Great Central Railway Diesel Gala (15-17 September)

[bunnahabhain]

September Diesel Gala at the Great Central Railway - the only Double Track Main Line in preservation.
Friday 15th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th September 2006

It's time again for the Great Central Railway's diesel gala, this time in the traditional September three day weekend. Over the three day event, our trains will complete over 1000 miles of running, over only 8 miles of track! With ten locomotives in traffic, and two multiple units to boot. After a stunning entry to traffic at the May Diesel Gala, Class 25 D5185 will make another star appearance at to complete the lineup.

A lot of rare haulage should be had this weekend, with two Class 20 locomotives, a Class 25 locomotive, and a Class 33/1 locomotive working in Push/Pull with the 4-CIG electric unit. An intensive timetable of pure passenger trains will be in operation during the weekend, so you will be able to ride behind the locomotives on a frequent basis.

Completing the lineup of locomotives are Class 31 D5830, Class 45 D123 and Class 47 D1705.


Locomotives

British Railways Type 1 D8098
Built: 1961
Livery: British Railways Green
TOPS: Class 20 (20098)

British Railways Type 2 D5830
Built: 1962
Livery: British Railways Golden Ochre
TOPS: Class 31 (31297, then 31463, then 31563)

British Railways Type 4 D123 Leicestershire & Derbyshire Yeomanry
Built: 1961
Livery: British Railways Green with Small Yellow Warning Panel
TOPS: Class 45 (45125)

British Railways Type 4 D1705 Sparrowhawk
Built: 1965
Livery: British Railways Green with Half Yellow Warning Panel
TOPS: Class 47 (47117)

***Rare Passenger Turns***

British Railways Type 1 D8048
Built: 1959
Livery: British Railways Green with Small Yellow Warning Panels
TOPS: Class 20 (20048)

British Railways Type 2 D5185
Built: 1963
Livery: British Railways Green
TOPS: Class 25

British Railways Type 3 D6955
Built: 1965
Livery: British Rail Civil Engineering (Dutch)
TOPS: Class 37 (37255)

British Railways Type 3 D6535
Built: 1961
Livery: British Rail Corporate Blue with Full Yellow Ends
TOPS: Class 33 (33116)

British Railways 4-CIG EMU No.1393
Built: 1972
Livery: South West Trains Version 1
TOPS: Class 421 (421393)
Note: 1393 will be in use with D6535 in push/pull mode throughout the day

Events

D6535 and 1393 will be paired together during the day and will be operating in push/pull mode, take a look in the cab of D6535 when she's pushing and you'll see no crew.

There will be two evening BEEREX trains departing Loughborough Central at 7pm and 8.45pm in addition to the evening Dining Train departing at 7.30pm.

A Silver Service Style breakfast will also be served on the first train of the day, passengers must board at Loughborough Central to take advantage of this, as limited places are available, and it is first come first served, so why not skip cooking breakfast yourself, and relaxed in the First Class Restaurant Car coaches whilst the young female stewards serve you a deliciously cooked breakfast.

A similar Silver Service Afternoon Tea is available on an afternoon departure from Loughborough Central, generally between 3pm and 4pm, this is once again serviced in the First Class Restaurant Car coaches, and is ideal for those of you who are feeling peckish, yet don't want to have a late lunch or early supper.

As always, an intensive service will operate with trains passing on the double track up to every 10 minutes at points during the day. This is something which has to be seen to be experienced, with the best location being Quorn & Woodhouse Station, with good views either side of the station to be had looking towards Loughborough to the north and Kinchley Lane Curve to the south.

The double track at Quorn & Woodhouse Station, with 63601 in the station and 5199 approaching with a train from Leicester

A full Griddle Car service will be served onboard trains marked 'RB' in the timetable, and subject to confirmation, on trains marked 'RKB' or 'RB2' in the timetable, trains marked 'RMB' will have a limited buffet service available. All other trains will have no buffet service available. However there is a Refreshment Room at Loughborough serving a wide variety of meals, as well as a NAFFI Tea Room at Quorn & Woodhouse, Edwardian Tea Room at Rothley, and a Buffet at Leicester North.


Timetables

Not yet available

For the complete working timetable and souvenir booklet you may purchase one in advance from the companys website, or on the day when you purchase your ticket.


Fares

Adult: £17.50
Child/Senior Citizen: £11.50
Family 1: £25
Family 2: £35
Privilege Rate Adult/Senior Citizen: £10
Privilege Rate Child: £6.50
2 Day Runabout Ticket: £30
3 Day Runabout Ticket: £40

Local fares between stations are also available.

Family 1 is for one Adult and three Children
Family 2 is for two Adults and three Children

Heritage Railway Association Passes are not valid at this event, however if you are a member of Main Line Steam Trust or Friends of the Great Central Railway, or if you hold a BR Priv Card, you will get the Privilege rate. Also if you are a member of an organisation which gives GCR Working Members reciprocal travel you will also be entitled to the privilege rate.

 

[TheSlash]

Sounds like a good idea for a forum meet

 

[Guinness]

Sounds like a good idea for a forum meet

Indeed, considering the quite positive response from the last Gala.

 

[Lewisham2221]

I might attend, although considering it seems to be pretty much an exact repeat of the last one, I might save my money.

 

[bunnahabhain]

35005 Canadian Pacific might be on the dining train services for those steam buffs.....oh right, just me then.


Marv, we've got push/pull with the 4-CIG and the Class 10 running, that's different enough. :P


*Edit*

Can somebody edit the smiley's so that :P actually links to the Mr I'm Sticking My Tongue Out In a Cheeky Way smiley? Like 99% of other forums do?

 

[Lewisham2221]

35005 Canadian Pacific might be on the dining train services for those steam buffs.....oh right, just me then.


Marv, we've got push/pull with the 4-CIG and the Class 10 running, that's different enough. :P


*Edit*

Can somebody edit the smiley's so that :P actually links to the Mr I'm Sticking My Tongue Out In a Cheeky Way smiley? Like 99% of other forums do?

Yay! I diesel gala with steam trains!!! :?

Push/pull with the CIG isn't that much different, just that in one direction the loco is at the rear of the train. You still ran the CIG with the 33 last time. And do you mean the 10 will be hauling a passenger train? Otherwise that won't be any different either.

I might still attend, or I might spend the £20+ that the day will cost me, doing something else. Either way, It'll most probably be a late decision on whether or not I attend.

PS: And the smiley works if you use a small p

 

[87015]

Loads going on that weekend! Galas at GCR, Shackerstone, Bodmin and Butterley siding. And Mixed traffic gala at the South Devon!

I fear GCR may lose out as it is a repeat line up and has some stiff competition. As it is I'll be heading SW for the weekend, another weekend and i'd have been at Loughborough.

 

[Guinness]

I might still attend, or I might spend the £20+ that the day will cost me, doing something else. Either way, It'll most probably be a late decision on whether or not I attend.

And also depends on whether you have overslept or not.

 

[Lewisham2221]

And also depends on whether you have overslept or not.

Meh. That day was just full of bad luck...

 

[bunnahabhain]

Yay! I diesel gala with steam trains!!! :?

No no, it's in the singular sense. Only on the 1.15 dining train, as per usual.

 

[Lewisham2221]

No no, it's in the singular sense. Only on the 1.15 dining train, as per usual.

It's still a bit daft running a steam train at a diesel gala though!

 

[Nick]

No no, it's in the singular sense. Only on the 1.15 dining train, as per usual.

What about the Evening Dining Train at 7.30?

 

[bunnahabhain]

Open to passengers but it's not exactly expected that any will be travelling on that, they'd probably rather have 25265 and D5185, or 37255 and D6535 (or whatever combination) topped & tailed on the Beerex.

It's still a bit daft running a steam train at a diesel gala though!

It's advertised as a Steam Hauled Restaurant Service, and it provides a good changeover point for some diesels to come out to play and others to go to bed.

 

[Guinness]

It's still a bit daft running a steam train at a diesel gala though!

The Steam Service is there for heritage to please the non-diesel punters on the Dining Service. Your average punter would rather ride behind a Heritage Steam Train rather than a dirty diesel.

 

[Lewisham2221]

It's still a diesel gala though. If the GCR are so bothered about 'normals' wanting to ride behind steam trains, don't bother with a diesel service at all, just run steam.

 

[bunnahabhain]

We run the odd Diesel at the mostly all steam galas. No complaints from anybody there.

 

[Guinness]

It's still a diesel gala though. If the GCR are so bothered about 'normals' wanting to ride behind steam trains, don't bother with a diesel service at all, just run steam.

GCR wants to accommodate all people and all interests. It's a Steam Railway but as it's expanded through the years it's added Diesel Locos to it's collection and ran them at Galas to please Diesel Folk.

There isn't anything wrong with having both Steam and Diesel is there?

 

[bunnahabhain]

And as an addition to what Chaz has said, it's only one train that you have any chance of getting on, cause I doubt you'd be there for the 7.30.

 

[Lewisham2221]

There isn't anything wrong with having both Steam and Diesel is there?

When you're charging a premium price for a diesel gala and steam trains are running, or vice versa, then yes, there is. If it was advertised as a mixed-gala, then no.

 

[Guinness]

When you're charging a premium price for a diesel gala and steam trains are running, or vice versa, then yes, there is. If it was advertised as a mixed-gala, then no.

Premium Price, what do you mean?

 

[Lewisham2221]

Premium Price, what do you mean?

A price that is more than the regular price. Quite a bit more in this case.

 

[Guinness]

A price that is more than the regular price. Quite a bit more in this case.

Running extra trains does cost money something the regular price doesn't cover. GCR is a preserved railway and doesn't get subsidy nor does it have special money trees that buy diesel at it's current price. There are many extra trains during the Gala something other railways can't unfortunately do so shall we just run Trains and run it at a loss?

 

[Lewisham2221]

Running extra trains does cost money something the regular price doesn't cover. GCR is a preserved railway and doesn't get subsidy nor does it have special money trees that buy diesel at it's current price. There are many extra trains during the Gala something other railways can't unfortunately do so shall we just run Trains and run it at a loss?

Did I say that? I think you'll find the answer is no.

I just said that I might not want to pay such a fare for a diesel gala that is an almost replica of the previous one and includes steam trains.

 

[bunnahabhain]

You can expect a minimum service of four trains per hour for the majority of the day, I dont know many preserved railways that can manage more than about 2 trains per hour.

For £17.50 I think it's a pretty good deal, and is £2.50 cheaper than what the East Lancs charge for their special events.

 

[Guinness]

Did I say that? I think you'll find the answer is no.

I think you'll find it's yes. I explained why the price was more than the regular price as posted in the quote below. Look it has your name on too!!

A price that is more than the regular price. Quite a bit more in this case.

 

[Lewisham2221]

I think you'll find it's yes. I explained why the price was more than the regular price as posted in the quote below. Look it has your name on too!!

My moan wasn't about the general price of the event. Just that it's expensive for what is essentially a replica event that also doesn't fit its suggested description. If it was an all diesel service, with something considerably than the last event, then I'd most probably be happy to pay the increased price.

 

[bunnahabhain]

The price is the same as the last event, and the last event didnt feature the Class 10 in passenger service. So yes, I'd say it is improved. And there is still over a month to get a guest locomotive sorted if the management and organisers want one.

Since 25265, 37255 and D5185 have not worked a passenger service since the last gala, I think that's an attraction in itself.

And D4067 (the class 10) hasnt worked a passenger service for some time. (This excludes non-rostered workings, naturally)

 

[Guinness]

My moan wasn't about the general price of the event. Just that it's expensive for what is essentially a replica event that also doesn't fit its suggested description. If it was an all diesel service, with something considerably than the last event, then I'd most probably be happy to pay the increased price.

What's hard to understand about the description?

Diesel Gala - Now Diesel must mean Diesel Trains because GCR is a Railway. In the original post of this thread you will see a list of trains that are scheduled trains to run. Most of those trains in that list are Diesel thus fitting in with the description.

Here's the second part. There's a restaurant service operating in Gala that is scheduled throughout the year that's described as a Steam Train. This service is a restaurant service paid for by Restaurant Passengers and thus isn't covered in the Diesel Gala Ticket Price.

Should clear things up.

 

[Lewisham2221]

The price is the same as the last event, and the last event didnt feature the Class 10 in passenger service. So yes, I'd say it is improved. And there is still over a month to get a guest locomotive sorted if the management and organisers want one.

And D4067 (the class 10) hasnt worked a passenger service for some time. (This excludes non-rostered workings, naturally)

If you'd said that when I first asked the question re:if the class 10 was a passenger working, then it could have saved a lot of hassle.... And as I also said earlier, I'm not saying I won't be going, nor am I saying I will be going, just saying that my decision depends on other things. I'm sure a guest locomotive to provide a welcome change from the regular GCR diesel fleet could further sway even more people into attending.

Since 25265, 37255 and D5185 have not worked a passenger service since the last gala, I think that's an attraction in itself.

Not really, it's a similar story with diesels at a lot of preserved railways.

 

[Guinness]

I agree that guest locos should happen and I'm putting forward a suggestion for it.