South Devon Railway 40th Anniversary Gala 5th-13 April

As many others have said it was a very good gala.
A Pannier & Prairie fest! \/
I do enjoy smaller engines working on a branch and such a well kept one.

We all had a nice ride on the Monday, shame it was raining (issing down) because we wanted to go to the rare breeds farm but had to settle for sitting in a nice warm comfortable carriage whilst the engine ran around at Totnes.

I also managed a couple of days filming and now the nipper is back at school I shall get around to the editing/uploading of some of it.

Big thanks and congratulations to all that made this happen, it really was quite something IMO.

EDIT: Could I also say well done SDR for only having one Guards van on the goods and shunting it around at each end of the journey. That's something that many lines seem not brave enough to do especially when running such an intensive timetable It looks much more authentic and provides entertainment. =D>

 

When was israining on the Monday I must have missed that, I'm glad I spent most of the afternoon at Buckfasteligh now asit only started drizzling as I left quite late on Monday Night

 

Could have sworn it was Monday we went. :-k
Defiantly not Sunday, I was chasing the royal duchy and Tuesday I was chasing the GB2.

 

I was there all day on the Monday and I never saw any rain until the very end of the day and then it was only a bit of mizzle! Either you had your very own weather or it was a different day.

 

I'm talking about Monday the 6th are you all thinking of the 13th?

 

Ah yes I didn't do Monday Sixth that would explain it I did however do the Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th, which had good weather throughout, I think we were quite lucky with the weather actually especially considering what was forcast for easter at the beginning of that week.
Even so I'm sure it would have still been a fantastic gala even if it had been raining!!

 

You are correct I was talking about the 13th. After all 6695 was not working on the 6th.

 

You two had me doubting my own sanity (that's usually someone else's job #-o )

Anyway I have now put up some of my video from the event, hope your favorite engine is included!

Link in the signature below.

 

Like the video Bill, did you manage to stay dry whilst in the river filming 6695 go past at Hood Bridge, and 5542 on the goods I think? I still remember fitting the fishplates under the bridge in October all good fun.

Yes reminds of all those trips I remember being on, can't wait for the next one in August?

Anyway have a look at my pics on my fotopic site.

Also if you like shunting you should have visited Staverton on the Wednesday 1st April before the Gala as there was an awful o=lot of shunting going on with all the wagons and Diesels, between service trains to get tehm all in the correct order ready for the Gala, all interesting stuff.

 

Yes I did stay dry, there was a small outcrop of rock that I managed to balance on \/ It looked far more secure than the tree on the opposite bank that a photer was clinging to as it hanged about 4 foot over deeper water.

Alas I would have been 150+ miles away (at home) on the Wednesday prior to the event, but I still witnessed some "enthusiastic" shunting of the goods at Staverton, all good stuff. =D>

A question, When ridding the train, was it our imagination, our carriage or maybe the PW but we seemed to 'lean' toward the river every time we came close to it. [-o<

 

That would probably be nothing, just track cant on curves etc. You don't notice things like that on mainline railways 'cus you're usually going much faster. I can assure you that our carriages don't like swimming, or fishing!

 

Bill I enjoyed the video. Especially the footage of 6695 :-k can't think why. Glad to here you managed to stay dry.

 

I'm glad you stayed dry too as you do seem to be right in the river, maybe you shoudl take up canoeing, and filem from that, I remeber seeing on a couple of days anoes going down the river and looking when they saw the train go past, and if you could row fast enough you could pass the train at Staverton and film it again the other side. #-o

I do believe I put a few pics from Wednesday the 1st on my fotopic site too but can't remember.

The video was good though I also like the other one too.

I do believe you may have got me in one of your videos too but it is difficult to tell. :-k

As for the track its intentionally like that so you get a nice view of the river :-$ :-$

 

Went for friday - sunday of the last weekend, and would just like to say what a fantastic event it was. Beautiful weather, great line-up and very friendly people. Would like to say thanks to Ganger for sorting out a place to camp and the highlights including the beer festival and chilli train were fantastic fun. Well done to all concerned and hope the railway made a few quid in the process.

 

Did anybody get shots of sundays cavalcade saw loads of photographger but not many pics! Being on the lead engine quite fancy spotting myself \/

 

Well Ganger you didn't manage to kidnap "Baby" after all, the correct engine has safely arrived at Swanage! Or was that because John turned up a day early to load and caught you out?

 

Yes my Uncle sent me a rather exited text when he saw it travelling down the A30 asking where it ahd been and where it was going!!

Hopefully she'll visit the SDR again soon, I may pop down to Swanage at some point to see her if I get the chance as I'll be in the neighbourhood in June I think??

 

Let us know when you are likely to be around Kelvin, we'll see what we can do.

 

No thought it best if I sent baby home to mum and dad, didn't think kidnaping was really the way ahead, although I thought you may have taken a bit longer to consider my offer of a swap for a couple of austerity's and an industrial shunter. Maybe I should have thrown in the shuinting pole and brake stick as well?

On a more serious note - it was great to have the loco visit us, and I along with many others hope it will not be too long before she comes back to Devon for another turn. I also do a nice line in black paint........TAXI

 

A couple of Austerity's and an industrial shunter? Can't I persuade you to reconsider Nigel...?