ELR February Steam Gala

https://twitter.com/eastlancsrly/status/429213029063213056

 

Two guest locomotives have been confirmed so far for this February's Steam Gala. Loco 76084 will be making its last appearance on the East Lancashire Railway over the weekend alongside 45379.

45379 Stanier "Black 5" 4-6-0 will be appearing courtesy of the Mid-Hants Railway.

Further announcements on loco allocation to follow, keep watching this space!

 

Can anyone say whether there will be a mini photo charter at Burrs on either day? Thanks in advanced.

 

Steam Weekend and Transport Collectors’ Fair – 22 – 23 February

http://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/steam-weekends/

 

There will be mini charters both days at Burrs.

 

ELR Statement:

The East Lancashire Railway has taken the decision to increase the cost of platform/site admission tickets across all of its stations during special gala events. Our most recent steam gala saw a staggering 350 platform tickets sold and we appreciate that many people who visit do only want to watch the trains go by or take pictures at our stations.

However, significant costs are involved in the operation of these events and so we have no other alternative but to increase the price of a platform ticket. The cost of the tickets also goes towards your insurance whilst on our sites. The railway has also agreed to invest £10,000 on the platform 3/4 toilets to again make our visitors experience more pleasant.

All money that we receive from our activities goes straight back into the running and maintaining of the railway as we look to become more sustainable and secure the railways preservation to educate future visitors in years to come.

Our new site/platform admission tickets prices are as follows:

Bury - £8
Ramsbottom - £5
Rawtenstall/Heywood - £2

We hope you understand our position and will continue to support us as we continue to preserve the North West's slice of nostalgia.

Kind regards,

Richard Barnett
Sales Manager ELLR Co.

 

What is the situation in respect of those like myself who are fully paid-up ELR members? One must sincerely hope that they will not be similarly penalised!

 

I quote from the society membership card "This card is NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL but may be used as a platform ticket".

I hope this answers your query.

Rich

 

Is the B1 taking part in this event?

 

The B1 will have left for the NYMR by then.

The gala timetable has also just been released which you can download below.

Rich

 

IVR hopeful 44871 will be ready according to a Works update.

 

80080, 44871, 132, 47324, 1370, joining 45379 & 76084 information on ELR forum, subject to usual caveats

 

In conjunction with resident photo charter operators, 3P20 Parcels Group, the East Lancashire Railway we will once again be organising photographic opportunities associated with the Steam Event on Saturday and Sunday 22 and 23 February. These will concentrate on visiting locomotives Standard 4 76084 and Black 5 45379.

The first is a night shoot on shed at Buckley Wells, on the Friday evening 22 February preceding the main event, and will feature Standard 4 76084 and Black 5 45379. Super D 49395, if available, will have a cameo role. Investigations regarding the future operation of the loco are ongoing and as such will not be in steam for the weekend. Therefore canvas sacking will be tied around the chimney recreating the iconic, if melancholy sight of the 60s of a withdrawn loco still on shed. The shoot will commence at 19.00 and conclude at 21.00. Cost is £15.00 per person payable on the night. Please enter the site by the main car park gates on Baron Street, park in the car park and report, from 18.15, to John Tate who will book you into the event. He will be located in the vicinity of the pair of gates at the south end of the shed.

This will be followed on the Saturday and Sunday morning by the early morning "mini photo charter" at Burrs (BL8 1DA). The train will leave Bury at 07.45 and there will be approximately 1 hour of photography. Saturday features Black 5 45379 as the train loco with Standard 4 76084 as the banking engine on a 21 or 22 vehicle freight train, comprising a mixed freight of box vans and open wagons, accompanied by an engineering train, recreating a typical scenario whereby BR would combine what were two separate trains if they were going to the same destination. Normally, due to signal restraints at Ramsbottom we are restricted to a maximum of 17 vehicles. However, as there are locos at each end of the train, at the end of the session, the banker 76084 will take on the role of train loco to haul the whole train back to Bury. This gives the flexibility to run a longer train, but does mean that the sole vantage point to view the proceedings will be at Burrs.

76084 as banking loco is highly appropriate, being a local engine based at Lower Darwen, where regular turns involved banking trains north east from Blackburn to Wilpshire summit and south to Sough tunnel.

On Sunday, the train will be hauled by Standard 4 76084 and will comprise the 16 vehicle mixed freight. Cost per person is £15.00 for Saturday and £10.00 for Sunday and members of 3P20 will be at the footpath crossing, collecting the money and handing out stickers as proof of payment. Please be at the crossing by 07.30. A new scale of charges for platform tickets will be operating at this event, however, photo charter participants will receive a platform ticket voucher as part of the photo event package.

For further information, please contact event organiser Richard Newton at rnewton@rnassoc.co.uk.

Also
Timetable with loco allocations here http://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Feb-Steam-Event-2014-Public-V1.0.pdf

 

During the gala a shuttle service will operate between Bury and Ramsbottom formed with parcels vehicles. Two coaches are being added to this so everyone can travel on the mixed train.

Black Five 45379 is also due to arrive this week and will be out on test asap.

We are looking forward to the engines visit.

 

It's not really the most adventurous of line ups, after all you have had black 5's at the last how many galas?!

I thought the Crab was going to be running?

 

Maybe not the most adventurous line up....but gives all of us in the North and further a chance to see a Black 5 we would otherwise have to make a several hundred mile trip for, notch another one off the list to cop!

 

It might make it for a gala........

 

Black Five 45379 has now arrived and looks at home residing next to 76084 on shed at Buckley Wells this afternoon.

 

Churnet Valley two years ago wasn't several hundred miles away.....

 

For some of us living in Scotland, East Lancs Railway ( with a direct Edinburgh to Manchester TPE service ) is much closer.....

Edit : however, only another 40 miles to Cheddleton......