WSR Spring Steam Gala, 20-21 & 25-28 March 2010

92203 92212 double heading out of Loughborough.

[video=youtube;isQSwqn5u_Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isQSwqn5u_Y[/video]

 

Its still not an everyday occurrence, being rarer that double-headed Bulleids.

 

It was certainly overkill when they ran the pair together at the MHR a few years back on four and five coach sets! My Dad told me to stop moaning about how ridiculous it looked. They didn't improve my mood when they later ran 34016 + 35005 on four coaches! I think I was just having a bad day.........

 

Indeed, I don't ever remember seeing double headed 9Fs back in steam days, although I did see a heavy train or iron ore train going slowly up the valley to Ebbw Vale with 9Fs at front and rear.
Steam in South Wales with a mix of GWR and LMS motive power is on my list of suggestions for a possible future WSR gala theme, but it will need lots of mineral wagons.

David

 

double headed 9fs were VERY rare in working days, possibly in single figures. I dont care what 'Britannia' looks like really , as the last time i saw her was about 1962 ish!! No enthusiast in those days would have wanted to see her in black! And 'whooosh & its gone just about sums up my courting then too!!!

 

David

As to your suggestion of LMS and GW seam in South Wales, wouldn't it be nice to be able to re-create the last train over the MTA with the Super D and the Coal tank double heading.

Cheers Dave

 

Ive seen stills and cine film of Double headed 9Fs on the Heysham to Leeds oil train several times and also oil trains through Stockport. (not sure of this working though)

 

At Blaenavon we already have this in mind, although the coal tank wont be finished before the D runs out of time.

We have access to the original headboard too, that would be amazing to see, especially so close to the original path.

Humm. We have thought about doing an LMS/GWR gala as our line saw both companies locomotives. Although it will be slightly lower key than the WSR could do!

 

SEPT report no further locomotives have been lined up - yet - for this event. There seems to be some hope of a (TOC-operated) diesel shuttle between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard Stations. This has scuppered the midday non-stop Norton Fitzwarren-Minehead which now starts at Bishops Lydeard and runs as a semi-fast. A new timetable will be in force with on-the-hour departures from Bishops Lydeard and Minehead.

Steve
(WSW)

 

I fully understand that timetablers have a difficult job sometimes, but how has a train that only runs up to BL stopped a non stop to MD? I assume the path for this was there already? (the N.S.) How many Taunton -BL s are we talking about?

 

No details of the (possible) Taunton-Bishops Lydeard shuttles have been provided. I assume the section occupancy will be sufficiently high to prevent a WSR train running up to Norton and then running non-stop down to Minehead. And by removing the non-stopper at this stage of planning provides a clean sheet (or clear section!) for planning the timings for the hoped-for shuttles? But then I'm only guessing.

Steve
(WSW)

 

Would look better on 2000T at Merehead IMO, but won't compain over something so trivial.

 

Well said that man. Compared to many countries in the world we are spoiled for choice when it comes to working steam locomotives. People should be thankful for that and not get so worked up over such a minor thing as the owner's choice of paint job. Anyway AFAIK it's only HR mag that says it will be black unless the owner has publicly stated it will be.

 

I think that the principle of running shuttles from Taunton is to be applauded as an experiment in persuading people to leave the car at home.
IF it comes off, and IF the visitor stats show the proportion who came by train rising, I wonder if NR would consider a steam-hauled shuttle in future years.

 

Where there's a will there's a way!

 

Excellent news on the WSR.org website , it now looks like 34046 will attend the ball, after all. So we effectively have another 'Standard' in the mix...

 

Free Bus Link

For those Gala visitors arriving at Taunton Station and wishing to use the free bus link to Bishops Lydeard, I am advised the bus will collect from under the Railway Bridge at Taunton Station on the same side of the road as the Station entrance. There is a map and (better) description of the free bus collection point at www.wsr.org.uk/ssg2010.htm

Steve
(WSW)

 

Am looking forward to this one, bigtime. Not only have the Standards become pretty much a pet fav over the last few years, but it's also my first proper lineside photography shoot.

 

The visiting locos are now starting to arrive at the WSR for the Gala. 78019 has aready arrived direct from the SVR, and 71000 Duke of Gloucester is due by road today from the ELR. It should be moving in steam to Minehead tomorrow afternoon (Sat 13 March). 34046 Braunton will also be in action tomorrow. Meanwhile two lineside flails and a switch&crossing tamper have also been in action, getting the line in good fettle. Keep an eye on latest pictures at www.wsr.org.uk

David

 

I'm not sure whether 9Fs ever did double-head the Heysham tanks to - where the heck DID they go - Neville Hill? All I know is that as a fireman at Carnforth in the last sixteen months of steam, I fired both train engine and AE (always one of our 75xxxs) on different occasions; our diagrams were such that the assisting engine came off at Skipton, turned on the table and returned light to 10A.

Obviously I didn't see every one of the tank trains, but I never remember hearing that "9s" had double headed it, either. And on the subject of double-headers, the only instance I ever saw of D-H " Brits" was 70044 + 70047 on the southbound "Northern Irishman" at Crewe just before Christmas 1955 - though it may have been 1954; 70044 was still looking rather odd without smoke deflectors, because it was still wearing its experimental air-brake equipment, which it lost at some stage in the mid 1950s.

(Edited) It occurs to me that may have been the only time ever that two unnamed "Brits" double-headed? And does anyone know WHY BR fitted just two Brits with this air-brake equipment?