Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

Great shots and many thanks young Gricing Owl for taking us to get a shot of 34072 as 34066 after we had a good spell on the trains. For me 828 was the star of the show for its stormy climb of the 1 in 88. And well done to everyone at the Spa Valley Railway for a great day with some very slick operating which would put other bigger railways to shame. Well worth the long journey by train and bus

 

Thank you all for visiting today. We had a much better day timetable wise, 1,007 people have visited to far which is really positive so thank you!

I'm on 828 tomorrow so feel free to say hi, we had a lovely run up the line with the brake van this evening. 828 is an engine that I have a very big soft spot for and it really has got an awesome Caley bark!

 

What’s the source of the steam in this photo. It doesn’t appear to be from the taps and the exhaust is clear so no need for them to be open. Other photos of 78019 that day don’t show any significant steam leakage. Just curious.

edit: just realised there’s another loco behind the standard and it could be from that locos taps. Again the exhaust is clear, though so is it just over use of them?

 

Well, it was a first time for me!
Very impressed.
Here's to another successful event and [hopefully] your Summer Gala is just as popular!

 

It's our policy to open drain cocks when stationary, the train had been stopped for around 10 mins. This was the momentary exhaustion of steam from opening the regulator and the steam operated cocks on 78 shutting.

 

Yes, as @Jonnie has said. I included that photo in the sequence of 78019 and 80078 as I thought it was a rather dramatic re-start - I took several of the restart and I chose that one to post here as it had the exhaust of the second loco, 80078, showing as well as the steam from the drain cocks to illustrate it was the doubleheader. I also took a few shots from the other side of the footbridge as it drifted slowly into Groombridge.

 

I really enjoyed yesterday, despite the weather. Manged to get about 50 miles mileage during the day. Favourite bit was either riding behind Lady Ingrid on the brake van or the last run of the dining train with 80078 and 78019 (which wasn't doing much, so 80078 was barking).

The fish and chips were good too.

 

Fabulous day at the gala yesterday, the rather iffy weather was certainly made up for late yesterday afternoon with 828 departing under a rainbow and with the sunset happening, a magical moment at Eridge

Some photos below, more at https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/SpaValleyRailwayphotosets/Winter-Steam-Gala-February-2024

 

LADY INGRID PASSENGER TRAIN - SUNDAY 11TH FEBRUARY!

A last minute change to the timetable today will see the following addition of recently returned to service Andrew Barclay 2315 'Lady Ingrid' hauling a passenger train.

The 16:50 from Tunbridge Wells West to Groombridge will be hauled by 2315 in addition to 78019 and 80078 as far as Groombridge.

At Groombridge 2315 will uncouple and then double head with Bulleid Pacific 34066 'Spitfire' on the 17:10 from Groombridge to Tunbridge Wells West.

 

All I can do is echo everyone else on a fantastic day out to the Spa Valley yesterday.

It was Dads first time and I myself have only done one round trip on the Gin Train in the past.

There was always some action where ever you were and changing between trains was so simble at Groombridge. In fact, Dad did point out how easy he found the railway to get around, its the first time he can think of where he hasn't had to tackle a flight of stairs, or a large hight difference between the train and platform. Dad also wanted to mention the decor and ambience of Bar Car Kate, an absolutley lovely conversion and a lovely place to spend time in.

A shout out to the kiosk at Groombridge, a mug of tea in an actual mug on the platform was a very civilised way to spend some time - a proper mug and not a take away cup, it just tastes better .

Every train we travelled on involved a spirited run so its hard to pick a highlight but the noise of 828 can not go unnoticed. What a sound. However an added bonus was 2315 Lady Ingrid being used to pull in the Set A that was left behind by 34066 outside TWW so it could take the same set back out again. The noise from 2315 was something else.

So thank you to @Jonnie and all of the Spa Valley team - you guys certainly made an impression with this visit and we can't wait to return.

 

Lovely day on Saturday, had two round trips all in with time at Forge Farm, Groombridge, Eridge and Tunbridge Wells in between. Certainly always feels like there isnt much time with nothing going on when we visit the Spa Valley. My video, photos to follow...

 

Many thanks, a very well put together video. Excellent viewing.

 

What a fabulous three days provided by the Spa Valley Railway. I cannot remember when I last enjoyed such a well put together and well executed intensive programme of heritage steam locomotive operations. So my hearty thanks to everyone involved in the many aspects that made these three days so very enjoyable.

I took a lot more photos today, and I'll edit them down to those that compliment my small number of 1962 photos at Groombridge. Additionally there are those of 34066 (aka 34072), that gave me a wonderful and unexpected bonus with photos to put alongside my 1960s performance logs of that loco - with an appropriate note of course to reveal the locos true identity.

Just one photo to post here tonight, the penultimate train of the event which, by running by a bit late, allowed me to start rectifying a total lack of Bulleid pacific night photos to go with my many night timing logs from the 1960s.

It's of 34066 on the 16.40 from Eridge at Groombridge at 18.14 hrs tonight (2315 is under the bridge and out of the station lights), where falling rain helped my photography.

With the limited lighting I pushed the ISO on my Nikon D780 up to the extreme limit of H2, meaning I was using 204,800 ISO! I've only done a small amount of noise reduction so far - I'll work more on that later.

 

Did the Gala make some money Mr Johnny

 

Give me a day or two to work that one out. The last minute change in road haulier will impact on this as it was more to get the Standard 2 down to us.

 

Very kind thank you!

 

Video now up

 

I and 2 others spent the whole weekend at the Gala and part of friday mostly riding all the time,what can i say, an absolutely superb Gala enjoying every minute of it,and the performances of the locos outstanding.The best run of all was the last out and back one last night with Ingrid paired up with 78019 and then the return from Eridge with 828 leading,awesome.It was my first visit to the railway as a preserved line and all being well i will be back.Its not too far from Dorset.I really hope you do well on the money side and for anyone reading this the £50 for the 3 days was outstanding value for everything that was on offer.After that last run last night and thanking the crew of 828,they apologised for the late running,no no i said it was great gala,no apologies needed.
Cheers and thanks again to all involved.

 

I also bought a three day ticket and was a spectacular few days.

 

Totally agree about the value provided by the three day ticket - very good indeed, even though I was so busy taking photos around Groombridge on all three days, that, despite some initial plans, I never managed to use mine on a train. But I look upon tickets for the heritage railways I visit as a photo ticket.

Re the late running; it was a gala using an amazing 5 steam locos on a very busy timetable, and I didn't come across anyone who was bothered about times slipping just a bit as the days wore on.

As for your return on the final train last night - it took me a bit by surprise and I only just got to the road bridge at the TWW end of Groombridge station, and all I could do on that wet night was point and shoot as 828 passed under the bridge, with 78019 bringing up the rear. As per the night photo I I took a bit earlier of 34066, #1253 above, I was using the extreme high ISO of my D780, which is 204,800.

Bryan