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A1A group booted out of wansford

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Edders23

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unfortunately after posting the news on their site the A1A site has been pulled so not a lot to go on but it appears that the never ending saga of the NVR falling out with groups both of members and owners seems to be continuing

lets hope there isn't a long dry spell next year because the A1A group have bailed the NVR out many a time. Mind you it might be funny watching the NVR try and get custom offering helga as their main rolling stock !!! :lol:
 
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Edders23

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Is there any background to this?


yes but after posting the info the site was pulled so I am thinking maybe there is a court case looming ?


Purely speculation is that the NVR's habit of pocketing monies promised to groups with the consequent falling out is probably behind this as the NVR has published it's plans for next year with NO diesel events which would suggest that money was lost on one there is a rumour of a £20k shortfall on the last diesel gala
 

GusB

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This makes very little sense to anyone that isn't involved in some way - it's all very cryptic! It would help if you could at least explain what A1A and NVR are :)
 

Flying Phil

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This makes very little sense to anyone that isn't involved in some way - it's all very cryptic! It would help if you could at least explain what A1A and NVR are :)
A1A is a diesel Preservation group ( preserving a locomotive where A is a powered axle, 1 unpowered axle so A1A is a three axle bogie with the outer two powered. Other classifications..... Bo was a two axle bogie, Co a three axle bogie so you had Bo-Bo Class 25 and Co- Co (Deltic) class 55 etc).
NVR Nene Valley Railway - near Peterborough.
 

GusB

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A1A is a diesel Preservation group ( preserving a locomotive where A is a powered axle, 1 unpowered axle so A1A is a three axle bogie with the outer two powered. Other classifications..... Bo was a two axle bogie, Co a three axle bogie so you had Bo-Bo Class 25 and Co- Co (Deltic) class 55 etc).
NVR Nene Valley Railway - near Peterborough.
Thanks, Phil - it was the fact that A1A was a preservation group that needed explaining rather than the wheel arrangement! I'm still none the wiser as far as the story is concerned. The OP needs to give much more detail as to what is going on, and not assume that the rest of us know all about it.
 

Edders23

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Thanks, Phil - it was the fact that A1A was a preservation group that needed explaining rather than the wheel arrangement! I'm still none the wiser as far as the story is concerned. The OP needs to give much more detail as to what is going on, and not assume that the rest of us know all about it.


As stated in OP the website with the info got pulled and is down and NVR never post any negative news items so i am none the wiser at the moment but am hoping to get hold of more info at a later date
 
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yes but after posting the info the site was pulled so I am thinking maybe there is a court case looming ?


Purely speculation is that the NVR's habit of pocketing monies promised to groups with the consequent falling out is probably behind this as the NVR has published it's plans for next year with NO diesel events which would suggest that money was lost on one there is a rumour of a £20k shortfall on the last diesel gala

Well that's another reason not to have to schlepp up the A1 and have to park my car at the side of the road for a dreary ride in non-authentic carriages to the arse end of Peterborough.
 
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This makes very little sense to anyone that isn't involved in some way - it's all very cryptic! It would help if you could at least explain what A1A and NVR are :)
A much simpler, less train spottery explanation for you...

A1A is A1A Locomotives (which has preserved a number of Class 31 diesel locos)
NVR is the Nene Valley Railway.
 

GW43125

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The website is now live again, with the following message at the top of their news page, dated 5th November:
We have unfortunately received notice to leave Nene Valley Railway with 31271 following the April Diesel event 2019. This comes as a huge shock as we have been based there with one of our locos for 19 years, and largely organised 14 extremely successful diesel galas. The railway are citing lack of interest from the public regards diesel running resulting in financial losses being incurred. The A1A board will be discussing this soon, and more information will be shared once we have some.

That does seem rather unfortunate, but until we know the full story there's not much that can be said really.
 

Cowley

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The website is now live again, with the following message at the top of their news page, dated 5th November:


That does seem rather unfortunate, but until we know the full story there's not much that can be said really.
There’s quite a bit more on WNXX about this. It seems to me that the A1A Group can consider themselves fairly hard done by with this out of the blue decision.
They’ve always seemed like a very well run and professional group. 31271 is an absolute credit to them, and the work being done at Butterly restoring 31418 looks excellent too.
Hopefully they’ll be given another home by a railway that sees their value.
 

Harbon 1

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The problem with their diesel gala this autumn was that it wasn't advertised at all. We attended with 50015 and when I was told in the summer we were going, I couldn't find anything about it on the website. It wasn't in the diary or special events, and nothing on the homepage. You had to go through the timetable page to find anything about it. We all commented that there was a very low turn out, but you can't expect people to attend if there is no sign its even happening!

Such a shame about the A1A group as they put on a right good show.
 

Spartacus

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From what I can find (as seems confirmed by others) it's the NVR with a lack of interest in diesels rather than the public, there's plenty of railways with a good interest in diesels, and many who would find a type 2 perfect, it'll just be a case of what's convenient for A1A, possibly Butterley, at least in the short term.
 

theironroad

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Thanks, Phil - it was the fact that A1A was a preservation group that needed explaining rather than the wheel arrangement! I'm still none the wiser as far as the story is concerned. The OP needs to give much more detail as to what is going on, and not assume that the rest of us know all about it.

Though actually I found the wheel arrangement interesting, so thanks for that but I little surprised there is a preservation group dedicated to locos of a specific wheel arrangement. (I only take a passing interest..... :) )
 

Bedpan

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But essentially it is a particular class of diesel loco (ie Class 31) rather than any losos with that bogie arrangement, bearing in mind that there are no longer any Class 600 series Warships in existence.
 

47434

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The problem with their diesel gala this autumn was that it wasn't advertised at all. We attended with 50015 and when I was told in the summer we were going, I couldn't find anything about it on the website. It wasn't in the diary or special events, and nothing on the homepage. You had to go through the timetable page to find anything about it. We all commented that there was a very low turn out, but you can't expect people to attend if there is no sign its even happening!

Such a shame about the A1A group as they put on a right good show.

It is a shame. The reality however with some diesel galas is that unless there is a 'winning' engine many people won't bother to attend. Agree that marketing of events is key and having something special such as the SVR 50 event make for a successful day out. Plenty of notice for a Grids at 50 event in 2026.....
 

Muzer

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This hasn't been posted here — it looks like they're moving to Llangollen!
 

Cowley

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This hasn't been posted here — it looks like they're moving to Llangollen!
Yep. It's a done deal, and well done to all involved for making it happen.
The NVR's loss is very much the Llangollen's gain here.
31271 will get a good workout on the LR and it'll make a decent replacement for 37240 too.
Good news all round, and a case of all things falling into place at the right time.
 

O8yityityit

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It is a shame. The reality however with some diesel galas is that unless there is a 'winning' engine many people won't bother to attend. Agree that marketing of events is key and having something special such as the SVR 50 event make for a successful day out. Plenty of notice for a Grids at 50 event in 2026.....

56s are currently banned from the Nene Valley Railway.
 

alexl92

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So are we to deduce that the powers that be at the NVR simply got bored of diesel events and booted out the A1A group becuase they wanted the space & time for something else?
 

wagwan my g

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I don't think that it is the best idea for the NVR to go anti-diesel. They haven't exactly got a surplus of steam often having to get one in on loan from another line every year. When what little steam locos they have fail what it used as the back up, the diesels. This summer for example, 92 squadron had a major fault so wasn't available, polish tank engine wasn't ready for service yet, 0-6-0 saddle tank that was on loan to them was also out for repair, and thomas isn't suitable to use for use on the full line. Services were hauled by the 45 or 14. They also have steam bans sometimes which also require a diesel to cover.

I've also heard good things about their diesel gala this year, heard nothing else good said about any of their other galas so diesel galas are clearly something they do well.

The NVR is fairly reliant on diesel and loosing them would be something they'll regret doing. as these loco groups take their locos to railways were they are appreciated, the NVR may struggle to get any to return or new ones to arrive.

Having it as my local preserved line I can remember numerous visits and having a diesel hauled train usually one of the 14s or the 31 (not complaining quite like the diesels) . But diesels certainly see good and frequent use on the NVR.
 
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