Great Goodbye at Shildon alert !

Just got permission to borrow work's DSLR so hopefully will be able to get some video.

 

Not a lot to video during the night shoot. Mainly drifting exhaust but they did ring DoC's bell a couple of times while I was there.

 

Some Superb pictures on this thread. Looks like it was a very special atmosphere at Shildon last night. No doubt Sir Nigel Gresley was looking down from the Top Shed in the Sky with a big grin on his face.
Well done to all involved for all of the Mallard 75 events. You should all be very proud of what has been achieved. When I walked into the Great Hall at York last July the sight of all Six A4's together literally took my breath away as it is a sight I thought I would never see.

 

Right then Gents!

I've been away from the forum for months - purely as work has been ridiculous - but I made a special effort to go to the great goodbye on monday to finally see what I couldn't last year - all 6 A4's. Bit of a long journey up from Cornwall (yes, i'm a southern fairy - its bloody cold in the north!) - but worth every minute - the sheer size and beauty of the A4s truly has to be seen to be believed..

anyway enough rabbiting - I didn't get any where near the amazing shots that you guys who went to the night shoots did - but here's my efforts from the day - some of my photos might not be to everyones taste as they are a bit "arty" but hey ho have a look!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinpengilley/sets/72157641178804174/

 

There's nowt wrong with a different perspective - and these are worth the effort; a different view but that's what makes photography interesting.

 

It is an excellent shot too and all the better being B&W.

And I would agree with this thought too.

 

Ah ok, we'll see what happens but can always switch back to photo mode if needs be

 

The joys of a modern DSLR.

 

Went down at lunchtime today, waited in queue for 40 minutes, but absolutely loved it.

Great atmosphere, was mentioned they were expecting 50,000 for the week, but were already over that, after 3 days!!!!

Everybody on footplates really friendly, lots of kids about, good idea to have it in school holidays.

Well done NRM, a great event.

 

When do 60008 and 60010 return home? This is just the last time to see the 6 together? When are the other 2 going off display?

 

I've uploaded my shots from Monday night to the start of my Mallard75 collection to here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/steam60163/sets/72157641169998715/

Absolutely brilliant evening!!!! Well done NRM, loco owners and organisers - thank you!!!!!!

Cheers,
Alisdair

 

Evening All

I have added another addition to the great goodbye collection taken by Mike Hutton on the 18th Feb

all 6 A4’s
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-MsKpPxn
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-B3FZCDB

4464 Bittern
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-z8SjPNx
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-fGhBrdc

4468 Mallard
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-njnTCc3

4489 Dominion Of Canada
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-ZmXstBD
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-njnTCc3

60007 Sir Nigel Gresley
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-5XHhvWZ
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-dtF8GCc

60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-7FJ28cs
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-Jf9BcnH

60009 Union of South Africa
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-TwD97kh
http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LNERSteam/Gresley-Locomotives/Gresley-A4/A4-Preserved-Locos/Great-Goodbye-NRM-Shildon/i-kwH8kps

Neil

 

No disrespect to York BUT - Well done NRM SHILDON - a minor correction perhaps but the organisation of this event by LOCAL staff has shown the difference between the 2 venues.

 

I have to say, after visiting both shildon and the nrm York, shildon is a much nicer experience - the lighting in the great hall at York isn't very good and the extra exhibits are shoved to the side...

Don't get me wrong - it's still a great visit and lots to see but personally, work to be done on the layout to make it even better!

 

Write ups in the DM (two page spread) and the DT today with photos. I visited yesterday and got there early, thank goodness, it was heaving.....I never thought it would attract that many. Staff said it had been manic all week. I was disappointed with the locos photographic line up. Left about lunch time and passed a traffic queue several miles long towards the A1....don't know what it was like coming in from the other direction........looks like the NRM have made plenty bucks again.............

 

In spite of the huge number of people who have visited both York and Shildon to see the A4s, some people are saying still that it's been a waste of money. How can the most successful exhibitions the NRM has staged be viewed as a waste of money?

 

... because the two American ones aren't staying in the UK / because the NRM had the temerity to charge in exchange for enhanced photographic access / because the NRM made access free, meaning the event was too crowded / because the events happened too far north / because the events happened too far south / becaues the colour schemes and chimneys of some locos were mismatched / becaues the NRM won't steam Lode Star / becaues Birmingham City Council won't steam City of Birmingham / because it rained / because it was too dry in the summer / because "my" perfect photo opportunity was runined by the presence of other people ...

Some people are never happy! Despite the fact I didn't get to see any of the reunions, and had to rely on photos posted here and elsewhere, I say "well done NRM" (whether Shildon or York: it is one organisation). This event seems really to have captured the imagination, not just of railway enthusiasts, but the wider public. That can only be a good thing for our hobby.

Now **cough cough** 2022, and a certain breed of small tank engine, equally ground breaking and of great historical significance, and with a representative over in Canada, another in the NRM and others scattered round the country celebrates the 150th anniversary of the class **cough cough**

Tom

 

It would seem like a waste of money if you were an idiot.

 

If the figures stack up as has been suggested and the NRM make a healthy profit out of it, then I fail to see how anyone can suggest it has been a waste of money!

Personally, a line-up of A4's in a mish-mash of liveries held little appeal to me. As has been suggested by others, I think the NRM could've provided a better spectacle to make the most out of a unique opportunity, but whether any improvements (elevated / improved viewing arrangements for all, each loco in a unique livery, etc.) would've lead to a greater profit is highly debatable. It wasn't my cup of tea, but neither are Thomas events, and I'd never suggest the railways stop doing those.