Foxfield Railway 2012 Steam Galas

Yes please on both counts

 

From my earlier post...

"A railway's events cannot survive by being just a 'Photographic Gala' or a 'Freight Gala', that's why we have photo charters, to capture those authentic shots of Industrial engines lurking around colliery yards which lends itself to tatty, dirty, etc."

All for seeing empty coal trains running up and down the Foxfield line but what else can we do to make it more interesting and ultimately get more bums on seats!

Rich

 

Nice heavy passengers trains on the passenger section? No.19 on 3 was excellent, or if there's nothing of that size working solo, maybe load 4?

 

I imagine it is a difficult question to answer.
Except for the suggestions in this poll, there probably isnt a great deal else that can be done with the event until the railway is developed furthur with facilities and attractions to occupy visitors and hopefully make it more interesting.
Unless for instance you combine the gala with peppa pig :cool1:


If the event needs to be more than just for photographs, then surely there needs to be more of a reason to visit the colliery other than to take photographs, because as it stands there isnt much to keep people around for long enough to make a day of it and spend money whilst there.

 

The Colliery is making steady progess, by the this I mean with facilities etc. The PWay and S&T are planned to be finished over the next phase of work after the Caverswall Road re-signalling scheme. So hopefully by the middle of the year we will have something to show on that side of things.

I do have one or two ideas up my sleeve for October, July I will leave for Dave...

Also if there are any loco owners out there that wish to their engines on our testing bank then feel free to send me an email... rbarnett@foxfieldrailway.co.uk.

I already have a couple... Previous applicants need not apply, you are in the book

Rich

 

I suspect a Battle of Britain would find the curves and gradient a bit of a challenge so we'll have to decline your kind offer.
What a pity there aren't any three cylinder industrials.

 

Best thing about industrials! (Unless Duebs counts as a 3 cylinder?)

 

Dubs has five !, two at the bottom, one in the middle and two on the top !!.

William Francis has four.

There is only one problem with visiting engines - they cost money !. July stands one - October would make a loss as things stand.

 

Can you work Dubsy on all five at once?
Will William Francis ever steam again? What a sight and sound that would be at Foxfield.

 

Oh now then... William Francis restored to steam as Sneyd Collieries No.3 at Foxfield... Sneyd Colliery being about 5 miles from Foxfield near Hanley.

Then again the problem with garratts, one boiler but two engines... Almost twice the work to repair them!

 

Yes but what a machine !.

 

Now Mr Marketing Manager is smiling!



Rich

 

Where do I sign to the petiton to get william francis out where she belongs! A lot of what if's!

 

Just found out that the Coal Tank no.1054 had a year's industrial service in the 1950s:

So it would qualify as a BR/industrial visitor.

Richard

 

It would, but it's also seemingly going just about everywhere else next year anyway!

 

It would certainly look very nice at Foxfield in BR livery.....

 

so would a jinty, and yes a couple did work at Williamthorpe colliery in BR livery!

 

BR engines often went on loan to industry (Pugs, Jinties, 1F, various LNER types). Also less well known is that 'industrials' went on loan to the Big Four during the war with many WD Austerities spending time helping out on the big railway. We just need to find BR engines for Foxfield that spent time in industry in the livery currently carried...that list isn't quite so long! A renumbered Jinty would be rather nice though....47289 or 47629 with late crest will be just fine! There are also a few available not far from Foxfield to keep transport costs down.

 

Or failing that, there are plenty of interesting industrials which went nowhere near the big railway and never had animals painted on them! :lol:

 

Or the midland 1F which worked in Staveley ironworks into the 60s...