East Lancashire Railway February Gala 26th and 27th February

The lineup of locomotives has been posted on the website as follows:

Ivatt 2 46443
71000 Duke of Gloucester
Standard 5 73129
Standard 4 80072 and
Standard 4 80080

 

Will try & get there on Sunday if possible??

 

I do hope they get the timetable right this time. I haven't been to an ELR steam gala in a VERY long time where this didn't happen. I understand they had to change it at the last minute in Jan but then they seemed to be doing all sorts of strange things even after that for no apparent reason.

 

not managed to make it to ELR on the last 3 trip's, either work or weather, so hopefully this time around.

 

I bet you're off to Keighley for their gala. I do hope this one at the ELR is better than the one that has just been. It was a bit of a damp squib tbh.

 

Why do you call it a 'damp squid'? There was a range of engines that were fantastically put out with a very interesting timetable making for plenty of different combinations. Plus the trains seemed busy as well as the morning freight run, I don't see how this makes the event a 'damp squid'?

 

Posted elsewhere, a statement from the ELR regarding lineside photography.

"I am becoming extremely concerned, given some of the comments brought to my attention on various forum, about the cavalier attitude of a number of contributors and the serious issue of lineside trespass on the ELR.
The plain and simple fact is that the ELR does not condone nor sanction access to operational parts of the railway by other than those staff or working members whose duties require them to be there. The railway is currently subject to very rigorous scrutiny by the regulator (ORR/HMRI) and our own Safety Management System does not provide for lineside access by other than railway officials. Put plain and simply, anyone on the operational railway who is not supposed to be there is trespassing!
Such is the extent of the problem now I shall be asking all of my operations colleagues to report every incidence where they encounter people on or about the track and within the bounds of the railway and we shall take the appropriate action against anyone, be they pedestrians, cyclists, photographers or whatever.
I am fully aware that this will provoke howls of objection and derision from certain quarters but these measures are designed to ensure that we continue to run a safe railway and in so doing ensure that we continue have a railway to run and a hobby to pursue in the future."

Andy Morris
General Manager
East Lancashire Light Railway Co Ltd"

 

Home turf, well sort of, yep we will be at KWVR.

 

For example. I was particularly looking forward to the Pacrotti (no idea) double-header but, for no reason at all, they decided to bank the Ivatt with 73129, which wasn't on the timetable. This also created a shortage of engines later on in the day and I even heard a driver say, "does anyone know what's going on?" I love the ELR. It's my third railway after Llangollen and KWVR but I was quite annoyed last week and I know I wasn't the only one.

 

Dependant on which day (think your referring to the Saturday) when the Caprotti was kept at Bury as a precaution for one of the other engines. There was a valid reason why they then banked the standard with the ivatt (can't remember off tap why...), hope you weren't too annoyed anyway, although I still don't see why that makes it a damp squid?

 

The Ivatt suffered a minor fault on Saturday afternoon and the Caprotti was drafted in to cover insead of double-heading with 71000. The intention to detach 71000 at Ramsbottom on the return journey was scuppered but gave the alternative of 46443 and 73129 working in top 'n tail mode as the timetable sought to recover.

At another level this adds a spice of variety as - whilst predictability helps deciding where to go for photographs - it keeps one mentally alert trying to work out the new locomotive diagrams / combinations.

 

I was on the supposed double-headed Caprotti train, and was told fairly quickly by the staff that the reason 73129 was removed at Bury was because 46443 had failed. However the problem turned out not to be as bad as first feared hence she stayed in service, but they kept 73129 on to pick up the Duke's diagrams as she was now covering 73129's.

As for getting the t/t right, it does say subject to availability etc etc. Not the ELR fault that one engine failed before the event and another gave concerns during the day. They did their best and put on a good show. The only complaint I have is no freights as there used to be, either around Bury Bolton Street or on Bury - Rammy shuttles.

 

I understand that the comment I posted is the last thing you want to hear if you were tearing your hair out trying to keep things going but it's extremely frustrating when you're a photographer and you have no idea what's going on and you travel 50 miles to almost every event the ELR's ever put on and since the end of 2003 I don't think I've been to one steam or diesel gala where something like this didn't happen. Most lines seem to manage ok except the NYMR, which is just as bad. I'm not having a go. I'm glad I don't have to organise them but I told myself if it happens again, I will have to say something.

 

Can you please give examples of Diesel Galas when things haven't run to plan. It would be interesting to know.

 

I thought this thread was about the Gala to be on 26th/27th February ?

 

Sun 23rd Jan 2011 - went to plan.. ran approx 10 min late until 15:00 when points failed.. day finished 15
Sat 22nd Jan 2011 - had issues with locomotives all discussed already
Sun 24th Oct 2010 - ran 10 late all day due to problems with a charter train through the night all loco's worked advertised diagrams
Sat 23rd Oct 2010 - ran to time all day and as diagrammed (incidentley one of the most sucessful for ELR)
Sun 28th Feb 2010 - all ran to time/diagram
Sat 28th Feb 2010 - all ran to time/diagram
Sun 24th Jan 2010 - all ran to time/diagram
Sat 23rd Jan 2010 - all ran to time/diagram
October 2009 all ran to time and diagram

before all these events i cannot really remember.... So before January what was the last steam event you visted 7822WelshSteam? i have been to many steam events on many railways and know only too well that most other railways struggle on steam events. the ELR realized that one of the secrets to a successful event is a robust reliable TT. with interesting combinations and hearing locomotives chuff. to be honest i have tried in the past couple of years to minimise the loco's running tender to tender/ smokebox to smokebox. but posts like yours make me wonder why i bother...

 

Why? Sorry but I'm not getting your argument. Normally when there is a complaint made there is some sort of potential solution. However I don't know what the ELR can do here, for as far as I can read you are complaining you didn't get a photo because of a loco failed (which is beyond ELR control)?

andi don't worry, I normally always attend the ELR 2/3 a year and have rarely come away having not enjoyed it. My only jipe would be could a Bury-Rammy shuttle/freight be reintroduced (maybe even allow Brake Van rides?). Though also what happened to the late evening train on the Saturday. I remember one year you did 5690 and 6201 doubleheaded!

 

Please keep bothering. I thought the recent event was excellent and far from a 'damp squib'. Four engines in BR livery on Mark Ones - perfect!

 

I'll be there on the Saturday, as owners rep on 80072...

 

I've made this thread go off topic so this is the last I will say on the matter. I should have noted that I only ever go on Saturdays so other than that I don't know. The standard 5 Didn't run all its allocated runs on Saturday the 23rd of October. In the July diesel gala the two cromptons swapped rolls on the Saturday. Any diesel event Saturday where 50008 has taken part has dissolved into chaos and I've been to all of them. In the last event the two tractors briefly swapped diagrams on the Saturday and I overheard a driver say, "that's just bad rostering". Not all these have been caused by failures and, yes, the October steam gala was the best I've been to at Bury this century. Obviosly, I can't stop people posting comments of disgust about my opinions but I won'y be answering any more of them. See you at the gala!