[Feb 25, 2017] Churnet Valley Winter Steam Gala 2017 (Froghall, Staffordshire)

Join us for the return of our traditional Winter Steam Gala on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th February 2017, seeing a selection of locomotives operate a variety of services along both the Churnet Valley and Cauldon Lowe lines.

2017 sees the CVR celebrate it's own 25th Anniversary, and to start the year of in style we will be celebrating the return to service of S160 5197. This will be even more momentours though, as she will join sister 6046 - meaning this will be the first time 2x S160s have worked together in UK Preservation, and the first time in the UK since 1944.

https://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/event/810/winter-steam-gala-2017

2017 sees the CVR celebrate it's own 25th Anniversary, and to start the year off in style we will be celebrating the return to service of S160 5197. This will be even more momentous though, as she will join sister 6046 - meaning this will be the first time 2x S160s have worked together in UK Preservation ever, and the first time 2x have seen service together in the UK since 1944!

LOCOS

• United States of America Transportation Corps S160 no. 5197 (making her first appearance following overhaul)
• United States of America Transportation Corps S160 no. 6046
• Polish TKh no. 2944 "Hotspur"
• South Eastern & Chatham Railway P Class no. 323 Blubell (visiting from the Bluebell Railway)

EVENT ATTRACTIONS

• First operation of TWO S160s in UK Preservation
• Re-creation of "Station Pilot" Duties
• Selection of trains along steeply graded Cauldon branch
• Cheddleton Engine Shed open to visitors - View LMS 8F no. 48173
• "Life on the Home Front" at Cheddleton Station - The Diary of Dorothy Ryder
• Dave Gibson Photography Display at Cheddleton Station
• Hornby Triang Model Railway Display at Froghall
• 'Branch Lines from Leek' Book Launch, including Book Signing (Saturday Only)
• 1/3 size Live Steam Suffolk Dredger in action at Cheddleton (Sunday Only)

CATERING

• The Signal Tearooms at Froghall will be serving freshly prepared food and drink all weekend. Arrive early and enjoy an Engineman’ breakfast to start of your day!
• Consall station will be offering light refreshments from their restored tea trolley on the platform throughout the weekend.
• The Goods Shed Tearooms at Cheddleton will be serving hot & cold snacks to eat in or takeaway. This will be supplemented by our Breakfast BBQ on the station platform.
  

ON THE DAY FARES

• Adult: £22.00
• Senior (60+): £20.00
• Child (4-14): £16.00
• Under 4's: FREE
• Family (2A+2C): £60.00

WATCH THE GALA LIVE
http://home.btconnect.com/cvrailway/webcams/webcams.htm



Post-event Driver Experience Courses also available, click >here< for details

 

Sorry to criticise, but the CVR's web site has very little useful information about this gala or the Anything Goes gala in January. It would be good to know what's running, timetable and fares.

The Winter Steam Gala looks to have an interesting line-up, but what about Anything Goes?

 

The website says that the Anything Goes event is in June

 

Your right. I got the January date from the UK & Ireland Special Events pages:

http://www.heritage-railways.com/events.php

Still, very little info on the steam gala. Just says Special Timetable, but doesn't show it, or mention fares.

 

Tim,

Thank you for your messages.

The gala pages will be updated within the next week with confirmation of visiting locomotive, timetable, fares and details of some interesting workings!

Regards

Chris

 

Some goods news in advance of the gala is that S160 5197 passed its insurance steam test yesterday, running in is due to start in the next couple of weeks

 

Great ... thanks Chris. Can you confirm that Anything Goes is in June, not January? If so Heritage-Railways.com have got it wrong.

 

Anything Goes Weekend is the 24th & 25th JUNE 2017! HR.com need to do there homework!!

 

Good stuff. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

P class 323 Bluebell announced on Facebook as visitor.

 

Bonus!

 

Is this for driver for a fiver /tenner at Cheddleton?

 

Nope, CVR services. Timetable now online. Think if you really want you can also request a Driver Experience with 323, but I'll have to double-check. If there is anyone interested though, drop a message onto the link above.

Just waiting for advance Fares to be sent through and I think everything is sorted for the website (shunting notes are occupying a lot of my time at present!).

 

Advanced Tickets now available online.

 

Will 323 Bluebell be staying for the gala weekend only? I can't make it that weekend due to work unfortunately

 

She is only due to work public services over the gala weekend.

 

Thanks for the info'

 

Hi,

323 will also be running on a private footplate experience on Monday the 27th of Feb, whilst you wont be able to ride behind 323 you would be able to see it running.

Regards

Chris

 

We'll want her back! When she went to the Battlefield Line, I got the sense they would have kept her if they could, as this entertaining blog from a locoman there suggests: http://sambrandist.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/a-beautiful-day-with-beautiful-bluebell.html Once you've been on one of Wainwright's little jewels, you start to see how unrefined other locos can seem

Tom

 

CVR been running 7-coach trains throughout the summer for the last few years. Can't see 323 being much use on these!