Welshpool Gala 2011 - Sept 2/3/4

http://www.wllr.org.uk/gala.htm

Any confirmed details, as the website says its not been updated since July!

Hoping to visit on Sunday hopefully there is room behind Dougal, definitely 1 of the 99 things you must do on a rly before you die.

 

See you there Jon!

 

We are also paying our first visit to welshpool, I have stopped by on many accassion, aftern on the way to ffestiniog, will be nice take to full days there, can't make friday due to work.

 

http://www.wllr.org.uk/gala.htm

Page now showing "PAGE LAST UPDATED 30 AUGUST 2011"

 

I'll be at Welshpool on the Saturday with my Photo Exhibition where all prints will be available to purchase

Thanks,
Lewis

 

Thanks guys. No WTT this time though, which is normally available off the website IIRC. Hoping for a ride behind Joan at the very least. Also, anyone know what the latest is with regards to the Countess? She was withdrawn end of last year / start of this, and yet the link says she will be working. Any clarification?

 

I poppped down to the station today and got a timetable with the loco roster on due to the lack of one on the website.

On the Friday, Joan is working all the passenger trains marked P, whilst the Countess is on the W&L trains.

Saturday Joan is on the 8:53, 11:40, 14:25 and 17:10 from llanfair.
Sunday it's on the 9;30, 12:10 14;55 and 17:50 off Llanfair with the 16:55 off Llanfair being doubleheaded by 1&2

I might have a trip tomorrow.

 

What other locos are working? Outside chance I may be able to attend on Sunday. Dougal, on it's usual roster, Earl, Resita? I'm old enough to remember Joan from last time

 

The locos on the roster are The Earl, Countess, Joan and Dougal. The Resita is not mentioned. All three main locos are therefore doing a few more turns than is usual.

I also remember Joan in red and blue, I think it last worked the first train of the day at the 1991 gala so Im looking forward to seeing it back in action.

 

Got back lat last night after two excellant days on the railway despite not having the best of look friday night, 1 flat tyre with another a write off only a month old due to not being fitted correctly, so didn't make it till dinner on saturday after getting two new ones, (from some one else) . When I arrived I couldn't get an OS map, so started doing a recky drive and by chance parked next to a local person who was member and by the line for over 60 years, he kindly offered to give me a tour of all the best locations, as a result despite my first visit to the line for filming I managed to get a lot of good shots. Despite on or two minor issues the gala ran generaly on time and verry impressive. Had to leave around 4 on sunday due to work the next day so missed the double header, maybe next time. Film etc in the pipe line.

 

I spent three days at the railway and garden railway show and had an enjoyable time. Most trains ran to time except when Joan failed on Saturday night which resulted in The Earl bringing a mammoth train back from Welshpool - 3 Pickerings and 3 Zillers.

It would be nice to see a bit of variety in the timetable next year though as the timertable hasn't changed for the last 10 years or so and the same train formations run every year.

 

Very good event as always, though we did have to stop for a blow-up with Dougal unfortunately. The doubleheaded Beyers at the end on Sunday though was absolutely brilliant, can we have more coaches behind them next year please?

Don't know wht the complaint with train formations is though? Last year you were complained at for not running either of the Beyers with soley the Pickerings on either Saturday/Sunday. This year you did and yet some people say its the same old same old!

 

Hi it's Andrew Charman here, Press Officer of the Welshpool & Llanfair. Apologies for delayed reply, I was heavily involved with the Gala from the middle of last week and missed checking the forum.
To correct some errors in posts on this thread and supply some extra info. The working timetable was posted on the Gala's own page in the special events section of the website well over a week before the event, and a link provided from the homepage. While the link has gone the Gala page is still there – http://www.wllr.org.uk/gala.htm
Countess was not withdrawn at the end of last season but simply underwent its 10-yearly overhaul, which involved a boiler lift over the winter. She returned to service early this season.
Joan failed on Saturday night with a valve gear issue, not a great surprise as she was only fully returned to service in the week before the Gala after a five-year restoration. The issue was not serious, was fixed overnight and Joan worked all her scheduled trains on Sunday. In fact I have just returned from the members' post-Gala train today which was hauled by Joan. There is still work to be done to finish and fine-tune the loco and this will be done in coming months.
The Resita is currently out of service having its firebox completely re-stayed - it was on display in the workshop through Gala weekend. We were effectively one loco down compared to previous Gala events so some rearranging was needed.
While I am not a trustee or a gala organiser for the railway I do know that the point about similar timetabling to previous events has been noted and will no doubt be discussed with regard to future events.
As for me, I had a great time - having passed out as a fireman in August last year, this was the first Gala in which I played a full role, with early lighting-ups on Friday and Sunday. Loved it!
Cheers
Andrew C

 

Don't get me wrong I love the Beyers and Pickerings, that formation regularly runs around my garden!

I've been to every single W&L gala since they began in this format in 1991? During the early years there were visiting locos - Chevallier, Superior, Siam the La Meuse tank and then latterly other highlights such as the return of the two beyers, the arrival and departure of the big Finn, the arrival of the Pickerings etc The last few years though seem to be almost identical, same timetable, same train formations - Beyers on Pickerings (either 1, 2 or 3), short freights to Castle, Dougal only working passenger trains on Sunday etc. It would be nice to see something different like all line freights, Ferret running around, Dougal on passenger trains on both days etc.

The working timetable wasn't and isn't on the website, there was no indication of what locos were working what trains and no indication of what locos were working full stop. As an enthusiast who visits many railways throughout the year, I thought the advertising for this event was rather poor, yes there were adverts giving the date and outline plans (almost the same wording as every other year) but no details were forthcoming unfortunately.

I love the railway - I'm a life member and I don't like being too critical as I actually had a good time and rode on the trains all day Friday and spent Saturday evening and Sunday at the railway, I just think the event could have been better.

 

I have to agree it seemed a bit lax on the advertising front - it's not unknown for WLLR to have rosters on the website months in advance of the event! I guess this year had more uncertainties than usual though...

 

I enjoyed Saturday immensely with my photo exhibition at Welshpool, which turned out more successful than I initially anticipated! Couldn't have asked for a better location with regard to seeing the engines at Welshpool.

Great to meet some wonderful people and some members of Nat Pres too...shame about the weather though, still very enjoyable!

Thanks,
Lewis

 

Cracking show, very impressed, and my first visit to a Welshpool gala, and the blow-up on Dougal just added to the fun more than anything

After the blow-up we stormed the bank on Dougal, superb machine!

And there is something that is so so 'right' about seeing Countess on the Pickerings, stunning.
More photos on my flickr, starting here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_clarke/6117697524/in/photostream/lightbox/

 

Just posted the first part of our film from the weekend.
[video=youtube;4Ag8Q7TPqcM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ag8Q7TPqcM&hd=1[/video]

 

Beautifully filmed. It also shows just how much work is involved for so many people in putting on events of this kind.

P.H.

 

I have uploaded to YouTube my film of the Saturday of their Annual Steam Gala. Locations are Raven Square, Sylfaen, Coppice Lane crossing, Llanfair, Dolarddyn crossing, Cyfronydd and back to Raven Square. There were four locomotives in steam, ‘Joan’, ‘The Earl’, and ‘Countess’, with the small Glaswegian gas works engine hauling the goods train.

I hope everyone enjoys the film which can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ezQuGGo0U0

Regards