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

I'd need many, many fingers and toes, but it is looking to b a great event and the Miniature Railway is looking to be getting quite interesting too.

Be the first time a lot of people will experience running on the "New sections of Track" too.

 

Not that hard....the number is painted on the side of the cab (or what's left of it)

 

The working timetables, complete with loco and stock allocations/formations has just been sent to the various SDR webmasters so expect to be able to find them on southdevonrailway.co.uk and southdevonrailway.org in the next day or so.

 

We're usually in Utah USA at Easter yomping around red rocks and photing big GE/GM diesels, but we decided this year to help ailing UK and holiday in Sommerset and Devon, coastal walking and the 5029/70013 mainline runs. To our amazement lo and behold a fantastic gala at Buckfast, my wife doesn't believe in coincidence, ha! One day travelling, one day photing depending on the weather, looks like a brillant event - we'll be there. Harold.

 

Well worth missing the USA for =P~

 

is this guide book a brand new publication?

 

This is a programme for the nine day gala event. Colour pictures as well as black & white; good value at £2.50!

 

many thanks

 

am i right in thinking that staff on th wtt means key token?

 

The section between Bishops Bridge and Totnes is worked under the One Train Working methods using a train staff. On busy days a temporary block post can be opened at Totnes and the normal method of working is replaced with Train Staff and Ticket Working.

This allows some flexibility on this section but of course is not as flexible as a fully signalled system. Once Ashburton Junction Box comes on line, the method of working will be Electric Key Token, unless Bishops Bridge is switched out, in which case it will be long section train staff between Ashburton Junction and Buckfastleigh.

On the working timetables "staff" and "ticket" appear to show how the train is to be worked through the section.

Hope this helps.

 

many thanks on that, im assuming we would be allowed on the 1157 6435 auto or this a return for the invited staff?

 

Any news on what way each loco will be facing?

 

No sorry, the 11.15 from Buckfastleigh and returning 11.57 from Totnes are for invited guests only.

 

1369 smokebox towards Ashburton, in plain green with Great Western on the tanks
3803 smokebox to Ashburton, plain green with G.W.R on the tender
5526 smokebox to Totnes, British Railways plain black livery
5542 smokebox to Totnes, plain green with G.W.R on the tanks
5552 smokebox to Totnes, British Railways lined green
5786 smokebox to Totnes, British Railways plain black (will also make a couple of appearances in G.W.R wartime black)
6435 smokebox to Totnes, British Railways plain green
6695 smokebox to Totnes, British Railways lined green

Hope that helps.

 

Many thanks for that, Ganger. Having the good fortune to live reasonably near, I can have one day riding and one day photographing. I appreciate the generous policy of providing WTT on the net, and such vital info for photographers, but shall get one of the leaflets - at £2.50 a good value souvenir of an important occasion - yes, old enough to have been there at that moment in time - where did all the 40 years go?

John

 

ok many thanks ganger

 

im pre booking rover tickets, does this mean unlimited travel all day?

 

Indeed it does, any and as many passenger services that you want to travel on. Cheaper booked in advance.

 

Or even as many as you can get time to travel on, one trip on each sounds like a good idea

 

cheers guys \/