What are the chances of this happening in the near future??

Just watched this video on the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/steamtrains/7305.shtml

What chances do we have of this being repeated anytime soon?? What with the interest that Tornado hasd helped to create in the public eye, helped massivily with the help of the media and top gear, i think it would be an ideal oppertunity for something simlier to be created, we cetrainly have more then enough working motive power for something to happen, so come on whats everyones opinions on this??

cheers
Matt

 

If held at a preserved railway (preferably with good main-line connections, well-placed in the UK, etc), it's quite possible, although to get the whole preservation movement to throw itself behind one railway, even for a weekend, strikes me as unlikely (although the GWSR's GW175 came close). In 1975 the preservation movement was, in terms of groups and societies, a lot smaller. Today we all have our own interests and rarely become involved outside of those interests - the classic example is the Industrial/Ex-BR divide.

On Network Rail? All but impossible. It would need MASSIVE goodwill from an awful lot of different parties, many of whom quite legitimately don't give a hoot about railway heritage. I don't think an exemption could be given for OTMR and TPWS, which immediately cuts down the number of locomotives that can get involved. Moreover, is there a NR line quiet enough to basically be shut for several hours? If there are any, they are probably so isolated as to render the number of visitors negligible.

I think Railway Heritage has moved on from such largescale events. We have moved away from STEAM STEAM AND MORE STEAM, OF ALL DIFFERENT SORTS!!! to much more specialised and all-inclusive preservation, with an eye on infrastructure and rolling stock as much as on steam locomotives. Enthusiasts want to see authentic trains in authentic settings, and the public just want a nice day out and a ride, with a tiny bit of education thrown in.

That being said, we can still put on epic events when we feel like it, but of quite a different nature. The sort of 'mega-event' that you are going to see in the future will probably be along the lines of Steam, Steel and Stars or the GWSR's GW175 gala, or the Bluebell's 50th - all of which (I think) included pretty impressive cavalcades, a la SDR 150 and LMR 150.

 

A full scale recreation was attempted back in 2000, the 'Millenium Cavalcade', but it was cancelled - a major backer pulled out, apparently because initial ticket sales werent high enough. Its hard to see it being attempted again on anything like the same scale.

Chris

 

IIRC wern't they about £65 a ticket per day or something crazey like that?

 

The nearest in recent times was Crewe works open day in 2005. At a similar time to 'Rocket 150' was the 'Great Railway Exploration' at MoSI in 1980. I wasn't born in 1980 and sadly missed the Crewe event back in 2005 though the 2003 open day I did see was good. Below is a link to Liverpool Road. The description mentions the event and the link at the bottom of the page may be of interest to photos from the stations past, the event in 1980 and more recently.

Regards
Duncan

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/m/manchester_liverpool_road/index.shtml

 

An event like this occurs in Europe every year.

On the saturday of the May bank holiday, approx 8 steam hauled services, carrying passengers arrive/depart in the morning.
The locomotives are serviced and approx 12-15 locomotives parade through the station and up past the running shed, around 2-3 times...
Then they are serviced again, and the 8 services arrive/depart carry passengers once more.


and it's FREE.


I am of course referring to Wolsztyn and the PKP Cargo event that occurs every year.

In 2011 this is on April 30th, 2 CSD locomotives understood to be attending, 1 Hungarian loco from the MAV Nostalgia collection (424 mentioned), incoming railtours from Berlin with a BR52 2-10-0 (originally booked to be 2x BR52, but may have changed), and from Cottbus with there br 35 2-6-2 and 01.0509 4-6-2 double headed. Domestic arrivals include 2 from Poznan and 1, maybe 2 from Wroclaw. In between there is usually a ride up a branchline and back a couple of times with one of the guest engines on 4 wheel bogie coaches.

The parade includes the local PKP home fleet, ol49 2-6-2's, pt47, pm36 and a couple are usually ticketed for the weekend ok22 etc.. and from Chabowka's collection, usually 1 or 2 of the BR 52s, ol12 etc, and from Wroclaw the tkt 2-8-2 tank has visited previously.

 

I really must go to Wolsztyn one of these days! I remain sceptical of such an event occurring in Britain, however, much as I would like to see one!

 

i had some for £28 each adult which was on offer.

mark

 

Very true. Was only thinking UK wise. Been a long day... Will definately have to visit it at some point.

 

Ive got to be honest.. Ive been going to this parade for years. (I missed last year because of the even bigger event in Trier !), 10 years ago it was a parade of 2-10-0's plus the ol49's, pm36 and the "last ones" of whatever..

Usually there was a handful of foreigners watching.

Since 2007 and GWR 5521's visit, it's now the biggest day out in the PKP event calendar.. with a sound/light show on the Friday evening, with the local radio hosting and the engines spinning on the turntable, a disco over the road and the local bar opens for 48 hours straight by the level crossing complete with the BBQ.
During the saturday its a huge event with thousands of people, stalls, beer, polish food etc, TV celebs have flown in and there's a stage...

but if your like me..

I generally walk the 1 mile from the station signal box toward zbasznek, or 1 mile the otherway to the hill inbetween the split of the Poznan / Leszno lines .. usually this turns into a sprint and I end up doing it several times each way in the day, depending on schedules.. then I take a beer break during the parade itself when the crowds are at the biggest... and repeat as the trains leave. (And before the debate starts.. no one in Poland cares about walking along the track.. except during the parade itself in the station area as the crowds are very large).

Every year my favourite 3 moments are :

1 the departure of the Cottbus service (see my avatar picture with 18 201 in previous years.. now 01.0509).. always just on sunset and a good steady climb out of the station.

2. the departure of the Jack Russell (aka the tkt 2-8-2T which barks it's way out of the station to Wroclaw).. in 2009 setting an almighty trackside fire on departure, in 2008 and 2007 with 5521 in front and the EU07 electric in BR Electric blue inside.. a very long journey and a heavy train for a small tank... that sprints and barks.. like a Jack Russell.

3. the ol49 on 10-12 coaches to Poznan around 6pm.. close your eyes and imagine an LNER V2 on 12 up a 1 in circa 45 from a station start... you can hear the whole departure from the Station to around 3 miles out usually... makes great video

We in the UK could learn a lot from this event, which by the way is not a preservation lead event.. it's funded and operated by PKP Cargo.

Oh and last but not least.. the 5pm from Poznan on the friday carries the Miss Wolsztyn contestants to the Wolstztyn parade.. where the judging takes place for the towns entry into the Miss Poland competition on the saturday just before the parade starts.

 

I was living in the North East when the Millenium event was being mentioned for the Bishop Auckland branch. Not only were tickets going to be very expensive, but there were plans to erect high solid fences along the route to prevent freeloaders from getting a glimpse of the action. Light engines were to be moved there in the dark, with as few people knowing as possible.

 

My experience from Germany is that "Sur Le Continent", events of this type or sort of similar to it, tend to happen reasonably often and are usually funded "centrally" by a public body or similar. Must come out of the local publicity budget!

"It's in the budget, so we'll spend it" sort of attitude, LOL!

 

Further to the posting by ADB968008, here are a few fots from the 2009 Wolsztyn festival.

​

 

Whilst this sort of thing is very common on the Continent and done perfectly safely as well, it is a sad fact that the "Elf 'n Safety" Gestapo, alongside unreasonable "insurance premiums" and "not interested" personnel within the industry make such a thing happening over here to be well nigh impossible. Sadly, its a sign of the times that "ambulance chasing" lawyers ensure that many places ideal for such an event would be reluctant to take it on in case they might be sued for "something going wrong" - and the previously mentioned "Elf 'n Safety Gestapo" would have a field day making sure everything was so safe it would be impossible to move - or to see anything happening!!