We are spending today preserving yesterday, so you can enjoy it tomorrow.
The Nene Valley Railway is pleased to announce that we have arranged for Class 37 No 37714 to come on hire for the Diesel Gala. The Locomotive will also be available for our popular Driving Experience Course, and a “Jolly Fisherman” Fish and Chips train on the evening of 6th October. Its been a few years since we ran a 37 on the NVR so will be a great addition to the gala. The locomotive visit comes with thanks to the Heavy Tractor group.
This weekend we are running a diesel service. Yesterday we had the class 14 and today we are running the Peak.
Ever since I joined the railway there have been two camps, one for and one against running diesels in the summer.
Personally I have always been of the opinion that we should, on a regular basis run all that we have available. We are not just a steam railway we are a heritage railway, a fact that many often forget about.
From when I ran Orton Mere I can count on one hand the number of times that a visitor decide not to travel because we were running diesel.
I would hazard a guess that most of our visitors have never travelled behind a steam train when they were in service on the network. but many have travelled behind diesels when they have needed to travel by rail.
So enjoy whatever we are running it is all part of our history!
To start these 6 weeks of exciting events, on Wednesday 26th July, we have Reginald the bear hosting his ever-popular Teddy Bears Picnic!
Full details on our website at www.nvr.org.uk
If you’re visiting have a great day!!
Here I am sitting writing this entry with the temperature nudging 29c and fairly high humidity. I have a gloss finish on my face and I am doing nothing more active than typing.
Nice to have seen decent weather last weekend for the trains, makes a change from driving rain and howling winds.
Over the coming months we have some excellent events planned so all being well the weather will be on our side.
Of course this culminates at the end of the year with the Santa trains. Seems funny thinking about the Santas in this weather, but they are the most important services of the year. The profit from the Christmas services helps immensely during the quiet period at the start of 2024.
Mention must be made of both the Pacer and the Swedish railcar. They are running on some of the quieter days, and provide a variance to the normal diesel and steam services.
So let’s look forward to a busy summer, and welcome visitors with our normal enthusiasm, and make sure they go away after having a super visit.
Pictures of services and events always welcome for the blog, as are articles from events and happenings across the railway.
Sir Nigel Gresley has arrived for it’s visit.
Here are three images of it’s arrival.
It will without doubt be a popular visitor.
All these images are © Chris Walker.
After many fits and starts plus the odd hiccup the railway finally got there.
The pacer finally did it’s first day in commercial service.
Here it is crossing Ham Lane approaching Overton station, shame there was no sunshine but you cant have everything.
Here are a couple more of it at Overton station.
I gather from reliable sources that rumble heard as it got back to Wansford after its first run was not the result of many held breaths being let out.
I think that thanks must be aimed at those who put in many hours, getting the Pacer ready for service, dealing with all the problems along the way. All of us on the railway appreciate your hard work.
I am sure the Pacer will be popular with visitors and be a good earner of revenue for the railway.
7th to 10th and 15th to 16th April 2023
N°4498 Sir Nigel Gresley was the 100th Gresley Pacific built by the Great Northern Railway / London and North Eastern Railway. Built at Doncaster as works N°1863, the locomotive entered service in 1937 following a naming ceremony at Marylebone station on 26th November. The locomotive was mainly based at London King’s Cross, with a spell at Grantham during World War II, and was briefly re-numbered as N°7 before becoming N°60007 when the LNER was merged into British Railways. On 3rd June 1956, Sir Nigel Gresley had the honour of hauling the Royal Train from King’s Cross to York with H.M. the Queen on board. The “Stephenson Locomotive Society Special” of the 23rd May 1959 was the first train in the UK with a booked or advertised schedule of over 100 m.p.h. and during that trip, N°60007 set the official post-war speed record for steam traction of 112 mph.
Join the NVR as we celebrate steam-hauled services with 60007 back in Blue for the first time since overhaul,
We are delighted that 60007 will be a special guest throughout the event and will be hauling passenger trains during the weekend. The locomotive is attending with thanks to Sir Nigel Locomotive Trust
60007 Footplate Experience
Take the chance to ride the footplate of 60007. A limited number of tickets will be on sale to ride the footplate of 60007, entering the footplate will be via the famous A4 Tender corridor, which leads from the coaching stock to the locomotive footplate, you will then ride the footplate for approximately five minutes. Tickets for the Footplate experience are limited and will be an additional payment on top of your standard travel ticket
Mk1 Coaching stock in use
All-day Rover Tickets are available
Four trips per day behind Sir Nigel Gresley
Licensed Buffet Car
Turntable Café serving hot/cold food and refreshments from 8:30
Wansford Miniature Railway
Wansford Shop and Second-Hand Book Shop open
Ale on Rail,
Other attractions to be advised
Tonight we are running an evening Santa train. Here are a few images of the carriages being used.
The Wagon Lits carriages are very popular on special events.
Firstly here we have the Italian dining car, this is blue in colour and a super job has been done with its refurbishment.
A large proportion of the continental set is made up of Belgian coaches. Now as with anything changing between colour and black & white can change an image.
Here is a great example. Firstly in black & white.
Now we have it in colour.
Which version do you prefer I wonder?
My thanks to Jason & Phil for the images.
Tomorrow, (Saturday 26th November) sees the start of the Santa trains for 2022.
Fifty four services up to Christmas Eve mainly on the weekends. Plus three evening trains and a day just for Just Go Holidays.
As always it will be a busy time for the railway, and some of the many working members. As well as paid staff beavering away behind the scenes.
Hopefully the weather will be in our favour on the running days.
The three webcams on Railcam will give good coverage of trains at Wansford & Orton Mere, as well as one of the Wansford ones covering the station and crossing being available on YouTube complete with a chat room that’s in operation not only on running days but all others as well.
So if your a working member involved then many thanks for your commitment over this run up to the festive weekend, and most importantly have fun, because thats what it’s all about.
Well yet again I have heard comments that the railway is quiet at the moment until the Santa trains start at the end of November.
How wrong a statement that is!!
Let us take the coming week shall we.
Saturday starts with a steam driver experience day with 92 Squadron, an event that never ceases to be popular. There is still a big appeal in driving a steam locomotive.
Sunday brings us a running day with the Swedish Railcar, doing four runs each way. The railcar is popular with visitors, if only perhaps because of it being so unusual.
Monday to Friday brings something a little different. The crossing gates at Wansford are due to be replaced, and the new gates have been constructed in-house by some very skilled members.
Thursday brings us a private charter up the line,.Charters like this are popular with people who for a variety of reasons want their own train.
This brings us back to Saturday and another four each way railcar service.
So there you have it a week in the life of the railway heading towards Winter. So much for not a lot happening!!!