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Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening Gala

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by chris meadowcroft, Jul 5, 2010.

  1. p/wayman

    p/wayman Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Pity about that as I was looking for something to do on Sunday, but don't fancy going for just diesels.

    Er, Isn't that what last weekend was about, diesel weekend is DIESEL WEEKEND.
     
  2. Alberta 45562

    Alberta 45562 Part of the furniture

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Just uploaded 3 vids from yesterday:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F7NO1M-ERk
    General vid of the day

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHU4FDw1vDg
    Soundscape of 44767 climbing all the way from Leekbrook up to Ipstones summit!!!! Skip to 10:30 for the best bit.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5KHB8cZzuc
    Video of 37075 storming away from Blackbrook LC on the final train

    Photos:

    http://mark-walker.fotopic.net/c1918879.html

    Cheers,
    Mark
     
  3. 6880rules

    6880rules Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Thanks for the video footage Mark

    I was on 44767 on that day and all three trips were different

    First she sulked and didnt want to make much steam,

    second trip the "guest " fireman decided that the coal should go in big heap in the midlle of the box and she certainley didnt like that as we had to recover a bit at Threshing Barn

    The Last trip was outstanding steamed well all the way and i could not comment on how little the 37 was doing we certanley felt we had the entire train on the back of us ( equivalent to nine coaches) as you may hear on your night sequence

    We all agreed that 44767 has an appetite for climbing hills
    Thanks
     
  4. Alberta 45562

    Alberta 45562 Part of the furniture

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Thanks,definetly agree it didnt seem as if it was pushing most of the way,after Beaver Hall you can hear the 37 power up but that is the only time you really notice the speed go up significantly
     
  5. 98wilsga

    98wilsga New Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    STOP PRESS !!

    As usual the best laid plans never seem to happen.

    33102 will not be running Friday due the late arrival of fuel and consequent lack of testing. Therefore the following changes will occur. 33102 will be replaced by 37075, however to keep English Electric locos together 37075 will top & tail with 37109 and 33021 will stay top and tailed all day with 25059.

    Therefore the 0950 off Froghall will comprise of 2 x Class 37 and the subsequent departure for Cauldon will comprise Class 33 & 25.

    All locos will be alternated from leading to trailing to Cauldon to allow them to have a go climbing up the bank.

    A crew are booking on tomorrow evening to take 33102 on a series of test runs before the weekend.


    Gregory Wilson.
     
  6. Robert Heath No.6

    Robert Heath No.6 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    I do. Steam gala was most enjoyable, now it's the turn of the diesels.
     
  7. Mike30A

    Mike30A Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    A little late, here's my footage from the 1st day of the gala. A belated thanks to all involved , and acw71000 & Steve for help in resolving some technical issues.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Byk4_XbMqA
     
  8. malc

    malc Part of the furniture

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    I still ended up with a diesel on the back of the two trains I travelled on to Cauldon Lowe on Saturday! Which is why I paid another 25 quid to go again on the Sunday for a pure steam day (they wouldn't upgrade my day rover from Saturday to a 2-day rover which would have saved a fiver). That's another factor - I don't fancy paying yet another 25 quid for diesels, especially as a member of the 71000 Trust (and, incidentally, a life member of the North Staffs Railway Co), I could have travelled for free last Thursday had I not had a prior appointment with an apple green machine on the ECML. If any of the organisers reading this fancy doing me a deal for Sunday, then I may think again as I do quite like the diesels on offer.
     
  9. D7076

    D7076 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    D182 from Butterley?Was available a few weeks ago according to one of the owning group.
     
  10. Churnet Valley Railway

    Churnet Valley Railway New Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Pete Waterman will be making an appearance at Kingsley & Froghall Station at 11am tomorrow where he will meet a Signal Radio competition prize winner and also drive a train to Caldon Low.
     
  11. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Are Peaks passed for the line? I believe some (larger) classes of diesel are a no-go.
     
  12. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Just a quick summary of locos on offer for the weekend - 37109 (surprise 3rd visitor) arrived today and is now in service so fingers crossed for this line up:

    Visitors:
    25059 (First time away from Keighley)
    33021
    37109 (Goes very well with 37075!)

    Home fleet:
    33102 (Hopefully debuting freshly repainted on Saturday)
    37075
    104 DMU
     
  13. p/wayman

    p/wayman Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    The passengers seem a bit sparse for the gala this weekend, the Moorlands look wonderful, so, is it the weather thats put them off, is it because its a diesel gala or are 3 weekends together to much in the present financial climate?.
     
  14. desperado

    desperado Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    I guess all 3. I visited on Saturday and was expecting far more people from the build up the event's had and the stories of previous weeks. In fact it was quieter than previous diesel galas I've been to at the CVR.

    Can someone explain why the stock for the Saturday evening beer-ex had to do an extra trip to Cheddleton and back ECS? The 1730 from Cauldon Lowe waited for it at Consall. We were told it couldn't come back from Cheddleton until the engines off the 1730 Consall-Froghall had shunted the stock at Froghall and then gone light engine to Cheddleton. This must have made the beerex quite late.

    Commiserations to the people who'd been working on 33102 but didn't quite get it usable on time. It looked very nice in the bay at Cheddleton. Pictures to follow.
     
  15. D7076

    D7076 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Would put down to two items:
    1)The weather-with snow/ice etc forecast driving into the Staffordshire countryside for a 22xx finish perhaps not the wisest of ideas.
    Add to that the reports of the operational problems on Friday and those undecided probably decided not to visit,standing around for hours waiting for a train with little information doesn't warrant a £20 fare.

    2)Having seen the forecasts etc decided to visit last Sunday for some warmth.Had this weekends(correct) roster and steam heating been advertised then,would probably have bought a two day ticket then and been back yesterday.
    However,by this Thursday working on the basis of the incorrect roster and no heat I had by then made alternative arrangements for Saturday.
     
  16. desperado

    desperado Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    Seconded - if this weekend's (correct) roster had been advertised earlier in the week, I'd have tried to find accommodation for Friday evening and spend both Friday and Saturday on the line.

    Also what's the official mileage for the line to Cauldon Low? My 1990 copy of the LM Quail shows 8m 3c to the end of the headshunt with the 8m point about where the disused loop comes back in. Maxey Miles from 1987 gives 8m 8c. Where is the 8 mile post relative to where the locos have been stopping?
     
  17. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    I'm not entirely sure but I think the loco/stock availability became compromised after a shortage of crews due to illness on the day. There may be other reasons however...
     
  18. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    I think the weather really claims the glory for many of the problems - including the observed decline in passenger numbers.

    All three days suffered from both diesel and steam "freezing up", and I'm told it touched -12 down there this morning! With snow and ice on the roads as well it's not surprising those planning long distance trips called it off. I think its certainly worth considering a summer gala for some point in the future, as (nice as the steam effects are in winter) it would avoid the issues associated with freezing and darkness. This is especially true for diesels, of which the majority can't heat trains.

    However on the bright side - it was absolutely beautiful up there on Saturday, the sun was shining off the snow, with postcard/calendar conditions for those photographers (such as myself) mentally unstable enough to go out there!! :smow: Those who couldn't make Saturday missed a good day of 25/33/37 activity...
     
  19. desperado

    desperado Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    I have some good pictures but I wouldn't describe Saturday as a good day of 33 activity with '021 cutting out well before it got to full power. Both times it went up to Cauldon Low, most of the work was apparently done by the kettle on the back. :-( Still it's probably 50 years old and hasn't been used very much for several years so it's allowed to have occasional problems.
     
  20. Mike Delamar

    Mike Delamar Member

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    Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

    are class 40's permitted up there?
     

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