MHR Autumn Steam Gala 2014.

And if so named can be decked out in Golden Arrow regalia. She's in the correct livery for it.

Any idea if a further visitor is still being lined up (not that it matters given the current line up of visitors).

 

The way she is progressing on getting fixed, she may be cold in the yard….. so you never know what else might turn up!

However its not as if this event is short of motive power? Braunton is a western engine right?

 

She's going to be renamed & numbered as Western Star according to the MHR website, and I'd trust that over the ramblings of the Beano............. and the name is quite apt given the theme of the gala........ Star of a Western gala.................. geddit?........

 

Can we expect her to be replaced by something else at the Gala? Going by what I was told today from someone who works on the MHR it doesn't sound like she will be running for some time. It seems 70013 is taking her sister's place for the MHR - Bluebell SD run at the beginning of October.

 

Maybe just maybe (I am speculating) 70013 will hang around after the run to the Bluebell? Is she booked in to be running anything else on the gala weekend?

 

Well considering she was reported to be ready by the end of July (yeah, right!) and we're now well into August, who knows? And I got some nice pic's of her first thing Saturday morning. (and some more interesting ones of 925 when they opened to smokebox door! ) I said to someone in the yard way back in May, when would she be fixed, they said end of June, I my eyes! So, things are either more complicated than first thought, or the SDR are busy/behind schedule, or a combination of both.........

Question is - IF 70013 is to take her place, have/will the NRM allow a change of identity????

 

It seems things are more complicated than first thought. All the driving wheels/axles now have to come out for inspection apparently.

 

Sounds a tad more serious/precautionary than first thought........... taken em long enough though!......... better to be safe than sorry, given recent events...... if that is the case.

 

I'm assuming the locomotive hinted at on page 7 of this thread is not going to be attending, seeing as the 'Stay tuned for more details on another potential visitor' wording on FB and on the MHR website has been removed?

James

 

James, who knows..............

BUT with the Brit touch & go at the moment - assuming that what Green Five has reported is true, and all her wheel sets have to be inspected,then anything is possible.

It would be nice if Cromwell did show up, but I cant see the MHR making any kind of announcement until all the facts are known - after the recent furore's you wouldn't expect them to do otherwise, would you!

Best advice I can give about the possibility of a n other loco turning up - keep yer pinkies crossed & start praying to what ever God it is you believe in!

 

Had an email from Timeline Events a bit earlier, and they're advertising two charter events with 70013 on the Tuesday and Wednesday after. I very much doubt 70013 would be able to get from the MHR to the GCR on a lorry, and prepped for two days of charters inside 2 days... stranger things have happened though!

James

 

Edit: I really should scroll up before hitting post, Druid already asking if a WR Brit is a no no with 70013.

 

70013 is hauling the Cath Ex London Victoria to Lincoln and return on the Thursday 23rd October according to 5305LA and SD website as well. So I doubt it will attend the Midhants Gala.

 

Although it's a shame that Britannia won't be in steam, there are lots of other visiting locos already announced, so I don't think they need to find a replacement for her. Several of the home fleet could have been regular interlopers on the Western Region - 9F, Wadebridge and the Black 5 for sure. Nellie was an occasional visitor to Oxford and perhaps Banbury on inter-regional trains. Not sure about Cheltenham, though. Would Schools class locos have shown up at Reading or Weymouth, perhaps? Then again, WR locos worked through to places like Southampton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth and they would certainly have "met" a Schools or two along the way.

 

A Schools class was often to be found on a London Bridge - Reading via. Redhill diagram every weekday evening (17.24 ex. London Bridge), quite a trek! Also Redhills allocation of Schools' often found themselves deputising for the more conventional mogul on Redhill to Reading services. So they certainly reached the ex-SR side of Reading!

 

Still being listed on the MHR web site has a visiting loco. It's still three months away before the gala. I think people are getting ahead of them self's by saying what is running and what isn't running at the gala. I think it's a wait and see before saying 70000 won't be in steam at the gala.

 

If Britannia is still under repair, at least it could be an interesting static exhibit for people to have a close look at.
This is of course providing it is not tucked away in the wheel-drop shed.

 

Now with the class 40 having a gauging issue at the tunnel near Aldershot. I hope there won't be any issues with locos coming in by rail for the Autumn gala.

 

This is not the first time a loco move has been scuppered to the MHR. I believe 6024 was booked for a gala not too long ago and that was cancelled due to gauging even though a King has traversed the route before.

 

Wasn't the issue with the king being out go gauge to do with Aldershot station and not the tunnel?