Foxfield Gala 18th & 19th July 2009

Some of my shots of the gala:







The rest can be found here:

http://kieranhardy.fotopic.net/c1732208.html

Cheers,

 

pictures now up

http://gall.theonlyalien.co.uk/v/18th_j ... team_gala/

 

Some great stuff "out there", thoughts now turned to 2010.

Next years visitor will be in keeping with the event, always interesed in ideas.

I guess thats about it for this year, i have no doubt that those chaps from Tanfield will remind us that thay have a event planned for September soon !.

 

Well I'll just put in the same request again, although by the sounds of it it could be some time before that's possible! 8-[

 

IMHO here are three prime candidates for 2010:

All are fairly low profile but are nicely restored in proper liveries:

http://kieranhardy.fotopic.net/p58294803.html

http://kieranhardy.fotopic.net/p57641807.html

http://kieranhardy.fotopic.net/p41027783.html

Thanks Kieran for the inspiration!

I didn't realise ex Bowaters Jubilee was a runner again - does it have the greenhouse windows I wonder? Castle Don no1 just looks superb in that livery.

Also Falmouth Docks no.3 would be nice and so rare away from Statfold I can not find a decent pic!

With Castle Don no.1 and Whiston you could have an 'end of steam' 1980s style gala. Then you can add Sir Gomer and Peckett 2000 and it would be my childhood gala! Just need to find a few cheap hauliers....

Tra from very wet Bath!

 

Well I did just request Castle Donnington in a PM, seems it's popular Dave! \/

 

We "did" Castle Donnington no 1 ( or two ! ) in 1986 - I guess you were not born then !!.

Some good ideas....

 

If they can spare it, how about 'RING HAW' from the NNR?

 

It was No.1 in '88 along with 'The King' and then Telford-based 'F.T Clamp' - 21st anniversary. I seem to recall it was Hawarden's return from last but-one overhaul that weekend. 'Whiston', 'Wimble' and 'Lewisham' completed the line up. Nothing more than light engines on the bank for water back then. I seem to remember No.1 steamed well but the bottom end was very tired. Avonside 1563 will remember well I'm sure.

Some photos surfacing recently suggest a mid-size Manning Wardle (any ready yet?) would be a nice throwback to colliery days.

 

No problem!

Jubilee was overhauled to working order in 2007 and became the main used engine for that year, early 2008 (i think) Penn Green was overhauled to working order and now she is the main locomotive used, with Jubilee taking part in thomas events, don't think i've seen her running at the East Anglian Railway Museum since my two visits in 2007. Would be great to see Jubilee elsewhere...

 

Too busy doing real railways (big Sulzer diesels) and 'o' levels in 1986 to worry about preserved stuff....

 

The interesting thing is the Castle Donninton No 1 was not preserved then, after the event it returned to the power station. At the time the bottom end was like a bag of spanners, the boiler was as new having been fed distilled water all its working life !.

As Mr Heath says things have moved on. We had some fun a few years latter as a two man track gang digging burried track out in the yard and extending past the old shed. In many ways this 88 event was the start of what was to follow.

 

Gala became the event is today from '93 onwards. In '92 Glenalmond kept warning that we would lose the trackbed through the colliery which had been acquired some years previously if we did not act. That Autumn there was the 'Great Fire of Dilhorne' which was nearly a little greater than intended. While the small group stared into the embers someone suggested running coal trains for the line's centenary in '93 and galas onwards became a lot more entertaining.

 

The "Great fire of Dilhorne" was almost Biblical, some thought the old shop was a small dwelling ( including the local fire brigade it is said ). Great days & formative as Mr Heath says.

We have come a long way, long may it continue. Anyway Mr Heath the event manager requires your engine to run with Bell next year, talking to Mr T today, I hope you have a plan !. I think I may drop "dubsey"'s boiler into the frames soon in order to fit the new smoke box - half a crane each ?.

 

Oh yes... I remember CD No.1 and it's steaming capabilities, and the time the injector wouldn't pick up with the safeties sticking till the pressure was about 15lbs over the red line. A quick tap on the easing lever in the cab (Ramsbottoms have their advantages!) solved the sticking safety valves and the injector behaved all day after that!