North Yorkshire Moors Railway: Steam Gala 23-26 September

The reason given is that they run a fairly intensive service using several loco's, in the run up to the gala weekend, and so cannot be sure of availability and what will be based at Grosmont or New Bridge till a few days before hand.

 

They have a Diesel Weekend this weekend and updated the timetable with the loco allocations earlier this week, so imagine they'd do similar at some point before the gala. (Albeit they'd be subject to change).

 

Tickets now listed as sold out for Saturday

 

Because quite simply they don't know what locos will be on what trains. There are provisional plans for the visitors but the NYMR locos are currently simply loco1, loco2, loco3, etc. 63395 is hoped to be in service but it hasn't worked a train yet, this year. Washouts have been planned so that locos will be available but, if one fails and another has to be substituted, then that adds to its days in steam and affects the planned washout date, possibly making it unavailable for the gala. I don't yet know what will be on which train and I'm responsible for the footplate roster.
If I was a betting man, I'd bet a king size Mars Bar that the first train out of Grosmont to Whitby will be two of 825, 5428 & 76079 and the first train to Pickering will be one of the visitors. However, I'm not a betting man.

 

Thinking of booking a ticket for Friday. Just wondering what the covid rules are. Do you still get allocated a seat. Or can you choose yourself when you get on. Also are facemasks still mandatory on board?

 

No, yes and no.

 

On-line tickets sold out for Saturday, but I understand a limited number of tickets will be on sale for “turn up on the day” sales from the Pickering and Grosmont booking offices. But once they are gone they are gone, so if interested I would be there when booking offices open (8am).

 

Usual question about this time so I will ask it, can anyone help with the direction each loco faces, I aware most usual face south.
Thanks.

 

Friday also sold out. Thursday and Sunday “limited “

 

All facing south I believe, though Tornado not arrived yet, but I expect it to face south too.
The Q6 satisfied the boiler inspector today apparently, so will hopefully be ok to take some part in proceedings.

 

Loco allocations (version 1) now on website: https://www.nymr.co.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=67549321-d3b2-4765-8347-da1b5e409f8d

 

Might be worth noting that the Saint is on Goods trains all day on Sunday, for anyone going specifically for a ride behind it!

 

It only does Goods trains on Thursday too.

 

And no solo passenger workings throughout the gala.

 

Personal opinion it seems like a waste of a guest either double heading with everything or on goods all the time. Don't want to sound like an a**e but it is a personal gripe.

 

I can't help but wonder if there are doubts to the Locos Capabilities on the line.

 

This was always going to happen. They'll have a rep on the footplate making sure she's not being worked too hard on the DH runs and the goods workings. Poor, considering its the main guest loco ffs.

 

On top of that, 825, 5428 not running on Saturday and Class 25 to Whitby...926 not rostered at all but less bothered about that.

 

Doubts about 2999’s ability to perform, 926 still under overhaul, 63395 yet to work a train and 60163 still to arrive and people wonder why loco allocations aren’t available earlier.

 

Is 2999 that poor?