MSLR Steam Gala July 28th 2012

A long time since this event but for a line of its size they pulled off a great show. Three steam locomotives were in action for the event totalling the most in steam at the heritage railway. They were Hawthorn Leslie 'Falmouth Docks & Engineering Company No. 3' which at the time was still resident, Hudswell Clarke No. 1700 'Wissington' from the NNR which was making her first public runs in preservation and is now the MSLR's current resident and finally Peckett 'Hornpipe' making a very rare visit from her private railway at Fifield. Three different rakes were in use, one passenger, one freight and an engineers train giving a varied amount of operations for such a small line.

The event coincided with several Anniversaries, it was the 60th Anniversary of the closure of the original MSLR, 21 years since the Museum/railway had been set up & 10 years since steam returned to the line in the form of the NNR's J15 in 2002. 2012 was also the 50th Anniversary of the end of East Anglian steam which sadly seemed forgotten and no railway seemed to celebrate this.

The first shot shows all three locomotives, Peckett 'Hornpipe' sits in the shed area whilst 'Falmouth Docks No. 3' & 'Wissington' prepare to move to the station:



Hornpipe in the shed:



Falmouth Docks No. 3 & Wissington stand at Brockford station:



Hornpipe then comes off shed:



When i first visited in 2010 you were unable to alight at the other end of the line, however for the gala this was possible, it is called Dovebrook, where all three locomotives can be seen:



Two of the locomotives run round:



Wissington doing what she was built for, she backs onto the wagons:



Hornpipe then uncouples to go light engine back to Brockford:



No Mk1's here, Falmouth Docks No. 3 takes the two lovely vintage coaches back to Brockford:



With the engineers train, Hornpipe sits at Brockford:



For a line that is only 3/4 of a mile long it has some pretty good scenery, it does give the impression of being longer than it is, No. 3 passes with the freight:



Finally, Hornpipe with the engineers train:



Cheers,