The Foxfield Steam Gala, 17/18th July 2010.

Wow, what an amazing gala! Well done to all involved...utterly amazing!

Lewis

 

Brilliant day, the 18 wagon freight sounded and looked awesome and it was great top see Whiston back. Shame that Dubs wasn't running today but good news that it will be running romorrow hopefully.

To echo previous comments, if you can get there tomorrow you should definitely go.

 

A great first time visit on Saturday, definitely worthwhile! The day was thoroughly enjoyed even though the weather was mixed. All locos looked and worked superbly and all put on a great show! Well done to all at Foxfield!

My first few videos are now online, with more to follow;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPFOSf5mTOk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeejP5K8xDc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QexY-lgF1iI

Cheers,
Lewis

 

Great day yesterday with 12 hours of industrial action. Thanks all.

Also thank you to all those that supported the morning charter. This certainly appeared to be successful and hopefully can be repeated in the future.

Best turned out engine - Florence No.2 - wow she looked good!

Most impressive on the bank - the 'new' Bagnall without a doubt. Looked superb and considering first trips she was certainly worked hard.

Also thanks to the guys working so hard on Whiston and Dubs to make them available (I hope Dubs got there on Sunday - if it didn't it wasn't through a lack of effort!)

Roll on October!

David

 

Here's my second set of 3 videos from Saturday, enjoy;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X33JZiFtBOE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39y1e2_N0hU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04o7WYvrGZo

Lewis

 

The last 3 videos are now available from the Saturday;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODiuIiLIYiE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ9mB0TNyQU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlww12trK-4

Lewis

 

71515 is more of a monster in red than when it was running as 68005! The last run with the 3 Austerities on 18 wagons and 2 vans was excellent, and a bit unexpected. They then dropped straight back down to the colliery before Mech Navvies and Whiston took 6 wagons back up to Dilhorne Park. Shame the weather is pretty poor today, but it's still an excellent gala.

 

Hope everyone enjoyed the gala! Will upload some photos & video later.

 

Well I certainly did. First, but definitely not my last visit to the railway. It's been great reading the reports from the volunteers on this thread as your obvious enthusiasm for the line and the engines really comes across. Lovely friendly atmosphere too. I hope the gala has been a great success. I'll be posting some video tomorrow hopefully. Thanks to all involved.

 

On behalf of the Foxfield Railway I would like to thank you, our guests, for visiting. Without your support there can be no event.

Mech Navvies will be back with the "druids" now, having left last night. I had hoped that they would leave it now that the regulator has been tested in anger !!. Great visitor and support team - perhaps we will see them again in the future. I have 20 years of Gala's in me yet so I can plan ahead - and do !. This years guest loco and livery were in the bag last October but I had to keep it under my hat

Next years visitor ?, time will tell.

Dubs did steam on Sunday - she is like a Rolls Royce. More to do, dubs chat to come.

Thank you to the Foxfield Team who worked so hard to pull this off, we can all reflect upon a event of national status. Its worth pointing out that many of the Foxfield team did not get to see the event due to thier duties - please post anything you have.

 

Can I echo Glenalmond's comments above but must also mention the star of the weekend for me, Bagnall 2842 'No.2'. The Civil brothers have quietly got on with the restoration of this little loco and it worked its first passenger train, and in fact its first serious run of any distance in over 40 years, on the Saturday morning. Other than quite a lot of priming due to the boiler settling down from all the work done on it the loco performed fautlessly and it was a pleasure to be coupled to them with Bellerophon for the weekend. I'm sure it will be a valuable and welcome addition to the fleet.

 

Had a smasher of a day yesterday. I've uploaded two clips from the 18 Wagon train, with the rest available on the Part 4 DVD.

Video Available Here

 

What a great gala, I can report that last year we thought it was our best ever... Until this year!!! We are around a 1/3 UP on takings throughout the event and would like to thank you all for coming and supporting us. We hope you enjoyed the show...

Now to start getting serious on our Autumn Steam Gala on the 23rd & 24th October, something a little different so watch this space.

Hope to see you all again soon!

Rich

 

It was a very happy and friendly weekend; I was camping out on the top field and if it goes on growing like this you will have the industrial railway equivalent of the Glastonbury Pop Festival.
At one level it was a railway volunteers day out; there were so many activists there, from various different railways, and all sorts of conversations along the lines of "if you need X I think I know a chap who..."; at another, the public seemed to thoroughly enjoy the freight workings and walked down to the colliery in large numbers. It was really good for us enthusiasts to see industrial locomotives shifting wagons and working hard, which is what they were built to do, but the families and their children clearly enjoyed it as well.

Many Thanks to all involved.

Tim

 

As said above - What can I say - What a great day out I had - even better than last year !
I personly thought that the numbers seemed down on last year looking at the crowds on the bank but this was probadly due to the dull, damp & cloudy conditions on Sunday
But neverthe less still rates as one of my highlights and still the friendlyiest lines ive traveled to !

Link here to my collection for the event -( which Ive noticed lots have already found) - http://john-robinson.fotopic.net/c1873299.html

Well Done!
John

 

A big thanks to all for the welcome extended to Mech. Navvies team, it was great to see her handling hoppers again. In my totally unbiased opinion :0) she was was the best looking one there. Sounded superb on the bank (just like she does at home) but on the 18 wagon freight on Saturday was just magnificent.

Big thanks to Dave Fletcher for organising the early morning photo charter on Saturday, although he seems to have become overcome by the whole weekend as he states Mech. Navvies was the best looking engine at the weekend but spelt it "Florence No.6"!

Anyway shots from the weekend are here

http://www.aligrieve.fotopic.net/c1873443.html

All the best
Alistair

 

My 2 videos filmed on Sunday at the Gala now uploaded:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvgtSOvqgPA

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anjtV7fVyEA

 

Dear all,

A few pics attached. All I have had chance to process.

An opportunity to get Meaford No.2 with the lovely CEGB wagon was too good to miss.
Bagnall No.2 has a gentle running in turn. Certainly one for the future.
0640 at the shed. 71515 is about to depart, Wimblebury will be off shed next. I had been up five minutes having been woken by 71515's safety valves.
Wimblebury puts on a magnificent Tanfield style display of NCB grit - perfect!
Couple of the early morning charter with 71515



Glad the event was a financial success and I just wonder how many would have turned out with a better forecast.

Thanks again all.

David

 

I like the Glastonbury thought !. Who could have thought 10 years ago that folk would worry about 46115 & The Foxfield Gala runing on the same weekend.

The Summer Gala will stay in this format, the new October Gala will mix things up a bit - it will develop its own following in the coming years. When I have rested up The Shunter and I will get our heads together for the new joint venture.

Must add my thanks to the Civil family for finishing 2842 and beliving my B S..T, and Mr Whiston for finishing his favourite austerity ( after all ).

Three "new" engines for gala !.

I imagine that the Robert Heath & Hawarden were both feeling left out, we had better do something about that - why not join us ?.

 

cracking weekend would like to say thanks to
Hunslets Finest for the morning chater, got the best of the weather i think on the sat.
Photos up be up this evening

and BIG thanks to the foxfield lads for another cracking day.
look forward to coming back to see Dubs
and thanks to Mech Navvies for putting on good show.