Loose_Grip/Pete's photos with the keyword: Gala

On the first day of the GCR Winter Gala British Railways Standard 2 2-6-0 78019 has just finished taking water before going off shed. HFF everyone & have a great weekend.

You see some interesting sights when you're pulling coal forward in the tender. HFF to everyone & have a great weekend!

The second day of the Winter Gala. Double-headed Great Western 4-6-0s. 6990 Witherslack Hall and visiting Manor 7802 Bradley Manor depart Loughborough with the delayed 13.45 train.

Photo by Matt Yardley. Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 46521 back on shed after the second day of the Autumn Gala. We are contemplating our next move.

LNER Thompson B1 4-6-0 61264 on the TPO special at the Winter Steam Gala. The engine is at Rothley Brook after the TPO coaches seen in distance had been pulled back into the station by another engine. This was the first time I had fired the Mail train & it was a real treat. We are blowing off because I had built a huge fire for the race to Quorn & the mail bag pick-up/drop-off & then we just cruised to Rothley. In fact I didn't really need such a big fire as long as the grate was covered. Built in 1947 & withdrawn in 1965 it survived as a Deparmental Loco until 1968 and was sent for scrap to Woodham's in Barry, the only LNER engine to go there. 61264 was restored on the GCR but has moved on & has spent many years on the main line on, among others, Maillaig-Fort William trains on the West Highland Line in Scotland.

Seeing double on the Great Central Railway at Rothley station, LMS Black 5 45305 & BR Standard Caprotti 5 73129 double-heading an afternoon Up Gala train have the Starter & wait on the tip from the guard. Roger is firing 45305 although he doesn't look too happy about it!

Locoshed atmosphere on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough. After lighting up Nick is pumping axle lubricating oil for his driver, who is under the engine in the inspection pit, as they prepare British Railways Standard 9F 2-10-0 92212 for the Steam Gala. Framed by Empress Road bridge, BR Caprotti 5 73129, GWR Large Prairie 4141 & LNER O4 63601 are also being prepared in the background, the latter by myself.

James firing 70013 between Leicester & Rothley.

Ivatt 2MT 46521 gets the peg at the totem pole.

Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 46521 departs Loughborough on the first day of the Gala.

Our newest steam engine! BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 92214 heads south during the Gala. Now owned by Mike Gregory of Cromwell Tools, one of the GCR directors, and destined to stay permanently on the GCR.

70013 Oliver Cromwell at rest on shed at Loughborough

James fires 70013 Oliver Cromwell north towards Rothley on the single track section.

Charlie brings GWR 0-6-2T 5643 into platform 1.

Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain 4-6-2 34070 Manston waiting at Rothley station to depart for Leicester North.

A late afternoon at Rothley as Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain 4-6-2 34070 Manston arrives with a 6 coach train from Loughborough.

Southern Railway Bulleid Battle of Britain 4-6-2 34070 Manston going off shed at Loughborough

Photo by Ken Baker and posted with his permission. Ken has caught me nonchalantly leaning out of the cab of Black 5 4-6-0 45110 double-heading a freight train with 8F 2-8-0 48305 at the GCR's Autumn Gala last year. A perfect example of the Great Central's motto: "Recreating the Experience" on the double track main line at Kinchley Lane. A black and white image is particularly fitting and 45110 had not been cleaned for some time so had a real 1960's look to it. We had both goods rakes behind us for a total of 22 wagons and 4 brakes, I think. A Black 5 or 8F could have handled the train alone but for the spectacle it was double-headed. At Loughborough 48305 let us do the pulling out of the Up through siding which was quite a sight. We briefly slipped, controlled quickly by Dave my driver, but the plume of steam & smoke would have made a fine shot for any lucky photographer on Beeches Road bridge. 45110 was visiting from the Severn Valley Railway and of course, with GCR resident 70013, pulled the very last British Railways steam train on 11th August 1968. The Black 5 actually hauled the final leg back into Liverpool Lime Street so was THE last locomotive on a BR passenger train.