GCR Winter Gala 2010

I take it apart from the 8f and 45231, the rest of the locomotives are facing south?

 

Yes, although the Stanier Mogul hasn't arrived yet so there's an outside chance that this could face north too. The Gala timetables are now up on the GCR website.

 

The BBC forecast shows a big yellow sun with no cloud for Sat/Sun - lets hope they are right

 

Sounds like wall to wall cloud and mist then!

Cheers,

Paul

 

Yep meant to be full sun until lunchtime today in Falmouth...didn't even see the sun!

Wind looks bit of a problem though on the forecast.

 

looking good all 3 days. one snag is the wind, and there will be even stronger guests however this should inshore any cloud does not hang around. On the down side the North Facing engines will be coming out of the sun.

Oh, it getting colder again, so an extra jumper may be required.

 

42968 is currently facing south

 

With 48305 due to appear as Lostok Hall 8f 48476 this coming weekend, the prospect of seeing that particular 8f twice this year arises. Toddington's 8f will appear (if completed in time) at the GW 175 gala as LMS 8476. This loco was a swindon wartime build 8f. it remainied in use right up until august 68 and therefore, did it become the last Great Western built locomotive running on Mainline BR? Not sure, but I was led to believe it was the last 8f as well! Even the GW get in on a BR(M) event!!

 

hello guys, what is the best way to apply for a lineside permit for the gala???

 

Dont think youll be able to get one in time for this weekend

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/About_Us/linesidepermits.aspx

 

Had forgotten about this event, until getting ready to leave my B&B in Bakewell this morning: I'd been enjoying a few days walking up in the Peak District. Mention of it was on the local TV channel breakfast news. So, despite feeling very tired decided to call in and have a look. Only stayed for one train as I was very tired from my hill walking, and with most of my heavier weight clothes lying soaking wet in various sections of my car boot, I didn't really have enough dry layers left to put on to cope with the icy North Wind!

But that one train did give me, (I think), my first photo of a Jubilee. I'd travelled behind one in 1968, (I think it was then), on the 10.17 Leeds-Carlisle, but took stop watch and not a camera all those years ago.

 

Perfect conditions on Saturday to test out my new camera.


More @ http://kenneth-f-baker.fotopic.net/c1809511.html

 

Some nice shots there, although your photos of the freight rake do remind me of my thought earlier - have the gcr really let their wagons deteriorate to the point where they have to put a bg out on a freight rake as they cant find another brake van in working order? :crazy:

 

GCR Gala

Today's visit (Saturday) to the GC gala couldn't have possibly been any better from a photographers point of view. Low sun all-day, a fine array of locomotives and an excellent turn out. If you couldn't make it today and are pondering over whether you should tomorrow, I say it's a must! The weather looks to be very good too, albeit slightly windier.

For me the star had to be 47408, a fine loco turned out in ex-works condition. A great effort to everyone involved in this gala.

Cheers, MT

 

There were two freight trains running at the gala at the same time. The windcutter consist had a brake van at each end. Not many heritage railways are able to run more than one freight train at a gala. In my opinion the day was superb. A very busy timetable, a collection of fantastic locos and of course, perfect weather. <BJ>

 

I'm a SR man through and through, but I have to say I would love to have had a full day at this event, instead of just photting the one train as I did on Friday as I passed by on the way back from the Peaks. The Jub, Brit and 2 Black 5s would have kept me happy. And reports and photos from yesterday, (please post some more), confirm to me the quality of the weekend. Could have gone back today but my priority has to be getting fit for another winter trip to the Snowdonian mountains.

I've been to the GCR a couple of times before and they do know how to put on a very high quality event. Locos facing the right way! And here I was told, (didn't see it), that the one loco facing North was one of the 2 Black Fives. And for an infrequent visitor there is no need, IMHO, for a lineside photo permit as there are some superb photo spots legally accessible without one. Although I can understand that to get variety regulars would want to take advantage of being able to lineside.

I don't know who are the driving forces behind this railway but they sure must be a great bunch of people. If I am allowed to make a comparison, they are right up to the quality of the Bluebell, (which only has one track instead of two!), where a similar approach to visiting enthusiasts is taken. And I should point out before the flames start, (LOL!), that I am a total SR man and the Bluebell is the only Museum line I now visit with any regularity, so there may well be others around the same as these two.

The only downside with the GCR event is that I only called in for literally ten minutes on Friday so never had the chance to make a contribution to the obvious high cost of this event. I shall have to return soon when more locos to my liking are running and put that right.

 

GCR Winter Gala

A few images from yesterday have now been uploaded to my website. Head to http://michaeltopham.photium.com/portfolio26866.html to see the fantastic lighting conditions that all of the photographers thoroughly enjoyed.

Regards,

MT

 

Thanks to all at the GC for a great day. With constant action and big engines in the right environment it is surely the best line in the country for enthusiasts ?

Good points:

The performance of nearly all the crews working the engines hard.
All the sets reshuffled to give almost matching sets.
The headborad and reporting no. on the Black 5 - these touches to detail make galas really stand out.
Constant action
The weather

I have to agree though that from a position of having a superb freight stock collection some of it is now looking a bit poor and the freights are getting shorter. The peeling paint on the vans could be sorted quite quickly and if I lived closer I would volunteer to do a bit of painting.

I didn't think the BG on the freight looked too bad - such moves often happened- but a maroon one would have been better. Out of interest can anyone tell me why a fully fitted freight has to have a brake van on each end? It certainly wouldn't have to on the big railway and the only reason I can think of is it helps with reversing moves.

Well done GC

 

2 brakevans enable easy running. It saves having to detach the van at either end of the line - saving time and difficulty.