Foxfield Railway Diesel Gala - 5th & 6th May 2018

The foxfield Railway is re-introducing its diesel gala in May of 2018. It has been over ten years since the railway last hosted a diesel gala and this year will see much of the home diesel fleet in action on passenger trains and demonstration coal trains into Foxfield Colliery.

It is anticipated that this gala will also see the introduction to traffic of ex-Shelton Steel Works Janus 0-6-0 DE 'Ludstone' which has not yet turned a wheel in anger since arriving at the railway over 15 years ago!

There is also the possibility of an appropriate 'star' guest locomotive for the gala so watch out for an announcement on this soon!

(NOTE: This event is Saturday/sunday only, it is not on the Bank Holiday Monday)

The event will also be run in conjuction with a mini beer festival hosted by the railway's own One Legged Shunter real ale bar.

 

Is there a likelihood that the ex-Ravenglass & Eskdale Kerr-Stuart diesel might be working?

 

Possible, but not yet known I think.

The railway currently has three "fully functional" diesels - Bagnall 3150 of 1959 "Wolstanton no3", a Thomas Hill 111C Sentinel rebuild, and Bagnall 3207 of 1961 (Freshly repainted back to it's authentic green Leys Maleable Castings livery after some years painted EWS red). These should all be out and about.

Then there are a couple of locos which have been stored un-servicable for some years which on which repairs are currently being done - Andrew Barclay No486 "Meaford No4" and Yorkshire Engine Co. Janus D/E. "Ludstone". It's not a done deal, but it's possible that one or both of them will be fully returned to traffic (or failing that, at least allowed to trundle round Caverswall Road) by then.

There are also a few diesels which are notionally "stored serviceable", including Kerr-Stuart "Rom River", but which haven't run in a considerable period. As I understand these are currently being assessed to see which of them are actually still serviceable, and what it would take to re-activate them. No promises, but the exact lineup will be announced once those decisions have been made!

There is also a strong possibility of a particularly appropriate guest loco, but you'll have to wait till it's all agreed for an announcement as to what that might be (if it happens - it's not a done deal yet).

 

The diesel team have been spotted staring at the inner workings of Ruston & Hornsby 424841 0-4-0DE ('165DE') Roman to assess the possibility of bringing it back to life.

 

This sounds like it should be a great event .
I have put the date in my diary and hope to be there .

 

We can now announce that the guest locomotive for the diesel gala is Class 14 D9531 appearing courtesy of the East Lancs Railway Diesl Group. A very suitable visitor as it spent a large portion of its working life at Ashington Colliery in the North East.

 

It seems some of the poking about under the bonnet of Roman has paid off - it's made its first move under it's own power in ten years - see the video:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=376378496162633&id=336836440116839

There is still some way to go before it can be assessed as fit to run, but it's looking increasingly likely it will be out and about at the diesel weekend.