GWSR Cotswold Festival of Steam 'Somerset & Dorset Remembered' 3rd to 5th June

I’ll say it, and I appreciate I’ll be in a special part of hell for saying it, but here we go ‘Cripes, not yet another S&D Gala’ and with that I’ll be off for a bit…

 

Enjoy your sun tan down there!

 

Well, unfortunately all the other joint railways didn't have much documented about them while the Somerset & Dorset had TV programs, books, websites, photographs, videos and memorabilia popping out the woodwork.

Also, I would say that it's a pretty easy theme to hold as the majority of loco classes that ran on the line are preserved and some in large quantities.

 

This is my point it’s been done so many times before, for myself it’s just getting a little boring and rather formulaic (if that’s a word?). 88/89 + Bulleid pacific+ Standard/LMS type = Somerset and Dorset theme.

I understand why so many people love the Somerset and Dorset, Ivo Peters has a fair bit to do with it with his photo’s and films, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

I’m not having a pop at those at the GWR organising this event because I’ve seen the grey hairs that can occour on those that are involved with the organisation and hard work that go with them.
But another S&D gala? Surely there must be more imagination than that?

 

We've had many and varied themes over the years, if we've done a S&D one before at the GWSR it was a long time ago. Apologies for the lack of imagination, largely my fault!

 

Please Mike, I should apologise for being a tad negative I’m usually quite a positive person, honest!

 

In the interests of gala organisers' hairlines I have suggested next year's theme should just be "operational steam locos"...

 

The origins of this event go way back to 2019/20 when life was much simpler! Mike and the team worked hard that year and the final event looked to be a winner. Actually in a good year an s&d event is quite helpful in that such a varied amount of motive power used the line. That being said 2022 is not 2020, the gala team are still working hard to give us all something to smile about in these diffulcult times.

 

I don't mind the S&D theme but if it was the same old visiting loco or class visiting the same old railway then yeah I might be bored. But considering a second visit to GWSR for me is two years overdue and the fact I want to see both 7820 and 4270 before their tickets succumb and even 34028 for the first time in so long then I'm definitely coming back in June.

 

You joke but.....! In recent months I've been in discussions with railways all over the country looking in to potential visiting engines. A very common theme soon emerged, many are on the absolute limit with the fleet they have and are unable to spare anything or could be exposing their own operation by agreeing to lend something out if a failure was to occur. As the loss of earnings due to Covid for locomotive owners, loss of volunteer input in to overhauls and restorations due to lockdowns etc. start to filter through over the forthcoming years, a situation I can't foresee improving very quickly, if at all. As a case in point one railway I have been speaking with loses three engines this year and at present not even one engine as a replacement will be finished in time for the beginning of next season. I'd suggest the prospects of being able to borrow an engine from them for the 2023 event would be somewhere near zero!

Certainly so, the line up was all in the bag and then....................... Very challenging times.

Whether we are able to put on an event of this scale in the future time will tell, nothing is getting any easier or cheaper; currently awaiting the impact of the ever rising coal costs and road fuel costs on our budget for example, at 4 MPG it makes quite a significant difference! I'm not afraid to say that to put on event like this you need to be sitting on a transport budget somewhere around the £30,000 mark, a very significant investment. Make the most of these sorts of events whilst still possible to hold them I'd say, you may even be able to start booking our excellent value advance tickets later on today....!

 

DISCOUNTED ONLINE TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

https://www.gwsr.com/tickets_please.html

Announcing our second visiting locomotive; Sentinel 7109 'Joyce' courtesy of owner Andy Chapman & S&DRHT.

Get up close and personal with this fascinating locomotive, appearing in a new guise, at Winchcombe during our event where she will be employed shunting wagons and running through the station between through services. Great background entertainment whilst enjoying a nice cool pint from the beer tent... There will also be the opportunity to travel behind the engine from Toddington to Winchcombe each morning. 7109 is representative of No's 7190 and 7191 which were purchased for the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway Company for use at Radstock.

 

I’ll be honest Martin, I have no idea, I’m very much aware of costs and how much prices are going up.
As I’ve said I’m not having a pop at those organising this event @Mike S has made some really good points above and I really admire people like himself for taking the time out to organise events like this to enjoy and for taking the time out to explain the reasons why, this theme has been chosen.

I’m not speaking for anyone but myself but personally having attended several ‘Somerset and Dorset’ events over the years possibly I’m suffering from a little burnout from the theme?

I really don’t want to knock the GWR and those organising this event, I hope it goes ahead and makes a lot of money for them.
I’m not trying to be controversial or troll anyone I’m just trying to explain why this is just not an event theme that particularly excites me, myself and nobody else but me.
As I’ve said above I don’t like being negative, I’m very much a glass half full type of bloke, I’d like to think anyone who knows me would say the same thing.

I hope this goes some way to explaining my own feelings and opinions.
Regards, Matt

 

I understand completely, you can flog a theme to death sometimes.
Perhaps 2023's might be a bit more "imaginative" for you.

 

Not another S&D event.

Yes please, bring it on

 

Well maybe don't have a theme?
Just get 3 or 4 random locos to run on the railway.

 

One event I enjoyed in 2018 was the SVR’s Spring Gala, when I was lucky enough to sample 6023, 8572, 80072 (which I then enjoyed at the North Norfolk about a month or so later) and ironically 53808 dropping in for a visit on the way back from Keighley due to 1264 not being ready in time! Totally eclectic and just bloody good fun!

 

I just wonder what the % split is at these event, between hardened enthusiasts and joe public / families etc.

As I suspect most of the later will just be looking for a great day out with lots of different steam loco's just to get Dad and the kids out the house.

No agenda, but wondered if any heritage railway ever tried to get this kind of data.

 

I was just letting the rantings die down, then my suggestion was going to be - you don't have a "theme" other than "gala". Put an intensive timetable on and invite some otherwise interesting loco's and you cracked it for a lot of gricers.
You can please some folk some of the time, but not all of them all of the time. And always remember Voltaire ! (Matt knows what I mean).
Good to see the tickets are up, looked on Sunday morning and couldn't find them.

 

Long time since I saw any breakdowns, but the last ones I saw from some analysis the ELR did a while back it was about 85:15 non-enthusiasts to enthusiasts on a standard weekend, polarises the opposite way for a gala weekend, about 30:70. I'm sure most railways have their figures and may be different depending upon lots of local factors.