WSR GWR175 Finale - 30 Sept / 1 - 3 October

Well I spend most of my time at galas travelling on the trains - I do take photos as well but only from stations or other publically accessible areas. This is because for me travelling behind steam is what the day is all about - getting some photos is a bonus, but each to their own. In my experience many of the people who travel on the trains at galas are not what we'd call "enthusiasts". Many are families or people looking for a good day out. My feeling is that they may attend galas because they know that there will be more trains and more to see and do. Sometimes however they just turn up by accident - I came across a family at the Severn Valley who had turned up not knowing there was a gala on. They couldn't believe how many engines were in steam - they seemed surprised when someone told them it wasn't like that every week. So don't assume that galas are exclusively for enthusiasts - many people can turn up and enjoy them even if they don't know a Black 5 from a Bulleid Pacific. It's interesting however how people gravitate towards famous engines - at the Severn Valley this year anything hauled by "City of Truro" was full to bursting point!

 

I have noticed at the last few Galas I have attended there have been a lot more "normal" people in attendance alongside us enthusiasts. I am also more keen on riding the trains these days and getting a few decent shots rather than mainly shooting loads of so-so pictures. Since Tornado has arrived on the scene there seem to be more families visiting steam galas which can only be a good thing for the future.