WSR Spring Gala 2009

45231 now visiting as well.

 

Apparently 45231 has been confirmed. The words at straws and clutching spring to mind. Not necessarily in that order. But hey, if they pull the plugs out the potential of black five and scot double heading could be interesting. Wot a shame its more than likely to be on chocolate and cream stock!

 

Well, I got me ticket (impressed with the prompt response; I sent it Sunday night and got it Tuesday morning!). Quite pleased about the Stanier 5. Although I've seen 45231 once at Cardiff Canton behind 45407, I have yet to have a ride behind it, and it will make a nice comparison with my experiences of other members of the class, namely 45110, 45212 and 45407 (my favourite is still 45110). Considering I'll be going to Llangollen, I'll also be able to compare these with 44806, so its all good! I'm hoping that despite the no-shows of the two Southern locomotives, the final locomotive is something that appeals to someone of that persuasion (yes, I'm greedy!).

 

Wouldnt hold you breath on the scot there is a dreadful amount still to do. I was quite shocked last weekend to the amount of parts still not on it. Its nowhere near as ready as weve all been led to believe

LNWR have certainly got their work cut out to get it finished. There is the small matter of getting some paint on it too.

Im sure the lads will do everything in their power to get it done but its going to be right down to the wire

 

Wot a shame one of them will be in crimson lake

Regards

 

Good job you've waited til now then, 45231's actually got a bark to it now! \/

 

4936 Kinlet Hall now visiting =D>

 

That's why I liked 45110. Out of the three, that one was the most vocal. Interesting about Kinlet Hall. Another one to add to my list of 156 steam locomotives. Despite having seen three, I've only had a ride behind one Hall (Foremarke Hall)...

 

Just out of interest, will people feel that the addition of 45231 and 4936 will make them more likely to attend this event, or, put another way, without a couple of extra guests, would they be less likely to attend?

I ask as some-one who has been involved in numerous debates over the years about the "pay-back" of the cost of hiring guest locos for Galas (which must be getting on for £10k for a a two-way journey for a tender loco by rail or road for WSR as for other most Network Rail connected lines - distances doesn't seem to alter the sum that much).

Does it make 5 guests then? (60019, 6024, 6100 and the "new" two)

 

6695 is also a 'guest' even though WSR seems to be more like a second home now!

 

Why not make it your first one!!

 

Very tempting Jimbo, but there is the slight problem of a contract with Swanage Railway to overcome, plus can WSR provide enough work for the engine? It also looks like '95s boiler ticket expires at a similar time to much of WSR's current fleet. Anyhow, you never know when a return visit might happen............

 

I suppose you have to bear in mind that with 6695 and 6024 already being "on-site", by the time of the gala, if 'Kinlet Hall' and the Black 5 had not been booked, then the only incoming loco to the gala would have been 'Bittern'. As you say, with costs of up to £10K per loco for road haulage, steaming fees etc, this would have given the WSR a fairly low on-cost for locos for the gala when you factor in the steaming fees etc for the engines already in-situ.

Of course, following the Pete Waterman / LNWR rescue plan for 6100 and its extrication from Southall and move to Crewe, I guess the Scot has to upgraded from a 'no-chance' to a 'possible' - so that, at the moment, would mean 3 or 4 locos incurring haulage charges to the WSR for the gala. So you're looking at between £25K and £40K for those, plus the hire fees on the others, coal, staff, cost of replacing any bits that drop off, cost of possibility of hiring in an extra coaching set, cost of providing the free bus link etc. etc.

The WSR's target for the gala is 9000 passengers - I'm not sure if by that they mean 9000 individual tickets sold or 9000 total passenger journeys? My maths isn't good enough to work out an estimate of how much income the sale of 9000 tickets would generate, given the wide variety of advance rover options, child & OAP fares etc! - but if all 9000 bought an adult day rover on the day at £22 that would generate £198000, however if all 9000 bought a six day adult rover at a bargain £54 that would generate £81000, so I guess a ball park figure would be around £100,000 in ticket sales?

Obviously there's a limit to how may locos can be hired in from outside before the costs of doing so outweighs the income generated, although the KWVR have just had a good gala and they 'only' had one visiting engine - although it was 'Oliver Cromwell'!

Regards

Andrew

 

Since the WSR have followed the same pattern of bringing in several visiting locos for each of their Spring and Autumn Steam Galas for several years now, they must think it's worthwhile.

 

Are the WSR looking for any more engines, or is that the complete line-up (not that I'm complaining)?

 

The final guest engine is 34028 Eddystone.

 

Excellent - if 6100 makes it this is a great line up

 

\/ and if it doesn't its still a great line-up.

 

I'm really looking forward to this event, a few anxieties about the weather which so often is dreadful in West Somerset at this time of the year, but it certainly isn't possible to fault the effort that the WSR puts into these events. Looking forward too to exercising the privileges of the lineside pass I recently acquired for the first time!

Regards

 

Fantastic news! What was already an excellent event has turned (for me, a die-hard Southern afficionado) into an outstanding one. I have tried to have a ride behind Eddystone on the Swanage before now, though it was out of service with valve gear timing issues (or whatever was wrong with it on the week around 26 April last year). It'll be nice to see it with Braunton, hopefully double-heading.