NYMR Spring 2010 Steam Gala - Giant Gala of Giants

I will treat that reply with the contempt it deserves

 

I'm so gutted 825 won't be out. All of my best photos from various visits to the Moors seem to be of the S15.

 

Latest news and message from the General Manager at:

http://www.nymr.co.uk/2010/04/spring-steam-gala/

Steven

 

More news from the gala

http://www.nymr.co.uk/locomotive-allocations/

Best Regards

 

Ian Riley were saying that they are hoping to negotiate the visit of either Rood Ashton or Pitchford Hall. Will be a nice GWR alternative for King Edward I if it is confirmed.

 

Hello Steven

A Hall is exciting news if correct?

Any gala latest news please?

Has this website update happened yet, as I still can only access the original versions?

Changes to the daily themes, and expected daily locomotive allocations will be posted on the Website by Saturday 24th April as will updated daily timetables for all gala days.

Best Regard & thanks

 

Gala latest is that the Super D has had to be withdrawn for retubing.

However, it is still hoped to have up to 8 locomotives available this coming weekend, including 45428's first "official" passenger use.

Remowrked loco diagrams (basically as shown on the website but with the "alternative" in use - which should be 30926 the day that 45428 is shown in use and as an alternative!) but the diagraming is currently being checked to ensure there are no requirements for "the big hand" to move a loco at Pickering to work a train from Grosmont.

I understand that 1744 has arrived and will work through to Grosmont tomorrow morning. Alson expected top be plenty of "test run" action on Grosmont bank the next couple of days!

Hoped for/planned highlights include 60019 to Battersby Sunday afternoon and some LMS double-headers Friday.

Will update as more details confirmed.

Steven

 

Thanks for the updates Steven

Cheers

 

Your having some very trying times at the moment, many thanks to you and the others that are keeping us updated. Good luck with the weekend i'm sure it'll just be as enjoyable as every other NYMR Gala.

 

If all goes to plan in respect of returning locos to service and keeping them there, then the line up for the weekend look pretty good!

Subject to availability:

Friday - up to 7 locos in use, including some LMS double-heading, 1744 on the GNR saloon, 45428 on its first public passenger trains since overhaul and 44871, 45407 and 45428 "load-test" of Bridge 30.

Saturday - up to 8 locos in steam including 1744 on the teak set, 60019 joining the line-up and the Goods train at work with a variety of locos.

Sunday - up to 7 locos in steam, 44871 and 60019 on passenger trains to Battersby for the first time, along with 45407 (not a frequent Battersby perfromer), Goods in use and doing demonstration runs on Grosmont bank and through Goathland Station.

Monday - up to 7 locos in use, Goods and Great Northern saloon in use at opposite ends of the line

It is a great tribute to the MPD that we are heading to be able to even consider this after a spell of failures that is practically unprecedented.

Steven

 

More timetable/loco info via these links;

http://www.nymrdiesel.co.uk/timetable/gala03.htm
http://www.nymrdiesel.co.uk/timetable/gala04.htm
http://www.nymrdiesel.co.uk/timetable/gala05.htm
http://www.nymrdiesel.co.uk/timetable/gala06.htm

Shame most of the double heading is tomorrow when I'm at work.

All the best to all involved for the gala.

Cheers!

 

Two from today, Friday.

http://www.stuartbrown.me.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-1477

http://www.stuartbrown.me.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-1475

 

NYMR website has locos status updated for today;

Saturday 1st May 2010 Steam Gala day 2

Steam locomotives in service

30926, 44871, 45407, 60019, 1744, 76079

Repair

6619, 825, 45212, 45428, 49395, 53809, 60007, 63395, 75029

HTH

 

I enjoyed my day release to the gala(!), it was good to see 45428 running again and 1744 looked good with the observation saloon. Here are my photos from Friday http://william.fotopic.net/c1843949.html With any luck I might be able to turn up to the last weekend as I'm busy this coming weekend.

 

Well what a day! I've been to the unfortunately gremlin beset gala today and things continue to get worse.

I started off on the 8 am to Goathland with 76079, good enough action. Transferred to 1744 to go get some experience of this loco but was disappointed to see only a set of 4 teaks with it, looked great but not much of a load for it, so the run to Pickering was quiet. Coming back on the 10 am we ran to Levisham at a good pace but the climb up Newtondale was tame, the loco was hardly pushed with the load it had. We then went to Battersby with 44871 on load 6 at 11.21am. This was a good run, Driver Stuart Whitter is normally good and the 45mph compared to the 25 max on the NYMR made for a much more scintilating ride and reminded me of trips in BR days, a Black 5 chattering away, great. On the way back a stop to cross 60019 was tedious and we left there 20 minutes down. We were going to get 44871 again on its 14.42 run from Grosmont but this still hadn't left Grosmont at 15.15, we feared missing the 5 pm we aimed to catch from Grosmont to Pickering to get back to the car, so sadly gave it a miss. On the NYMR itself things were not going too well. The 14.50 left with a class 25 which then amazingly appeared back with the diner which should have been 45407, somewhat late. It had seemingly swapped trains at Goathland. Meanwhile reports were coming in of Repton being the latest failure in this unfortunately failure prone gala. Sure enough up at the shed it was there, fire thrown out.

Meanwhile there was 45428 with its tender's centre axle cover off and the tender supported on jacks, presumably so the axle box can be attended to. The S15 was having its cab fittings removed and the cab roof bolts were out to allow for dismantling to attend to the firebox crack. The 7F is seemingly needlessly sidelined for want of a spare spring. It was one of the main reasons for going so I was disappointed.

We traveled back on the 15.55 ex Grosmont hauled by Bittern which finally left at about 16.15. We seemed to be in for a good trip as we accelerated past the loco sheds but by Esk Valley the loco sounded sick and sure enough the solid column of white coming out of the chimney indicated priming. The loco decelerated, the sound went and then the drain cocks were opened. We got past Green End stone bridge but by the bend the open cocks were making the rails slippery and despite the sanders being on Bittern was slipping. At walking pace we crawled past the pway hut with a stall seeming a possibility but then things started to improve. The loco seemed to take a long time to get speed back, however by Beckhole things were looking and sounding better and after another rasping slip at Beckhole curve we got to Goathland. So for those that have stayed with me this far, I'll just sign off by saying that despite the unbelievable bad luck that has followed this gala, if you plan your day right there is plenty to see and do. I understand there was a meeting of operating officials this evening, I suspect they are worn out already, the stress of operating an event like this would certainly cause me to loose sleep. Lets hope next week good luck prevails.

 

A handful of pics starting here - http://markt79.fotopic.net/p64613385.html

 

Thanks to everyone who has been understanding in respect of the Gala - I hope we are managing to put on a good show despite the problems and there were certainly some spot on calls from Control and his helpers and advisors today - the swap of the Class 25 at Goathland was a blinder and I am sure avoided several spolit days!

I think 60019 was probably picking up its water at Green End (I was the guard on that train) - although at least some of the "gallery" seemed to think it was to spoil their photos - it wasn't lads, honest - and to answer the question I heard from the lineside - we got the driver from Lostock Hall - the world famous John "Fingers" Fletcher, who quite brilliantly recovered from the priming and still made up a minute or two on the bank.

It is proving a hard slog for the gala - quite a few people have siad to me they are still enjoying the show, one or two not so happy, but we keep batting on and are trying our hardest to deliver what we can.

I think current loco position pretty well covered above - with 53809, it is a tender spring that is needed - and I refer anyone wondering why we don't just fit anything that physically fits to a recent RAIB report.

One great aspect of the weekend for me has been meeting a couple of NP members "in the flesh" - John yesterday and Andrew today - apologies I have had to rush off at times in both cases.

Steven

 

Well, having had the privilege(?) of driving the N2 on the Friday, I'd suggest that 4 coaches is about the limit for it, not for its ability to pull that load but for its ability to boil the water to match. With a single coach and the locos 'minder' firing, we managed 100psi and a sighting of water in the glass at Goathland. The NYMR fireman fared better and with 3 coaches steam pressure was kept reasonable at the expense of water on the northbound run. I'd guess that your tame run from Levisham was down to a lack of steam and water rather than the crew taking it easy. They would have pushed it if they could.
The shed staff have moved heaven and earth to try and get the S & D into traffic this w/e, including borrowing and fitting springs off other Fowler tenders and trying to couple it to a Stanier tender, all without success, so it hasn't been without trying. In the wake of the SVR derailment and the RAIB report, nobody with any sense is going to risk sending out a loco without properly matched tender springs.

 

My pictures from Saturday and Sunday can be found here, including the freight run pasts: http://yorkylad.fotopic.net/c1844654.html

 

To be fair, if you expect excitement behind the N2 you're bound to be disappointed! Very nice looking loco and well restored, but a bark aint its forte! Good to hear that people are still enjoying the event despite the problems, I might make the trip myself next weekend.