ELR AUTUMN DIESEL BASH 13/14 SEPTEMBER 2024

Details on ELR web site including timetables with loco/dmu allocations, also list is an itinerary for each day to ensure traveling behind/on each loco/dmu, trains to avoid perhaps!!
https://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/events-activities/autumn-diesel-gala/

 

The bashers guise is an impressive piece of work, even more so if the timetable runs to time and it is achievable.
What may not be achievable is no heads out of the windows. A worrying sign of things to come on the HR Network.

 

Yeah. I certainly won't be going if we really do have to keep our heads in. What's the point? At the moment, things are fairly sensible, depending on the guard.

 

Although only once a day, interesting use of the bay platform at Rawtenstall, something a few of us have suggested for while. Also the Bubblecar for Hopwood. Hydraulic push pull with the Warship and Hymek, again different, Ramy to Rawtenstall and back.
A few interesting twists, triple headed rats, vaguely like the old Royal Highlander Perth to Inverness, two class 40's. Looks like a good two days all in all.

 

Sat here at 10.00 am Ramsbottom with no trains apparently several failures including D345 and The Class 25, shame as it’s lovely and sunny!

 

ELR Autumn Diesel Gala Friday 13th September 2024

Well Friday the 13th certainly hit home today, i travelled by train & Tram to the ELR Autumn Diesel Gala
At Manchester Victoria we were told there had been a tram derailed at Cornbrooke, meaning trains were running haphazard, so that was the first problem, next trams all came to a stop, we were at Queens Park, driver informed us there was a problem in the main control centre, that was the second problem, arrived at Bury still in time to get the D345 service, 10 minutes after departure time had passed we were told the class 40 had failed, so that was the 3rd problem, alongside us at Bury was 25279, which should have left on the rear of a service to Heywood, found out that loco had also failed, that was the fourth and final problem of the morning of Friday 13th

Both of the failed locos at Bury station
https://railway-photography.smugmug...sel-Gala-Friday-13th-September-2024/i-PzT79TC

Neil

 

After D345 failed the 09.10 Bury - Rawtenstall and return was cancelled sending it to Heywood in its booked path, after that the timetable was preserved. A juggle with motive power and off the day went! Time keeping was reasonable to start with, but deteriorated to about 25 mins down by mid afternoon, pulling back to about 15 mins later with top and tailing helping to save time with no run rounds.
Travelling tomorrow, hope for better luck, no news on the website if the 40 and 25 have been resuscitated.

 

actually 50015 Valiant took over the turn, but just going to Ramsbottom instead of Rawtenstall, and return in the path from there, though it didn’t quite happen time was still lost

 

Posted by Jonathan Wilcox on WNXXForum a few minutes ago...

"25279 will not run tomorrow.
40012 will not run tomorrow, all turns covered by 40145
50015 will not run tomorrow, all turns covered by 45108
W55001 will not run tomorrow, all turns covered by Class 105 although you may need to bear with us as we work out how we can do this, it will involve amendments to our plan but will be achievable."

 

40012 actually did come out to play today T’n’T with 56006
56006 T'n'T 40012 Aureol at Ramsbottom
https://railway-photography.smugmug...l-Gala-Saturday-14th-September-2024/i-RpwKJHr
https://railway-photography.smugmug...l-Gala-Saturday-14th-September-2024/i-2HstvDz

 

In the end only the class 25 and the bubble car were no-shows, everything else appeared at some point, if not in the timetabled slot. Time keeping slipped from the start on Saturday running 15/25 minutes down throughout. Part 1, images from Friday line siding:

 

Part 2, a selection from Saturday's riding day:

 

No heads or arms out f the windows being strictly observed then!

 

It varied from train to train for my location, some trains just had a few heads, others had full bodies windmilling as though someone was holding them from falling out. I haven't a clue how one guy on the Hymek hauled train Friday avoiding tumbling out, full body with iphone at full stretch obviously videoing. I believe his name was Richard Cranium.