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'Strange' events

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by mdewell, Jan 30, 2020.

  1. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

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    It has often struck me that some heritage railways do come up with some rather odd themes for their special events and these often seem to have no obvious railway relevance.
    Examples include Sci-Fi Weekends and Farmyard Friends; and I've just found a 'Hawaiian Sunday' advertised.

    So. . . what's the strangest advertised event you have see on a heritage railway? Did you go the event? What did you think of it?

    (For the purposes of this thread, obvious childrens events are excluded. Road transport events don't count either (as they are at least transport related)
    Only events hosted by the railway count. So nearby events that the railways are supporting also don't count unless the railway is the organiser).
     
  2. Steamie Boxes

    Steamie Boxes Member

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    Wild Wild West Lakes at Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
     
  3. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Where even the sheep carry weapons and fight back!
     
  4. RLinkinS

    RLinkinS Member

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    Star Rails at the Middleton. Not often you see a Star Wars stormtrooper driving a Manning Wardle. Mind you, I have not watched all of the films
     
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  5. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Not at a railway, but the Shuttleworth is currently advertising “Sex, steam and success”. The mind boggles!

    Tom
     
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  6. misspentyouth62

    misspentyouth62 Well-Known Member

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    it's just a jazzed up version of 'See it, Say it, Sorted!"
     
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  7. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Had to look at that to make sure it wasn’t James!
     
  8. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    Thinking back a few years , it could apply to the Epping and Ongar after some commercial "filming"

    Cheers, Neil
     
  9. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    Only a tenuous link to railways but our football themed event at Oswestry grows ever popular.
     
  10. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

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    Well if they keep doing new prequels, they'll get there eventually. :D
     
  11. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    No, John, not me!

    The Old Warden Shuttleworths are not related to us (and we’re not related to them!). They were boat builders and then agricultural engineers. My family come from Gawthorpe, Lancs, although we’ve been in Hathersage since 1685.

    Interstingly (and completely off topic), during WW2, there were three Richard Shuttleworths serving as pilots in the RAF: Richard Ugtred Kay-Shuttleworth, Richard Ashton Shuttleworth and Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth, all three of whom died during the war. The first was Lord Shuttleworth (Hurricane pilot shot down during the Battle of Britain), the second, my uncle (Blenheim pilot shot down over Holland in 1941) and the third (crashed during a training exercise in 1940), the person after whom the Shuttleworth Collection was founded, by his grieving mother.
    JS
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2020
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  12. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    Or even further back to the Mid Hants about 1981
    Certainly woke a few bodies up on a sunday morning.
     
  13. 60044

    60044 Member

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    Even the Fairbourne Railway had some racy calendar shots taken inside the (then) Butterfly Farm in the Ellerton era.
     
  14. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    An Internet resource on dubious films shot on heritage railways beckons (And no, I aint doint it)

    But back in 1981 somebody wanted to charter MV Prince Ivanhoe & PS Waverley for some 'Glamour' filming sessions, - the one on Waverley never happened & Prince Ivanhoe sank, BUT it didnt play well with those living by the piers they used.
     
  15. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Nothing to do with Shuttleworth the hamlet by Ramsbottom? Shuttleworth is scyttels worth in olde English meaning gated enclosure, but I guess they didn't have engine sheds in those days :D!
     
  16. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    Indeed. As I said earlier, we are a Lancashire family (from Gawthorpe Hall, near Padiham), so there would very likely be a connection with Shuttleworth. Equally names can often become corrupted over time to sound similar and later become the same word but from entirely different origins.

    JS
     
  17. hyboy

    hyboy New Member

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    Well a few months ago I accidentally arrived at the GCR during a Steampunk event. Obviously I was reassured it wasn't a knitting fest or something to do with dogs and it did have steam in the title. However I was really intrigued by the amazing costumes and the fact that some of the participants were older than a I am (65). I took as many photos of the outlandish costumes as of the railway! I don't know how it measured up in terms of profitability, but for me it was an unexpected joy. I did however have plenty of time to reflect upon my own boring gricer gear. So a strange event but one I hope will be repeated for those who might have known it was on and missed a treat!
     
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  18. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Middleton has held a Steampunk event for the last three years. Well attended and different. Not a patch on events in Whitby on Goth weekends though, when Steampunk is also much in evidence, as long as other interesting sights. (I still remember the blonde in pink basque and stockings draping herself over everything.;)) Nothing to do with the NYMR, though although you do get them riding on the trains.
     
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  19. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

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    Quite a few railways host Steampunk events. While they certainly meet the 'strange' criteria, I do think they at least have a some small connection to heritage railways with their focus on steam and Victorian style, so I can understand the attraction there (not just the blondes in pink basques! ;)).
     
  20. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    Didn't the Yorkshire Dales Railway at Embsay run some Wild West events way back, when the train was "attacked" by cowboys or something.

    Maybe an idea for railways who are currently running "1940s" events? Get a Spitfire to strafe the train?!
     

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