WSR Spring 2016 gala

The key non loco items is the rolling stock, chocolate & cream will break any illusion of the S & D, how about hiring in a set from WCRC as well as repaint half a dozen Mark 1's? Blood and custard or maroon are excellent liveries for an accurate historic WSR branchline look post gala

 

That's already in the programme as a final train on Sunday afternoon, I believe.

I understand that it is likely that we will follow the date format of this year's Gala with the full 'show' on the Saturday and Sunday with something. 'lighter' on the preceding Thu and Fri.

Good suggestion about the Ivo Bentley - last seen at the McAlpine bash at Fawley.

I think it is inevitable that there will be a. 'Pines' running non-stop on both days.

The problem we have had with evening services is that the trade for them thins out dramatically and in March darkness means that there isn't that much to see from the train to encourage folks to travel or for the train to be seem to be photographed. (How many of the Ivo Peters shots in the albums are after dark?)

No doubt there will be an evening night photography event somewhere on the line.

Kind regards

Robin White

 

Jinty, std4&5,7f,8f, stannier five,westcountry,3205,pannier tank,ivatt tank,9f, maybe outside slightly because they never ran regularly, MN, u boat,

 

To pick up on a few points - yes, there has to be a limit on the number of visiting locos but there are some pretty obvious 'must haves' including a 9f, 44422, standards etc etc.

What would be folks 'top 5' visiting locos that are likely to be in traffic in March 2016? If you all message in I will count up and post the result.

Our Gala visitors do seem to like the station renamings, and it does give a way for all stations to join in. Anything else we could be doing at stations?

The photographic exhibition is a good idea - we do have space at Bishops Lydeard for some extras, such as in the QB siding / platform and the museum.

Is there a green livery mainline registered coaching set on the main line circuit at the moment?

regards

Robin

 

To those with rose tinted spectacles remember that the event has, in an ideal world, make a profit (doesnt have to be alot tho) otherwise it would not be worth putting on.
There has to be things to do at the stations so as to attract secondary spend eg beer tent, stalls, cafe, bbq/hog roasts.
Maybe have a family fun day event with bouncy castles etc on one of the days
Look into the possibilities of a top n tail shuttle from Taunton....wont be cheap but its worth a look at.

And most of all if you offer loads of different attractions then all things being equal you should attract the maximum amout of fare paying punters

 

Can I also encourage you to consider the evening running? You only have to look at the well established SVR Autumn gala who run all night very successfully and indeed the Spring gala runs very late as well now. More and more of us really enjoy the different atmosphere and sound of steam at night. Not all photographers go home at night, some great opportunities are now easily available with modern camera equipment, some S & D shots like these could be done ....


InspiringImages -20130323--3.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


InspiringImages -20130921-101.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


InspiringImages -20140104-3.jpg by inspiring.images, on Flickr


Tunnel exit ... by inspiring.images, on Flickr

 

Would 44422 be back by then? From a picture on flickr in April she appears to still be in one piece.

34105 'Swanage' should be back by 2016 and is a seemingly fitting choice.

With regards to the night running, if you are trying to draw people in how about including a fish and chip special or real ale train?

 

Ok. Top 5 visitors. I'm assuming 53808 and Braunton are already there. 53809, 34092, 92214, 76084, 73129.

 

Evening running can be made to pay, but it can make for a long day for the staff. Some departments need a double-shift anyway (e.g. loco crews), but for other jobs, requiring two shifts may cause problems. Mostly, it's enough just to keep running an hour or so after sunset, with last arrivals around 18:30/19:00. There's scope for a dining train or a "Real Ale" special, rather like the MHR's monthly RAT.

I have vivid memories of the March 1996 WSR gala. I made good use of a lineside pass all day Saturday, then bought a ticket on the evening special. 34105 and 53808 double heading, simple catering (jacket spuds, pasties, that sort of thing) and decent beer - my idea of a good evening out!

 

Gets my vote, whilst the priority is to run trains there has to be some form of variety to what's on offer and the S&D wasn't about purely 6 coach trains everytime.

As for evening running, you normally keep 2x sets at each end of the line so combine the 2x sets advertise a RAT/Fish+Chip train and run DH for 1x return trip. After-all you only get to mark S&D Closure 50th Anniversary once! Provide something different to get people onboard.

Also agree RE: coach liveries. Either hire a rake in (WCRC / SRPS) or maybe look at painting 1x of your sets maroon.

 

2006 I always believe was the best gala the WSR has ever put on with the possible exception on the GWR gala around that time.

For those interested from Steve E' site

http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?h=Spring Steam Gala - 24 March 2006&t=ssg200624pix

Rodders

 

My line up for the gala would be the following 76084, 34092,43924, 34105 and 92214.

 

O.K. So that is a minimum of around £40K in movement fees, plus hire fees etc. so how much will the ticket prices be to cover that?

 

That is why (1) we work hard to co-operate with other railways so that, for example, if 53809 is coming down from the north to visit us, she also visits at least one other south of England railway to spread the costs , and. (2) we need you all to come which is why we need to put March 2016 in your diaries now!

Kind regards

Robin White

 

No! I really do not see the point. It adds nothing to the event at all and is getting rather annoying now, although as a Welshman it was interesting to hear how some of you Englishman were saying some of the station names at the Autumn Gala last year!

Is the railway renaming the stations this coming Autumn?

 

Sounds good, but would be better to do this as a morning Minehead-BL run, then BL-Minehead run in the evening and maybe one or two shuttles during the day down to Norton in my opinion, rather than just focusing on that. Would there be pathing as I thought nothing much could be done other than the light moves down and back.
Was the trial running trains MD-NF last Late Summer Weekend not a success? Would be nice if a few more, maybe 3 a day, ran from Minehead to Norton, instead of getting the express and that's it.

Non stop trains through Stogumber each day towards Bishops Lydeard too, 3 a day would be great! One of a very select few stations on a steep gradient all the way through it. Something so easy to do! Maybe turn the last train Saturday from Minehead to a request at Stogumber & Crowcombe as I have been on that service before and nobody has got on or off the train at these stations, also gets rid of the need to wait for time when everybody just wants to go home (in a good way!).

 

As the theme is '50th Anniversary of the Closure of Taunton Shed' I think the idea is to rename the stations to those of the Minehead branch.................!

 

I believe the C&W department try to repaint a couple of coaches during the winter each year, and there are 2 or 3 that are in need of a repaint, but of course this has to be fitted in with the general maintenance of all the fleet. Therefore a small number could be painted by Spring 2016. What we really need is someone to sponsor the idea by providing the paint and/or labour to get more done. Any offers?

My personal preference would be blood & custard or maroon, not green as 1) I think it looks dull and 2) the coaches would then remain in these colours for a number of years and green would be the least likely colour to be see on the Minehead branch in BR(W) days. The repainted coaches are highly unlikely to remain in a fixed rake after the gala as they are swapped around according to traffic requirements, so you would be getting the odd one turning up in another rake. At present, there are reformations on an almost daily basis to accommodate booked parties, charters etc.

 

Entirely prototypical of course.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgadsdon/8144370035/ (not my photo).

I sometimes think that modern day enthusiasts get too hung up on fixed formations of one type of carriage in one livery, when the reality was anything but!

Tom

 

As the discussion is about the S&D I take it that you mean Midsomer Norton? <BJ>