NVR Autumn Steam Gala - Mixed Traffic 13th - 14th September 2014

Nene Valley Railway Steam gala now firmed up with visiting locos 92212 and 60163 Tornado making 5 in total.
S&D recreation on Saturday with Ex S&D engines 92212 and 73050 with Bath Green Park shedplates and Wansford renamed Midford.
Renumbering on the Sunday to 92199 and 73000.
Freight train running, and also brake van shuttles on the Fletton branch with Austerity 22
Tornado with Mk1s and Wagon Lits
9F double heads with 73050 on Saturday and S160 6046 on Sunday

http://www.nvr.org.uk/events/mixed-traffic-steam-gala

 

Is the passing loop at Orton Mere still not operational on this line? The timetable is now available and to be honest it is not very inspiring, running one train up to Peterborough and back, then sending another up to Peterborough and then back.

Nick

 

They only have one vacuum braked rake so unless 60163 or 73050 work the continental stock, you'll only get return working at a time.

 

They only have one vacuum braked rake so unless 60163 or 73050 work the continental stock, you'll only get return working at a time.

 

Tornado only has one run each day on the mk1s the 09:30 departure then 2 trips with the wagon lits

Gotta wait till 13:40 till 9f gets on the passenger turn

 

Oh ok, got you. So it's a problem with a lack of suitable stock. Then why does 73050 not work the continental stock?

We do a few gala's, and while you and I can sit and take it in, enjoy it with less going on, the family need some action and with an hour and 10 minute return with little else going on, they won't stand too many runs there and back. If you want to watch a loco leave, you're then stranded for a long time with little to do until it returns.

NNR was awesome for action last week. Really very good. If you take the blue columns out of the timetable (brake van rides at Fletton which are 50% of the timetable) then the Freight out (5 movements, near 25%) then it's a bit thin. I'm very sorry to sound negative but while the line up is 'gala' the action is limited.

 

This was the reason many didn't go to last one.
They must sort out their coaching stock shortages, or people/families just won't come at all, once the enthusiasts get bored to.

 

The issue is not so much with the coaching stock, but with the length of the section between Wansford and Orton Mere.

Whilst we could put out three sets of stock, it would mean there would be no paths and platforms for brake van rides at Orton Mere (Which have to go to Peterborough for water), or the freight. In an ideal world we would also have a loop at Ferry Meadows and a second platform there. Unfortunately, in reality this would only be required operationally 3 or 4 weekends a year, so fully signalling the station is not right at the top of the priorities list. That is not to say there are not irons in the fire as it were. The loop/second platform line was laid on concrete sleepers using decent quality rail last year and other items are being acquired as and when they become available. This is really all linked in with the developments of The Night Mail Museum on site.

In terms of the coaching stock, we usually operate with a rake of 6 mark ones, including two brake vehicles, one of which has been turned into a buffet car also. The main brake coach we use (the non-buffet car) was knackered, for want of a better word, so has been in the works for a number of months having a substantial amount of work done on it. There are a number of privately owned mark 1s on the railway owned by an individual. One of which is nearing completion and could be out at the gala, and another is starting its overhaul.

In terms of the Continental stock, the rake of first class Belgian carriages have had the best part of half a million pounds spent on them over the last 5 years to overhaul them. As such this is now a rake of four coaches (significantly larger than mark 1s)

The International Railway Preservation Society are overhauling the Danish coaches we have, turning them from a drab wartime green to maroon. The first of these coaches went through the works last year and the second should be completed externally for the Santa trains. When the remaining three coaches are combined with the Norwegian balcony car, this comes in as another rake of 4 or 5 (The equivalent of approx 7 mark 1st in terms of carrying capacity).

 

Thanks for the update on what is happening there Chris, all looks good from the stock aspect for the future.

Not sure I agree about the length of track issue. Ferry meadows might be mid track geographically, but Wansford to Orton 2o minutes, Orton to Orton 25 minutes, then return to Wansford 2o minutes would surely make the Orton passing loop work. I agree if trains leave each end at the same time then the geographical middle is the crossing point, but sending one out from Wansford 45 minutes after the last should (by my rough very late at night calcualtions) cross the returning one at Orton virtually doubling capacity (action) on the line. Then you're also sending them up to Yarwell and we have a busy timetable!!

I think a lot is being sacrificed to run the brake van at Fletton for just a few to ride, and leaving the timetable lacking in comparison with every other gala within the region.

I'll be there because I can't help myself and am ok with a slower pace, but I'm afraid this isn't one for the family so I will be alone this week.

 

There is still a lack of any form of timetable on their website.

I do not mind paying for a locomotive allocation sheet on the day but I am not prepared to spend several hours driving to a gala where the host railway cannot even put up an outline of the expected running times.

I did not go to the North Norfolk's gala for the same reason. This time of the year there are so many galas I now only look at those who seem interested in attracting me and my money!

The NNR may not have missed my purchase of a gala rover however, if the numbers I saw at the last NVR event I attended they seem to need all the visitors they can get!

 

I'm finally taking the plunge and travelling to the NVR for this gala. (Actually quite looking forward to seeing continental stock on the move!) Are there any obvious places where everybody goes to phot?

 

The timetables been on the website for a bit... Timetable and Locomotive allocation

 

Many thanks for this, Black 5. I can access this page from your link but not from anywhere on the NVR website.

 

Sometimes the detailed info on the NVR website takes a bit of finding.

 

But with a lack of continental locomotives, having all this continental stock behind British locos paints a strange picture. What exactly is the USP?

 

Which suggests that their website needs an overhaul.

 

Just had a look and it's a fairly logical path this time : nvr.org.uk > special events > mixed traffic steam gala > scroll down to timetable and locomotive allocation

 

The main loco the stock has run behind this year is an American built loco that was exported to France and spent most of her working life in Hungary. Does that count?

Working from West to East, there is the tunnel portal of trains emerging from Wansford.
http://www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/news/articles/2012a05/20120512_WansfordTunnel-Gurney.jpg
To access this location you need to get the preceeding train from Wansford to Yarwell and walk along the path back towards the tunnel, past the TPO apparatus and there is a gallery.

At Wansford, if you cross the road we have a picnic area where shots such as this can be taken (Though bare in mind the first part of the bridge will be full of fotters):
http://www.nvr.org.uk/sites/default/files/imagecache/home_banner/page_banner%2FP9290249.JPG

Alternatively, if you cross the river on the bridge you can get a shot from the river meadow on either side.

Around half way between Wansford and Ferry is the site of castor station:
http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/i...ocomotive-sherwood-forester-passes-castor.jpg
http://www.phantasrail.co.uk/Sept07/RF_0038v.jpg
This can be found at:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...223,1865m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Going further down the line, the line is shadowed by a footpath for a lot of the journey.

Between Ferry and Orton is Yacht club crossing:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/68415577@N03/14030188551/in/pool-1032192@N20
https://www.flickr.com/photos/68415577@N03/12879743155/in/pool-1032192@N20
This can be found on a walk between the two stations or by driving and parking in the layby between the two stations and walking.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...989,1865m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Further down is Longueville Junction where the Fletton Branch diverges
http://www.phantasrail.co.uk/Sept07/RF_0038v.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5539/14203731782_757250e69d.jpg
(Either follow the path from Orton towards PBO or walk back from PNVR)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...897,1865m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Hopefully both the links and pictures work, they're the best ones I found by Googling each location.

The other location of course is around Wansford with the Old Station Building.

Hopefully that is useful for you

 

Not being critical Chris but a most lines have a USP and with the NVR in its early days that was the Continental image. I'm just wondering what the NVR now sees as its USP.

 

Another location suggestion
http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=51...archp=ids.srf&dn=622&ax=512140&ay=297580&lm=0
45337-SplashDyke by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr