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Spring Steam Gala 14,15 March 2008You have to feel for the West Somerset Railway which has been been cursed with the most appalling weather for its two week Gala. I drove home up an M6 awash with spray on Saturday evening feeling grateful for the chance to have filmed in reasonably dry conditions on the two days on which I was there. Many thanks for all the hard work done by the volunteers to produce a smooth running and varied Gala in difficult conditions.I was reminded of the Masters golf tournament coming up at Augusta by the smoothly landscaped cuttings around Stogumber. Very impressive! I spent both afternoons with Brian Burrows, Graham Briggs and friends - Gordon McCulloch, 'Hooray' Henry Elliott and glamorous celebrity photographer Dee Davison. The conditions were so wet that Dee had to swap her traditional high heels for a stout pair of walking boots and her hairdresser, in high dudgeon, refused to venture out of Stogumber Station. Things became worse when chief manicurist Henry, who was mislaying things at regular intervals, lost his all-important tool - his nail file. At lunchtime Gordon the Gourmet came to the rescue when he was able to mop up a large surplus of sandwiches, chocolate bars and cheesey biscuits; Billy Bunter could not have done a better job. When his hands are not full of food Gordon takes excellent photographs. For more pictures and news from this splendid event, you should visit the legendary wsr.org website.
Guest locomotive and star of the show Black 5 45110, whose boiler ticket extension expires on 11 August, performed beautifully on both days. First we see her on Friday in the company of Super D 49395 at Castle Hill; appearing to lean towards the camera, the five reminded me of a dog straining at its leash to get to the cat on the other side of the road. The man wearing the smart triangular hat with the mysterious logo is none other than Brian Burrows. Is he a freemason? The second clip on Saturday afternoon shows her running through Turks Castle with the rain now well set in. Many thanks to Henry for introducing me to this superb location among many others around Stogumber. (3.4mB)
Due to the heroic efforts of the South Devon Railway who completed a bottom end overall within 5 months, 5542 was able to appear at the Gala. The small prairie has long been considered one of the most beautiful locomotives in preservation but it is debatable whether the addition of the smokebox number plate helps her appearance. Mercifully this seems to be only temporary. Here we see the loco on the reverse curves just outside Stogumber station on Friday afternoon. (2.5mB)
Once again we had the pleasure of seeing twin heavy freight locos 3850 and 3802 at the WSR. 3850 was filmed at Bye Farm on the climb of Washford Bank just as the rain arrived on Saturday morning and 3802 was filmed near Stogumber during that afternoon. (3.3mB)
5553 and 1450 are seen in tandem rounding the curve at Roebuck Farm. (1.8mB)
GWR Class 5205 heavy freight tank loco number 5224 climbs out of Blue Anchor on Friday lunchtime. This must be an optical illusion as the line in this area is as flat as a pancake. (2.5mB)
Newly restored GWR Tank number 5619 hauls the last goods of the day away from Bishops Lydeard at Watersmeet late on Friday. This was one of four goods runs during the day. (3.0mB) Autumn Gala 6 October 2007Two days of glorious weather at the West Somerset and then I arrived on the third..... I am not complaining of course. Despite the dull conditions I had an enjoyable day and spent a large proportion of the time with top-class professional cameraman Alan Price who produces DVDs in the name of "On Track"; he was previously responsible for the production of the well-known Heritage Railway videos and is never short of good advice! For more pictures and news from this splendid event, you should visit the legendary wsr.org website. Other pictures at Clive Hanley, Brian Burrow's and Dee D's sites.
Hopefully capturing something of the faded glory of a south western branch line, 88 climbs away from Bishops Lydeard with the 9:20. The 7F is forever associated with the much-loved Somerset and Dorset Railway. (2.7mB) Rumours of a brick arch collapsing on the loco at Crowcombe Heathfield, which created visions of a major bridge collapse and crushed and bloodied footplate crew, turned out to be referring to a problem with the brick arch in the fire box; this did not prevent the loco making a second run during the afternoon.
The gallery of still photographers fail to enhance a powerful composition as star guest loco Stanier Mogul 42968, from the stricken Severn Valley Railway, steams serenely past Watersmeet on its way through East Combe. (2.5mB)
GWR 2-8-0 heavy freight loco 3802 amid beautiful scenery at the point where the line passes above the hamlet of Nethercott (2.8mB)
GWR 0-6-0 1450 ran a series of shuttles between Bishops Lydeard and Norton Fitzwarren. Around lunchtime we saw her at Longlands Bridge hauling 2 autotrailers. It was felt that, in the interests of authenticity, she should have run between them. (1.5mB)
A different viewpoint emphasises the stunning beauty of this part of the line as WSR Mogul 9351 and and heavy freight 3802 pass the same location at Nethercott later in the day. (2.6mB)
In the gathering gloom the LMS combination of 44422 and 42968 power towards the crossing near Kentsford Farm. (1.9mB)
For more pictures and news from this splendid event, you should visit the legendary wsr.org website
A Trip behind 7F No. 88 |
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Warning: The files are of substantial size and will take a considerable time to download for non-broadband users. All photographs and videos copyright © Mike Snow
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