Caprotti Crescendo - 16th & 17th January

Visited Butterley for the first time today, and a very good trip it was too. With the sound 73129 was making the word Crescendo was very appropriate. Thanks to all at MRC.

 

That second shot is a stunner!

 

Evening all,

My efforts from Saturday: https://www.flickr.com/photos/frank47524/albums/72157663104909660

 

A few of my shots from yesterday.

 

An enjoyable if somewhat chilly day at the MRC on Sunday even if the forecast sun failed to appear. First ever run behind behind 73129 and she didn't disappoint. She made plenty of noise from time to time and its a pity that she's likely to be out of traffic for quite a while.
My heart went out to the crew of Whitehead, running in reverse with an open backed cab could not have been comfortable.
Here's a few pictures from the day.
Peckett 0-4-0ST 1163 'WHITEHEAD' departing Butterley. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

Peckett 0-4-0ST 1163 'WHITEHEAD' arriving at Butterley from Hammersmith. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

BR 5MT 4-6-0 73129 awaiting departure from Swanwick Jct. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

BR 5MT 4-6-0 73129 departing Swanwick Jct. for Butterley. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

BR 5MT 4-6-0 73129 arriving at Swanwick Jct. from Riddings. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

BR 5MT 4-6-0 73129 departing Riddings. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

BR 5MT 4-6-0 73129 crossing the causeway at Butterley. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

BR 5MT 4-6-0 73129's crew pass the time of day at Butterley. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

BR 5MT 4-6-0 73129 awaiting departure from Butterley. by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

 

Well, for all the raving about this particular loco, not least on this forum, where was everyone?



This was the front (well, back, but the uphill end) coach just prior to departure from Butterley on 73129's last trip. I hope that the next time people on here berate me for saying that I quite like to hear a loco in the main valve from time to time, they'll take into account that I at least bother to turn up and hand over my money for the privilege! Still, their loss.

 

Gallery of images from me can be found here... http://preservedrailway.weebly.com/midland---butterley

 

At the ELR maybe? 73129 is a great loco, hope she isn't out of service for too many years.

 

Trains didn't seem particularly well loaded throughout Sunday. Possibly a combination of what was going on at the ELR and the weather? Had considered staying for a trip on her very last working but needed to be home by 20:00 so decided to ride her penultimate working instead. A few people on that one but not exactly crowded.

 

A little something I recorded on 73129's final public run. A very tasty soundtrack indeed.

 

I did, and well my visit was mixed. First visit in the 21st Century for me, so wasn't sure what to expect really.

In the main I enjoyed my visit, the West Shed was fantastic as was the exhibition hall. Enjoyed a ride on the Ashover coach and tbf could of spent a lot longer around Swanwick than I actually did so tempted with another visit. However the actual train service let itself down for me. No steam heat on the main set due to a leak, which ok these things happen but wouldn't it have been worth testing before the event? The only thing getting any real steam heat was Santa grotto which was surprisingly still set up in the BG.

There was a bit of late running during the day, with the last train about 10/15 mins late which I could cope with, but then came the farce with your Saturday evening run. Due to leave 6pm, the chips turned up 15 mins late themselves but then it took another 15 mins for the guard to give the tip. Get to Hammersmith and somehow the runround took 25 mins - so now 45 mins late, no steam heat and most people had finished their food yet we'd only got the other-side of the reservoir! Finally we head to Riddings where we run-round, but again its slow and more delay added before we start crawling back. Upon asking why were we travelling so slow I was informed the loco had suffered a spark arrestor failure and so the driver was being cautious to avoid any lineside fires... This despite the freezing temps and the snow falling outside the window. OK may have been an uneducated guess from the member of staff, but can only go off what I was told.

We were meant to be non-stop, but we stopped at Swanwick. Why - so the train crew could turn the lights off as they were going home after this! Why not do this when the ECS returned, instead of adding further to the delay? And so 65mins late we headed to Swanwick. With such a delay we were given the impression we'd be stopping at Butterley, especially as the snowfall had now increased significantly. But nope we ran through to do the run-round at Hammersmith, where we were informed "well the loco needs to run-round to get back to Swanick". OK but as your 65mins late with snowfall increasing why not let the paying punters get home asap instead of delaying them even further?

MR-C a nice little railway, with bags of potential. And the volunteers I had decent chats with were very friendly, and a credit to you all. But the disorganisation of the evening run, and the inability to take into consideration of what was happening with the weather wasn't good and at the time left me with a very negative impression of the place. Having had a few days to mull things over, it's worth another visit but need to be better prepared to respond to what happens on the day than plough on regardless with the main thoughts being seemingly for the staff over the customer.

 

Running a gala in the depths of winter is always going to be risky great if you have a crisp winters day as joe public will turn out however if as is most likely the weather is poor then numbers will be down was tempted to come up for this myself but was put off by the 3 hour drive each way Enthusiasts who remember steam are dwindling each year so events in the depths of winter may go the same way.

 

I visited on the Sunday (luckily I'd been prewarned about the lack of heat so I was well insulated). I got the first full run with the standard and then got off at Swanwick and had a look around. One thing that would help the Railway here would be to have more clear footpaths and better signage of where you can and can't go. There's plenty to see though, I don't think I got round everything.

The running on the Sunday was slow to start, few set backs with the cold weather but there was plenty of slack in the timetable so they soon caught up (although many thought they woudln't).

A lot of people had come in the morning to snap a few pictures. I'm told that most of them had put into the coffers and bought a ticket, even if they weren't riding which is pretty fair. The sun disapeared in the afternoon and things seemed to quieten down. I was toying with the idea of staying for the last run, but an hour and half drive home and an early night was calling.

I'll be back again though