NYMR Spring 2010 Steam Gala - Giant Gala of Giants

NYMR Spring Steam Gala – 30th April to 3rd May and 7th to 9th May 2010 inclusive

It is not just the 175th Anniversary of the Great Western Railway – it was 1835 when the first section of the Whitby and Pickering Railway opened from Whitby to “Tunnel” (a name the villagers didn’t like, so they adopted that of the nearby former Priory – “Grosmont”).

Details of the above event at the present tome are:

Guest Locomotives:

* A4 No. 60019 Bittern
* GNR N2 No. 1744
* Black Fives Nos. 44871 (first ever visit to the NYMR) and 45407

NYMR based locomotives:

* GWR 6619 (subject to completion of repairs)
* Southern S15 825 and “Schools” 30926 Repton
* LMS 7F “S & D” No. 53809
* LNWR “Super D” No. 49395
* LNER A4 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley
* NER Q6 No. 63395
* BR 4MT No. 76079

First Gala Appearance since rebuild of Black Five No. 45428 Eric Treacy. Possible 4th Black Five 45212.

Other features:

* Themed days throughout
* Goods trains featuring locos from each of the “Big Four”
* Enjoy the discounts per day offered by multi-day tickets

Extra Special Guest being negotiated – to be announced soon.

All subject to availability

Steven

 

Penny's current going rate is 1 long marrow bone chew and dozen chew sticks.

 

Brilliant line-up! The prospect of four possible Black Fives is just mouth-watering!! Three will definately do for me though, especially the return of 45428.

 

Dos any one on here know if 6024 King Edward I will be at this gala and when as it cant be there on the 1st as it down south on THE ROYAL DUCHY Tour

 

As far as I know, it will be on the NYMR, if not for the first w/e. I'm surprised Bean Counter hasn't said anything. It's about time the NYMR started shouting about it!

 

There's an article in this week's Railway Herald in it - not sure how much of the article is speculation, but I'm certainly looking forward to hearing more!

 

I think I read something about the gala possibly being extended to a third weekend over 15/16th May - have I just totally dreamed that up?

 

Main details from todays Railway Herald (page 13)

http://www.railwayherald.org/magazine/pdf/RHUK/Issue216.pdf

http://www.railwayherald.org/

The following 15 loco line up - subject to availability;

825, 1744, 6024, 6619, 30926, 44871, 45212, 45407, 45428, 49395, 53809, 60007, 60019, 63395, 76079.

6024 due 2nd May and the gala now 3 weekends with various themes;

30th April - Black 5 Friday (44871, 45212, 45407, 45428)

1/2 May - East Coast weekend (60007, 60019 both on EVL on 2nd May)

3 May - Giants Monday (6024, 60007, 60019)

7 May - Workday Friday (freight & local express)

8/9 May - Holiday trains (6024, 60007, 60019 with 30926, 825 on EVL 9th May)

14 May - Freight Friday (825, 49395, 53809, 63395 sharing freight duties)

15/16 May - "Monarch on the Moors" (6024 on EVL 16th May - subject to clearance approval)

60019 operating 4 - 6 May and 6024 10 - 13 May on "normal timetabled services"

Hope this is of interest.

Best Regards

 

Ta for all that. I'm a bit confused though... during the weekends are all locomotives going to be in use? I assume not given the differing themes but then the locomotives listed seem rather a small selection from the total pool available and some such as 76079 don't get a mention at all. I'm thinking of going either during the 2nd or 3rd weekend and just want to make sure it won't be limited to six or seven locos out as the list suggests.

 

Firstly, can I apologise that we haven't yet been able to confirm the line up. Hope to be able to say for definite what we hope will happen - it is hoped we will be able to do so this week.

The schedule shows the featured locos for each day and other locos will be running, but it won't be every loco every day because each loco would only get less than one round trip and crewing would be very difficult.

As I say, hopefully more confirmed details very soon.

Steven

 

The reality is that not all locos ill be in steam every weekend - there simply aren't enough paths to make sensible use of them - but I think what's shown for the individual days are the highlights and there will be a supporting cast out as well. I think it's unlikely that 45212 will feature at all - i uis reported to have slipped a tyre and therefore planned re-tyring has been brought forward. It perhaps isn't impossible to do the work in time for the gala, but it is probably unlikely.

 

Without wishing to be seeming to target this gent individually, here's the proof of the difficulty of targeting the enthusiast market. Whatever you put on, they want more! LIMITED to 6 - 7 locos? How many can most railways put out?

It's hard to use more than about eight, each one will burn about a ton of coal to get it off shed and whilst sitting about during the day, and we've a strictly finite number of crews. Somewhere between 30 - 40 active steam drivers, many of who travel from a considerable distance, or who avoid galas like the plague!

The beauty of what's been advertised, is that you know what the theme / stars of each day are, and those locos should get a decent run out on those days.

 

Perhaps I didn't phrase it perfectly, but what I mean to say is that I want to ensure that the weekend I visit I can see some of the lesser-publicised locomotives like the Q6 for example. Six or seven locomotives at most railway's galas would obviously be a brilliant turn-out but a typical NYMR steam gala features about 10 locos so I suppose that 10 out of the pool of up to 15 is what I'd like to see at the busiest times, which should be possibly considering the Esk Valley line is in use for chunks of the gala as well.

Basically I just wanted to know if it was possible to know a bit more about the rosters before I book but obviously that's difficult at this very early stage.

 

Thanks for the update Steven

I suggested over the NYMR forum last year that if the NYMR cannot provide a online roster and only a gala programme is available, a reasonable alternative is to list which locos are expected to be in use each day, subject to availability, with a brief line of the locos use that day, such as freight, one round trip, double heading with, etc, etc...........

 

Website now has full details;

http://www.nymr.co.uk/special-events/spring-steam-gala/

Spring Steam Gala – The Giant Gala of Giants

30th April-3rd May & 7-9th & 15-16th May 2010

Introduction

The Giant Gala of Giants will be one of our biggest galas staged to date! We are celebrating the renewal of Bridge 30, and two 175 year anniversaries, GWR 175 and the first stage of the opening of our own line Whitby to Grosmont/Beck Hole in 1835.

Over the three weekends we have a range of themed days and highlights:

‘LMS Friday’ (30 April) – 3 Black 5s (including simulated load test over bridge 30 with all 3 coupled between Grosmont & Goathland)

‘East Coast Weekend’ (01-02 May) highlights – 1 or 2 x A4s and N2 tank (to include King’s Cross suburban with N2, 1 or 2 x A4s sharing Esk Valley)

‘Giants’ Monday’ (03 May) – 2 x A4s, and King Edward I

‘Working Friday’ (07 May) – Emphasis on the diversity of the 1950s working railway with freights, local & express services

‘Summer Saturday’ (08 May) – 2 x A4s and King Edward I recreating holiday trains of the 1950s/1960s

‘Excursion Sunday’ (09 May) – 2 x A4s and King on summer excursions, ‘Schools’ and S15 on Esk Valley excursions

‘Freight Friday’ (14 May) – 825, 49395, 53809, 63395 sharing freight duties from all of Big 4 companies

‘Monarch on the Moors’ weekend (15-6 May) – King Edward I at work on NYMR (Saturday) and Esk Valley Line (Sunday)

Shuttle trains over new bridge 30 in 100 year old GNR Saloon

Freight/ballast trains including shunting demonstration and photo run bys

Through trains Pickering to Battersby on Sundays

Stop Press!

Sir Nigel Gresley is undergoing repairs to the middle cylinder, availibility for the gala is still uncertain.

Prices
To Grosmont – Adult – £20, Child – £10, Concession – £16, Family – £41 (2 adults and up to 4 children)

To Whitby – Adult – £25, Child – £12.50, Concession – £20, Family – £54 (2 adults and up to 4 children)

To Battersby – Adult – £30, Child – £15, Concession – £25, Family – £64 (2 adults and up to 4 children)

There is a £5 discount per ticket for anyone making a second visit during the Gala (multi-day rovers excluded)

Timetable

The timetable for this event will be available shortly. The full timetable with loco allocations will be available in the Spring Steam Gala brochure which will be available to purchase on the day and also online shortly.

While every effort is made to run the planned timetable, NYMR reserves the right to alter, cancel or suspend services, special events and advertised attractions. NYMR accept no liability for any loss, inconvenience or delay thereby caused.

 

Is anyone going to be watching the Black 5's heading down the ECML for Grosmont today?

R.

 

Well, after months of uncertainty, things seem to be coming together, at last! 60007 is now going back together again and three of the four black 5's initially hoped for will be in steam, barring unforeseen events between then and now. I don't know what is happening on each day but I do know that there is a requirement for eight crews on the 'quiet' Fridays and, as double manning is only resorted to when turns exceed twelve hours, it won't be that quiet!

 

With the arrival of the Black Fives yesterday, the first Gala guests are now on site! As Steve says, starting to come together - there are one or two lcoos that need to do the same but their owners are busy ensuring this is the case!

Steven

 

Is it going to be possible to buy lineside passes for certain days of the gala?

 

Unfortunately not. A good few years ago, HMRI were concerned about the subject of lineside passes and a number of lines including the NYMR developed an annual scheme that basically involves issuing an NYMR PTS. I know that such schemes are controversial but I am afraid that this is the NYMR system.

Work currently underway on timetables, trying to take account of all possibilities on loco availability!!!

Steven