A dream event at a preserved railway???

[60059]

As I am new to this forum I was very interested in what people were saying on the 'ultimate locomotive to visit a preserved line' thread. I wondered what people thought about the 'best possible' diesel-based event at a preserved railway and I think it would be interesting for all of us to hear what everyone else thinks. I have played around with the poll tool but I have probably made a mistake so just chip in if you like

 

[wensley]

Glad to see I'm inspiration to someone
An interesting poll. I'm sure this will really divide opinions but I feel a good event should have plenty of action with something for every type of ethusiast and enough to keep them happy between trains, which can be infrequent on single track preserved railways.

 

[GNERman]

a great diesel event would be one with a variety of trains, passenger and freight, different locomotives, alsi a line with lots of different locations with photograph them.

 

[60059]

yeah that could be good, freight workings are always nice to see on preserved lines as they look good and normally don't stop in stations which is good for filmigs, mixed with lots of different locos that could be very good.

 

[Royston Vasey]

If you're talking a dream event, I'd have to lift the 25mph speed restriction and use the locos as they were meant to be used. Perhaps a problem on the shorter lines!

 

[Swift-Deere]

Lots of Locomotives and big frieght train set ups aswell as a nice model railway

 

[37401]

Driver for a fiver, just as long as we dont get "Now slowly open the power handle.."

 

[Techniquest]

Surely you don't expect to get to thrash the thing on a Driver for a Fiver job?

Big thing to get right on galas is to keep the demo freight off the way! It ties up locos that could be used on passenger workings, which is dreadfully annoying if a loco you need is on pointless empty freight wagons!

 

[Aictos]

Driver for a fiver, still remember driving a 08 at the NRM,

Not too fussy about Deltics though, would like to see what was so special about Westerns though....

 

[wensley]

Good old driver for a fiver - shame i'm not quite old enough yet but hopefully i'll end up properly passed out on more than just a little shunter....

Am surprised about the demo freights as although they are a space-consumer a rake of smart wagons certainly looks good. Engineers stock also looks really good but I appreciate the thing that draws in the crowds is quality haulage!

Some pics to show a proper preserved freight rake actually in action and not posing and I may have a few more after tomorrow :- http://www.clagmonster.fotopic.net/c1761740.html & http://www.clagmonster.fotopic.net/c1762253.html

 

[D107]

Driver for a fiver, just as long as we dont get "Now slowly open the power handle.."

Fine, but don't forget that it's somebody's loco and if that's how they would like you to drive it then so be it.

When a loco does go bang, notice how everyone walks away.....

 

[theblackwatch]

Freights are a pain - people go to a gala to travel behind locos. You travel 200 miles to ride behind your favourite engine, and discover its trundling round with a rake of wagon. If I wanted pictures of freights, I could stand in a field or overbridge and save money on buying a ticket!

 

[37401]

Fine, but don't forget that it's somebody's loco and if that's how they would like you to drive it then so be it.

When a loco does go bang, notice how everyone walks away.....

yeah very true, If I owned a loco id say go for it just keep it on the red line

Just out of intrest wensley, how old do you need to be to be a driver on a pres line?

 

[wensley]

yeah very true, If I owned a loco id say go for it just keep it on the red line

Just out of intrest wensley, how old do you need to be to be a driver on a pres line?

16 for most driver for a fiver and as far as I'm aware 21 to be a second-man and then pass onto passed driver potentially at the same age although I'm not certain. I think most lines will take you on as a guard at 18. Shunter I'm not too sure about as I suppose that is similar to secondman but potentially more dangerous!

 

[37401]

ahh cool cheers

 

[37412]

16 for most driver for a fiver and as far as I'm aware 21 to be a second-man and then pass onto passed driver potentially at the same age although I'm not certain. I think most lines will take you on as a guard at 18. Shunter I'm not too sure about as I suppose that is similar to secondman but potentially more dangerous!

Think at most lines 18 for a secondman, 21 for a driver. I thought you became a shunter before a guard, and I think that is 18 as well. Cam't see driver for a fiver being 16 due to insurance purposes?!

 

[Waddon]

I always thought that the Great Central, with it's double track, should run a 'parallel running' day, if its feasible to do so, so that you could ride in one train, with another running alongside at speed, maybe intermittently overtaking, or dropping back. Plus would make some great photo ops!

p.s. I'm going to offer a few words in favour of demo freight trains, yes you can't ride on them, but they're an important part of the scene, especially when it comes to a long train of 4 wheel wagons with brake van, and to be honest they're a pretty rare sight these days. Just my 2p worth! (although as an afterthought, most of these preserved freight trains have a brake van at each end, so why can't the railways allow a limited number of enthusiasts to travel in the spare brake van, for a special fee? I'd pay for that)

 

[wensley]

I always thought that the Great Central, with it's double track, should run a 'parallel running' day, if its feasible to do so, so that you could ride in one train, with another running alongside at speed, maybe intermittently overtaking, or dropping back. Plus would make some great photo ops!

p.s. I'm going to offer a few words in favour of demo freight trains, yes you can't ride on them, but they're an important part of the scene, especially when it comes to a long train of 4 wheel wagons with brake van, and to be honest they're a pretty rare sight these days. Just my 2p worth! (although as an afterthought, most of these preserved freight trains have a brake van at each end, so why can't the railways allow a limited number of enthusiasts to travel in the spare brake van, for a special fee? I'd pay for that)

I would have thought that was possible as long as insurance covered such an event.

 

[craig87034]

I'm a fan of diesel diagrams on preserved lines eg a western for two round trips on SVR or 26010 for 4 round trips at Llangollen.

 

[37412]

p.s. I'm going to offer a few words in favour of demo freight trains, yes you can't ride on them, but they're an important part of the scene, especially when it comes to a long train of 4 wheel wagons with brake van, and to be honest they're a pretty rare sight these days. Just my 2p worth! (although as an afterthought, most of these preserved freight trains have a brake van at each end, so why can't the railways allow a limited number of enthusiasts to travel in the spare brake van, for a special fee? I'd pay for that)

I'm one af the anti-freight at diesel galas brigade, that is not the place for them. The people who fund the event are the ones who travel not the ones who take photos in a field, therefore the gala should be aimed at its paying punters who want to ride behind engines and not watch them trundling past on wagons. Freight however was and still is a big part af the uk rail scene and should not be neglected. For those that want photos of them many groups run excellent photo charters where a rake of wagons all from suitbale eras with suitable locos are run and they can spend a day getting decent photos of them and also allowing photographers to make a good contribution to preservation. Some lines also run freight events specially for people who want to see freight trains in action. Last year Ferret & myself took a trip to the Great Central one Sunday for two round trips on 37190 which was working the diesel diagram there and the windcutter rake of freight wagons was being ran with steam and the peak for enthusiasts who wanted to see them.

Quick look on ferrets site produces the collection form the day: http://www.ferret.fotopic.net/c1532852.html

 

[Tomnick]

For me, it's much less about the specific locos and more about the general atmosphere and operational interest. For me, that means an intensive service, a few interesting moves - certainly not a single train running up and down a single line with various locos working it throughout the day. 'Dream', for me, would be a sustained 4tph or more service with freights being recessed in the loops at Swithland - a variety of appropriate traction would be nice, but I'm not too bothered!

Freights are an interesting addition at the right events. Punters at diesel events tend to expect maximum mileage, and freight workings just frustrate them by taking 'their' loco off passenger workings. They do a great deal to create an atmosphere though (always enjoy Quorn during a mixed-traffic event), and also add a lot of interest to the operation - to the benefit of punters as well as linesiders.

I'm not sure what the situation is with carrying a limited number of passengers in a brake van - it's not the safest (or most comfortable!) environment, which is an issue in itself, but I'm sure that and other issues could be overcome with the right arrangements.

I always thought that the Great Central, with it's double track, should run a 'parallel running' day, if its feasible to do so, so that you could ride in one train, with another running alongside at speed, maybe intermittently overtaking, or dropping back. Plus would make some great photo ops!

Parallel running's really not in the spirit of the GC operation . In any case, it's technically impossible in normal operation - the Regulations don't allow for wrong-direction moves except in specific circumstances (none of which cover what you describe!). It might be possible, to a certain extent, within a possession, but we wouldn't be able to carry fare-paying passengers in that case (and a possession would prevent an otherwise normal service operating).

 

[Waddon]

Parallel running's really not in the spirit of the GC operation . In any case, it's technically impossible in normal operation - the Regulations don't allow for wrong-direction moves except in specific circumstances (none of which cover what you describe!). It might be possible, to a certain extent, within a possession, but we wouldn't be able to carry fare-paying passengers in that case (and a possession would prevent an otherwise normal service operating).

Fair enough, but I still think it would be a fun idea, even if it was only possible on a Wednesday in the middle of February, with the train running wrong line being empty stock or freight, as thats one part of railway history which has not, and will most likely never be seen again - the slow steam freight being overtaken by the fast steam or diesel express. Just a nostalgic idea...

 

[Tomnick]

It's entirely feasible, midweek, for a passenger train to be running wrong-line under Single Line Working regs, and "overtake" an engineers' train working (not normally steam-hauled though!) in or travelling through a possession on the other line. That arrangement happens on a regular basis, and it wouldn't take much imagination to put a steam-hauled engineers' train out one day if someone was prepared to pay for it .

Of course, when Swithland (and its associated loops) opens, I'm sure we'll regularly see the slow freight train being put 'inside' for the passenger to pass. Indeed, there have been freight workings at previous events that have been booked to recess in the Down Liebye siding at Quorn to allow other traffic to pass (and a couple that have recessed in the Up to shunt and to allow other traffic to pass). Of course, you won't come across the situation where both trains are moving along adjacent running lines at the same time, but rather than trying to engineer situations that don't fit with the signalling provided - isn't it better to enjoy the atmosphere of a railway being worked intensively and "correctly"?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

yeah very true, If I owned a loco id say go for it just keep it on the red line

Just out of intrest wensley, how old do you need to be to be a driver on a pres line?

Well I doubt with a "keep it on the red line" attitude you will ever be a driver.