the latter category that wouldn't sound like nitpicking.

One specific thing we did discuss however was peoples thoughts re the potential clash on the Saturday with Statfold's open day.
We might be the exception but from the presepective of those I came up with from Surrey, because of the travelling involved we had actually considered it a big plus having both events on the same weekend as we were able to make a weekend of it and stay locally between the 2 locations on the saturday night. If the events had been on consecutive weekends as was apparently considered, its likely that we'd have picked one or the other. What do others think?, they would be keen to know.

I guess planning now needs to start for an event to mark the centenary of the end of the conflict.
By then of course there could be a second (or third?) Baldwin and the Hunslet 4-6-0 available, ( plus "Mountaineer" as an outside chance?), another operable Simplex or two, and how about the ultimate prize, Mr Rampton's Dick Kerr Petrol electric.

Actually, thinking about it, the ultimate prize would probably be the restoration of one of the surviving Pechot fairlies ........Now there's a challenge for Henry and the team at Statfold!

(I'll get my coat and run for cover at this point.....)

 

I for one would not have managed to get to tracks if it hadn't been on the same weekend as Statfold.

 

I would have appreciated their opening earlier than noon on the Friday and 1030 on the Saturday and Sunday

 

Here are two recent photos of the Pechot - Bourdon in Serbia. The only other one is at Dresden.

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...useum/42194700_2JVCqt#!i=3336444494&k=nrfhrG6

Cheers

Andrew N

 

Thanks for all your positive comments & feedback so far. 2-3years of planning and back-breaking hard work seems to have been worth it!!

The fairly regular clash with Statfold is always a concern to us - so it is quite interesting to see feedback that some see it as a benefit to have complimentary events together if travelling significant distance.

As a modestly sized organisation, we will struggle to have the event open to the public for longer hours than this year (previous years were 11am - 5pm - so we gained an extra hour this year!), although we offered a Friday for the first time ever. There is some debate as to whether longer hours would draw-in more of the general public. However, we did manage to offer the premium (& very popular) "Access All Areas" passes on the Friday, Saturday & Sunday - mainly aimed at enthusiasts. These provided site access from around 8am through to about 8pm.

The future events & 2018 are subjects that are certainly starting to be thought about, but not talked much about much yet - probably not until the aches & pains from last weekend have subsided atleast!!

That said, it would be nice to think that the Apedale site will continue to develop well, the field railway (or feldbahn for our continental colleagues) progressed further, the passenger mainline extended (with more original passenger carriages re-built to meet demand) and the museum building further progressed by 2018! I don't think that we are short of projects... There are a good number of items/features that we had considered for this year's event, but not secured for one reason or another (but not for the want of trying in most cases!!) - these may well feature at any further event(s).

Please keep the suggestions, thoughts and ideas flowing - we are listening.

All offers of help, sponsorship, funding etc will be welcomed to make it happen! We can only appologise if we missed/were unable to take up some of the assistance offered this year - it has been a big challenge organising everything and keeping it all to schedule.

The event website (www.ww1-event.org) is continuing to be maintained - watch this space for event news. Hopefully a significant gallery of this years' goings on will appear soon & links to external videos/images too.

There are still a number of copies of the excellent event guide available for sale - direct from site, or (hopefully) very soon on the event & MRT websites.

Cheers,

 

Great Event!

Some colour snaps taken on the Saturday:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66957213@N00/sets/72157647234425980/

B&W selection:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66957213@N00/sets/72157647224468139/