Legends of Industry steam gala - Tanfield Railway 11-12 September 2010

Wow, Owen's started typing in his accent! Coppah wiyah? :lol:

 

Live update from Marley Hill shed... 49 currently on route to pick up the coal train from East Tanfield. She will then collect 14 from the low loader too.

J72 in steam, Sir Berkeley in steam preparing for tonights photographic evening. All others with wood and parrafin at the ready to light shortly.

First 3 or 4 model railways have turned up including the fantastic Kepier Colliery.

First vintage cars arriving.

Finnishing touches being put to MSLR brake third ready for the morning.

Engine shed being cleaned.

Hoping for a TV appearance tonight!

 

Magic afternoon, hope it continues the same for the gala - if anyone's in any doubt about going - don't hesitate, go! It'll be a cracker!

 

Excellent visit tonight, with added bonus of ITV Tyne Tees/Border doing the live weather forecast from Marley Hill shed with Phillipa Thompson!

Roll on the rest of the weekend.

Seemed a good turn out for the photo shoot.

Cheers

 

Thanks to everyone who turned up for the photographic evening... 100 photographers in total plus of course Tyne Tees. Cracking stuff, but it gets better tommorrow, you'd be stupid to miss it!

 

Well we turned up today, I had a friend from Uni that was keen to visit something like this but we were both stunned upon our arrival to East Tanfield by the rudeness of the staff, we did plan taking a trip on the train to save driving about everywhere but we refused to spend a penny! Sorry but I'm not going to be spoken to like that.

We had pulled up into the car park at East Tanfield but was told to leave, despite there was no signs saying there was no parking today. So I went to park outside the gates towards the main road, there were no white lines, no cones and a very rude member of staff came and abruptly told us to move, although we weren't blocking no entrances, causing no obstruction. My friend was stunned by the attitude of the staff today and the railway will have a letter of complaint next week from him. It's really not on!

However we came back through the car park after 12:30 and the car park was half empty and there were cars parked outside the gates. We were both very offended by the attitude of the railway.

Apart from that and this mornings rain, we had an enjoyable afternoon. I had planned on returning tomorrow but I'm not sure yet with the attitudes today, I'll see whats running at the Moors.

Simon

 

Likewise a very good day despite a thorough soaking. I too experienced difficulty parking at East Tanfield, and witnessed a disabled person give up and turn away, a very unhappy person, after parking on the road and trying to walk up to the station. That said, once on the station, I did find all the staff both friendly and helpful.

 

I've uploaded some stuff from today to our website.

Available Here

 

Yes, can only agree with Simon's posting (who it was good to meet at last) and it was the worst piece of customer care I have seen in 25+ years of visiting the line.

The guy in question was driving a volvo estate and tinted glasses so should be identified.

If you are a volunteer and don't like what you are doing, don't volunteer the railway cannot afford to have such people as points of contact.

His colleague, an older gentleman was offering a more helpful balanced approach before this other person joined the conversation.

The no parking at East Tanfield should of been well publicized and also witnessing a half empty car park at around the same time (1220) I question the logic of it.

I will however return tomorrow to give the rest of the railway and staff the benefit of the doubt after nothing but great visits and helpful staff for the past 25 years.

Not sure why trains were almost 70 late by the close of play today?

Best Regards

 

Hi everyone.

Thanks for your comments, also thanks for helping to identify the individual involved in some of the problems at East Tanfield. We are working on this as I speak/type.

The decision to keep East Tanfield for vintage cars and other vehicles was made before the torrential rain which came which I expect deterred a good few of the planned exhibitors from yesterday, we expect the car park to be much busier today. I apologise if the signage and advance warning was not good enough and we are looking to resolve as much as possible of this problem today. Anyone with any special access requirements can still park at East Tanfield and the staff have been told of this so if you do have a blue badge, you can park at East Tanfield.

As for the late running of the trains again I can only apologise, we were rather hampered by No. 14 arriving at 1am on the morning of the gala and the diesel and barrier waggon used not getting back to shed till well after 2am - this had knock on effects of the positioning of a lot of stock in Marley Hill yard and sheds and took much longer than it should have done to get the show on the road.

 

All done and dusted, last loco just back in the shed. Any feedback most welcome, even if it's not all positive as we'd be the first to admit that there were problems today.

Thanks

 

Just returnend from our first visit to the railway, we had a great time, loads of action . Must have been our lucky weekend, We had just returned to the car to eat a bacon sandwedge when the rain came down on saturday, and we did not find eat Tanfield till late on sunday afternoon, so missed by the sounds of it the one person who spoilt what was otherwise an excellant, friendly and helpfull performance by all the staff we met. We also set the recond of being first in the car pack on both days, around 7 on saturday and 6 on sunday, as a result I bagged some nice early morning footage on shed. I won't hold it against you the one or two miss hap's, these thing usualy happen, despite this you kept providing the goods.

I gather the helicopter on sunday was not an official part of teh gala, any chance when you have your 1940's even't you could shoot the thing down? please!

I should get round to post some photo's possibly moday night and the video footage a tad later, of to bed now, two morningon the trot up at 4am takes it out of you.

 

We did return again today, I was pleased to see somebody on the gate at East Tanfield. Given the failure of 'Sir Cecil A. Cochrane' I thought you did pretty well to keep an all steam service and still provide the Coal train.

I hope the event was a success and despite our unwelcome greeting yesterday I did have a decent weekend. I look forward to next years event.

Saturday Available Here

Sunday Available Here

 

Hi All,

well, I have finally found out how to post again after many months!!!

Ok, first point - steamingyorkshire, I have spoken to the person in question and I can only apologise for the attitude that you experienced on Saturday, It should of never happened and I can assure you this will not happen again.

On the other hand I am glad you enjoyed today we couldn't of asked for better weather.

The problems we faced today were not only Cochrane but Renishaw No.6 failed at about 11am at East Tanfield this morning, we were lucky enough to repair Renishaw in about an hour. So regained some form of regular service by about 1pm.

We hope that everyone enjoyed the event and as P&JR said please pass on your comments both good and bad as we try to improve the event every year so you get as much enjoyment out of the event as possible.
Oh and your photos too, I didn't get to see much this year, although I did manage to see Twizell bring up the coal train tonight (un-planned) I think we have finally seen the full potential of the engine, she sounded fantastic!!!

Well thanks once again and keep your comments coming.

Thanks

Chris

 

Personally, although I like cochrane, the Sunday was better - heavy trains for more of the day, and fewer overpowered double headers! Good event though, great to hear Twizell hit the big valve!

 

Thanks for taking note of the comments, didn't like to type them, but felt I had to.

Too tired last night to do any reports after a decent visit to the line (0830-1800).

Spent the day mainly photographing but did manage a single round trip and in the luxury of coach 818!

Twizel and 49 sounded well on "load 6".

An great day, excellent performances by the loco crews, with all staff their usual friendly selves that I have always known these past 20 odd years - well done all involved!

The first coal train was about 30 late, not sure why and I think the 1245 was cancelled and became the 1330, and think all but 2 coal trains ran, not 100% sure as I gave up trying to follow the timetable in the early afternoon.

Was the timetable too ambitious, with long delays both days?

Perhaps 2011 needs to return to the coal train running to just past Terrace Jct to allow recovery in the timetable and still keep "fotters" happy?

Only complaint (overhead from passengers and staff) was why did it take until after 3 before 69023 hauled any passengers?

Not sure about the "balancing act" of people wanting a ride behind Joem versus providing for those wanting pictures of the coal train?

Renishaw did appear paired with Twizell later on (so hope fault is now fixed) and it was in the afternoon before the 6 coach rake split (think this was to do with coach party arriving?).

Hope Cochrane is fixed soon, and I think that the event should of been a success as the trains and stations seemed packed.

Roll on 2011 and before that the October 10th coal train day.

Best Regards

 

Just posted a bag full of photo's from both days, here's a few more at http://kenneth-f-baker.fotopic.net/c1895992.html







Oh, Anyone who can can put a name to some of the hulks around the back, there a few shots I took early Sunday morning.

 

http://owen-edwards.fotopic.net/p67111229.html
some proper period dress, and other photos from friday night.
enjoy.

 

goto say Steamingyorkshire, cracking pair of videos from the gala.

 

Very nice set of photos.

The 3'6" pacific is RSH 7430/1948, ex-Tasmanian Government Railways. The blue Hawthorn Leslie with wasp stripes on the buffer beam is 3575/1923, 'Coal Products No. 3' from Glasshoughton. The O/C 0-6-0ST with the tank and cab is No.44, RSH 7760/1953, ex-Backworth pit, and the Barclay -4-2ST behind her is 1193/1910 from, I think, Lady Victoria pit.