• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Great Central Railway Diesel Gala (15-17 September)

Status
Not open for further replies.

bunnahabhain

Established Member
Joined
8 Jun 2005
Messages
2,070
Lewisham2221 said:
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....

I'm hardly likely to lurk on here for hours at a time waiting to answer a question, now am I?

Lewisham63601 said:
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.

Let's see, £2000 to hire the Diesel, £2000-£3000 a pop to transport it, Diesel Crews for the operating days £500. So that's £6500 minimum to bring in a Diesel locomotive.....compared to Steam Enthusiasts, Diesel Enthusiasts are a far more fickle bunch when it comes to guest locomotives, if you get a locomotive with a following then you might recover the cost and make a slight profit margin, but that's incredibly unlikely.

Ontop of that, even though there are a lot of services running at every GCR gala, it's highly unlike that the locomotive will do more than about 4 return trips without taking multiple trips away from other locomotives, which will have a knock on effect to people travelling to see those locomotives. "Sod that, it's not doing any more than two round trips, I aint going".

It's robbing Peter, John, Rob, Bob, Mick, Dick, Rodney and Joe to pay Paul.


Lewisham78019 said:
Not really, it's a similar story with diesels at a lot of preserved railways.

Yes...less Diesel Friendly lines that run very few services, if any, with Diesels, except at Diesel Gala's, a number spring to mind.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Lewisham2221

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2005
Messages
1,472
Location
Staffordshire
Jamie said:
I'm hardly likely to lurk on here for hours at a time waiting to answer a question, now am I?
Considering that I asked the question in a post that you've already responded to, then yes, why not 'lurk' here and answer a question that is more likely to get people to attend the event, rather than arguing about whether the frequency is value for money or not. :rolleyes:

Jamie said:
Let's see, £2000 to hire the Diesel, £2000-£3000 a pop to transport it, Diesel Crews for the operating days £500. So that's £6500 minimum to bring in a Diesel locomotive.....compared to Steam Enthusiasts, Diesel Enthusiasts are a far more fickle bunch when it comes to guest locomotives, if you get a locomotive with a following then you might recover the cost and make a slight profit margin, but that's incredibly unlikely.

Ontop of that, even though there are a lot of services running at every GCR gala, it's highly unlike that the locomotive will do more than about 4 return trips without taking multiple trips away from other locomotives, which will have a knock on effect to people travelling to see those locomotives. "Sod that, it's not doing any more than two round trips, I aint going".

It's robbing Peter, John, Rob, Bob, Mick, Dick, Rodney and Joe to pay Paul.
I never said I would only attend if a guest loco was used. I simply suggested that it might attract more punters who don't want to pay to see what they saw last time. Other railways can manage it...

Jamie said:
Yes...less Diesel Friendly lines that run very few services, if any, with Diesels, except at Diesel Gala's, a number spring to mind.
If diesel services are so common, surely thats even less reason to pay the additional fare to attend the diesel gala?
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
Lewisham2221 said:
Considering that I asked the question in a post that you've already responded to, then yes, why not 'lurk' here and answer a question that is more likely to get people to attend the event, rather than arguing about whether the frequency is value for money or not. :rolleyes:

I never said I would only attend if a guest loco was used. I simply suggested that it might attract more punters who don't want to pay to see what they saw last time. Other railways can manage it...


If diesel services are so common, surely thats even less reason to pay the additional fare to attend the diesel gala?

Instead of voicing your queries on a public forum why not do one better and ask on the GreatCentral Yahoo group or email GCR. You might actually get a response rather than arguing every point or detail.

Come if you want to. Don't if you don't. Simple as that.
 

Lewisham2221

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2005
Messages
1,472
Location
Staffordshire
Chaz said:
Instead of voicing your queries on a public forum why not do one better and ask on the GreatCentral Yahoo group or email GCR. You might actually get a response rather than arguing every point or detail.

Come if you want to. Don't if you don't. Simple as that.
As I said myself in my first and second posts in this thread. It was the posts made by yourself and Jamie in response to my reasons for attending (or not) that started it all. Yourself and Jamie are GCR volunteers and have posted threads on the forum regarding GCR events. If you don't want other users to discuss and post their views on such events, and/or ask questions about the events, don't bloody post about the event in the first place!
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
Lewisham2221 said:
As I said myself in my first and second posts in this thread. It was the posts made by yourself and Jamie in response to my reasons for attending (or not) that started it all. Yourself and Jamie are GCR volunteers and have posted threads on the forum regarding GCR events. If you don't want other users to discuss and/or post their views on such events, don't bloody post about the event in the first place!

Yes but all the replies we give are similar and are just been repeated. The replies we give you are always questioned despite the explination been posted. Myself nor Jamie or most other volenteers for that matter don't have a real influance on what is run and what prices are set etc. There are other volenteers and perhaps you should ask them a little your Q&A session on the GreatCentral Email Group. I'm sure they'll give you more detailed response there to your likeing. ;)
 

Lewisham2221

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2005
Messages
1,472
Location
Staffordshire
Chaz said:
Yes but all the replies we give are similar and are just been repeated. The replies we give you are always questioned despite the explination been posted. Myself nor Jamie or most other volenteers for that matter don't have a real influance on what is run and what prices are set etc. There are other volenteers and perhaps you should ask them a little your Q&A session on the GreatCentral Email Group. I'm sure they'll give you more detailed response there to your likeing. ;)
Don't worry, I got the responses I was after in the end. ;)

And I never said that the volunteers had an influence on the prices or what was run. I simply stated theat the price and variety (or lack of) would be the main reasons for choosing to do something else rather than this if that 'something else' of interest cropped up.
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
Lewisham2221 said:
Don't worry, I got the responses I was after in the end. ;)

And I never said that the volunteers had an influence on the prices or what was run. I simply stated theat the price and variety (or lack of) would be the main reasons for choosing to do something else rather than this if that 'something else' of interest cropped up.

Personally I think there is plenty of variety there but I do agree that a guest Loco is needed. Although this matter was discussed a while ago within GCR it was decided that there was no need due to the 'large' fleet of locos during the Diesel Gala. Still happens with Steams Locos mind you...
 

87015

Established Member
Joined
3 Mar 2006
Messages
4,901
Location
GEML/WCML/SR
IMO the home fleet is a big enough draw for a gala.
However, on a weekend where there are five or so other diesel events going on it is outcompeted as it is the same as May - and wll be there again next May.

How come the 25s have not been used on the summer diesel diagram - apart from the (Fragonset) 37 everything else has been out at some stage i think.

Also, i'd say for the GCR £17.50 is quite high. Yes the East Lancs is higher but there is more mileage and a much bigger diesel fleet. And they only charge £15 for running days, £20 is only for the high season gala, when there is (nearly) always a visitor, night trains etc. Most charge nearer £15 for 7-8 miles.

Ps. Any gen on the 26?
 

AlexS

Established Member
Joined
7 Jun 2005
Messages
2,886
Location
Just outside the Black Country
The 37 will run.

The 26 doesn't work mechanically, it's in for bodywork repairs only in the carriage shop, for some reason, and won't turn a wheel under it's own power ever on the railway.

The green 25 and the 33 were out on test today and the 25 in particular is looking and sounding in fine fettle following some tune ups.

The only locos I can recall that have been out on the diesel diagrams recently are D123, D8098 and covering for a failed D123 on a turn, D4067 (the class 10 shunter).
 

Lewisham2221

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2005
Messages
1,472
Location
Staffordshire
Okay, just to clarify my point that I (tried) to make in my first post, (which was clearly missed by some!) I'm not knocking the GCR's home diesel fleet, or the GCR, or the diesel gala event at all, I actually really enjoyed the last diesel gala. All I actually meant that as it wasn't that long ago, I'm not giving this event the same priority as I gave to the last one (which was quite a lot) and will probably not decide whether or not to go until fairly last minute. I'm not planning anything too far in advance and if something different crops up for that day, I'll probably go and do that instead.
 

Coxster

Established Member
Joined
9 Jun 2005
Messages
9,244
Oooooooh - starts on my birthday ;) I might go up, especially if Dad is coming this time (he can pay ;)).
 

TheSlash

Established Member
Joined
7 Jun 2005
Messages
2,339
Location
Marwell Zoo
GCR blokes, any chance of som TOPS numbers for these engines, even class nukbers would be appreciated
 

Lewisham2221

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2005
Messages
1,472
Location
Staffordshire
TheSlash said:
GCR blokes, any chance of som TOPS numbers for these engines, even class nukbers would be appreciated
They're in the first post, just above each picture. ;)

D8098 - 20098
D5830 - 31297/31463/31563
D123 - 45125
D1705 - 47117
D8048 - 20048
D7615 - 25265
D6955 - 37255
D6535 - 33116

Presumably the locos not listed didn't last long enough to receive a TOPS number.
 

AlexS

Established Member
Joined
7 Jun 2005
Messages
2,886
Location
Just outside the Black Country
D4067 won't have, it was withdrawn 30 odd years ago from mainline service, D5185 is 25035.

The DMU power twin was two seperate units, it never received a 101xxx number as they spent the last of their days at Longsight as Sandite duties.
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
87015 said:
Also, i'd say for the GCR £17.50 is quite high. Yes the East Lancs is higher but there is more mileage and a much bigger diesel fleet. And they only charge £15 for running days, £20 is only for the high season gala, when there is (nearly) always a visitor, night trains etc. Most charge nearer £15 for 7-8 miles.

Ps. Any gen on the 26?

I guess it's higher than other railways, but see it this way. You could get more mileage than for example the ELR because of a better frequency on the day evening it out a bit. Depends on your plans mind you.

If your a member of another Railway (Only some are covered sadly, ask for which ones) you can travel at Privilege Rates. In some cases free.

Also it might be cheaper if your in a forum meet that way you can travel as a family, depending on amount of younger members travelling of course.

As part of my ongoing TTI training I'd be more than happy to help with individuals. PM or reply in the thread. :)

Oh and the 26 Gen isn't out yet. Ask nearer the time. :)
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
class 313 said:
This looks good, can you do just one day? and how would i get there from St albans :P

Of course you can do one day, it's entirely up to you.

Code:
Station     Timetable          Train Company 
ST ALBANS     dep 09:24          FIRST CAPITAL CONNECT
LUTON             arr 09:38 dep 09:53  MIDLAND MAINLINE
LOUGHBOROUGH     arr 11:07
Duration: 1:43

They seem reasonable times. :)

TicketMan would be your best bet for fares. Sadly, he's been banned at the moment.
 

yorkie

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Administrator
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Messages
67,429
Location
Yorkshire
class 313 said:
This looks good, can you do just one day? and how would i get there from St albans :P
Your fares are as follows:-

St Albans to Luton CDR £2.15 (Any train - but ensure you leave plenty of time to make the train in the morning).

Luton to Lougborough from £3 each way:-
outward:
09:53 departure, arr 11:07: £5 (standard), £6 (first)
10:53 departure, arr 12:07: £4 (Standard)

return:
17:22, 18:25 or 19:24 departures all have the full range of fares available currently, starting from £3 (standard), £6 (first).

It is cheaper to split tickets at Luton, as described above.

It would be even cheaper if a group of you were able to go on a Family railcard.
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
Perhaps National Rail queries and how to get there would be better in a [Proposed] Meet Thread instead of having to crawl through pages and pages in this thread. :)
 

class 313

Established Member
Joined
10 Dec 2005
Messages
6,477
Location
St Albans
Ok it looks like im free for the 16th, can you tell me whats going to be there on the 16th? Also what time would i be back at st albans city.
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
class 313 said:
I would be intrested if somone i knew was coming and what the total cost of entry and tickets...

What age are you and are you planning to the GCR for the whole day or just one return trip?
 

class 313

Established Member
Joined
10 Dec 2005
Messages
6,477
Location
St Albans
If somone can give me the details of how do get there and prices of the whole day there is a high chance il come
 

Guinness

Established Member
Joined
13 Jun 2005
Messages
3,736
class 313 said:
If somone can give me the details of how do get there and prices of the whole day there is a high chance il come

I posted details before. You go St Albans - Luton and change there for MML to Loughborough.

Have you never used National Rail before to find out your prices?
 

class 313

Established Member
Joined
10 Dec 2005
Messages
6,477
Location
St Albans
Is there a forum meet to the gala? anyway i think im all cleard up on price and how to get there.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top