ParkeNd Posted July 15, 2016 Author Share Posted July 15, 2016 Whatever can follow the excitement of the Flour Mill Steam Gala? For me this was easily the best running ever seen on the DFR and reverting to normal running is going to look a bit quiet by comparison. Thinking about it, the best moments seemed to be when two (or more) trains arrived in a station at the same time. Maybe this can be achieved soon albeit with more crossing gate congestion for motorists at Lydney Town. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Looks like it was an excellent event and I wish I could have got there. It's just a tad to far for a one day visit and I've had a lot on during the last few weeks so it was nice not to have to drive long distance for a while! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 I've only been to the DFR twice but through all these pictures and superb models, I know it quite well. Thanks. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted July 16, 2016 Author Share Posted July 16, 2016 I've only been to the DFR twice but through all these pictures and superb models, I know it quite well. Thanks. Brian. I worry that people will get bored but people keep looking according to the stats, and I like doing it, so I shall continue. Thanks for the encouragement. However I'm a bit worried about where Arthur might be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) All forlorn and lonely on Friday 8th July because the three guest locos were getting all the attention. Edited July 18, 2016 by ParkeNd 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted July 23, 2016 Author Share Posted July 23, 2016 I didn't at any stage seriously think of going to the Paddington Bear event at DFR today or tomorrow but half thought about it as a morning out with the camera. Until I saw a photo or two on the DFR Facebook page. I hope the event is a money spinner - but my word how utterly huge the real Paddington appears to be. In costume he must have been over 6ft tall and towered over kids of Paddington loving age. Has he always been that big? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 I didn't at any stage seriously think of going to the Paddington Bear event at DFR today or tomorrow but half thought about it as a morning out with the camera. Until I saw a photo or two on the DFR Facebook page. I hope the event is a money spinner - but my word how utterly huge the real Paddington appears to be. In costume he must have been over 6ft tall and towered over kids of Paddington loving age. Has he always been that big? I always thought of him as a baby bear with a hat and a suitcase. Quite a crowd puller though! Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coppercap Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) Something a bit like the Children in Need's Pudsey Bear. That's also supposed to be a little teddy bear that's a child-friendly size, not some 6ft bloke in a furry outfit who also never speaks, and just waves at everyone. Edited July 24, 2016 by Coppercap Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted July 28, 2016 Author Share Posted July 28, 2016 (edited) I see from the DFR event calendar that a Diesel Gala is planned for 2nd September - but with guest locos that are not Class 14s!!!! A Hymek is already confirmed plus a yet to be confirmed "other". The Hymek will look terrific and the possible identity of the other has got me guessing. It needs to be a narrow loco so other than the return of the DFR Class 31 could it be my all time favourite - a Warship. Having photographed a Hymek and a Warship standing one behind the other I would say they are the same size. Let it be a Warship !!!!! Edited July 28, 2016 by ParkeNd 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted July 29, 2016 Author Share Posted July 29, 2016 Oh heck - not going my way at all. Latest DFR news says the second loco is going to be a Class 26 - and the Hymek has broken down and may not attend. My ticket purchase on hold for a while. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Derails Models Posted July 30, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2016 (edited) Oh heck - not going my way at all. Latest DFR news says the second loco is going to be a Class 26 - and the Hymek has broken down and may not attend. My ticket purchase on hold for a while. Indeed it is looking less and less likeley the Hymek will attend, which is a shame :-( so far only a 26 then... Warship would be nice, but would it be subject to any route restrictions I wonder. Edited July 30, 2016 by Derails Models Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 What route/clearance restrictions apply on the DFR or on the original GW era? Must admit I've never seen pictures of a tender engine except for the recent T9. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I know there's restrictions on some GWR engines - no Castles or Kings as the cylinders would foul the platforms. Manors are ok, IIRC it was a Manor took HRH Princess Anne to the Parkend Opening Ceremony. I don't know of any restrictions on diesels though, in fact I'm sure that I've seen somewhere pics of past Diesel Galas with Class 56 & 58 present?? But don't quote me... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Derails Models Posted August 1, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 1, 2016 What route/clearance restrictions apply on the DFR or on the original GW era? Must admit I've never seen pictures of a tender engine except for the recent T9. Brian. Route clearance on this railway is mainly because of the curves IIRC, some of them are quite tight compared to other railways so longer engines would struggle with them and possibly damage themselves or the track. Diesels, not so much, thinking about it a Warship is only a Bo-Bo and isn't the longest so I don't think it would have any problems. Tender engines - as F-UnitedMad says, we've had Bradley Manor which brought Princess Anne in for the opening ceremony of Parkend, we had a Black Five on a railtour, but this didn't go any further than Lydney Junction (the train was taken to Parkend by our own loco's), and also City of Truro came a few times in the early 2000's. I know there's restrictions on some GWR engines - no Castles or Kings as the cylinders would foul the platforms. Manors are ok, IIRC it was a Manor took HRH Princess Anne to the Parkend Opening Ceremony. I don't know of any restrictions on diesels though, in fact I'm sure that I've seen somewhere pics of past Diesel Galas with Class 56 & 58 present?? But don't quote me... Cylinder fouling is no longer a major problem, it was mainly Whitecroft that was the issue (when Bradley Manor came in 2006, the work that had started to rebuild the platform had to be destroyed for it to come past...) however a recent Tamper training excersize means that the track has been slewed away from the platform slightly meaning something larger like a Manor could now get through. Would be interested if anyone had pictures of a 56 or 58. I know we had a DRS run Class 37 railtour in the 1990's however this was pre-Parkend days so it went no further than Norchard, and obviously we've had the DFDA's 31, 73's, 27 and 25 running too. If anyone is interested, as part of a new website I was tasked to build by the DFRS, I have included a page on previous resident or visiting locomotives: http://www.dfrsociety.org/previous-resident-or-visiting-locomotives/ It is currently uncomplete, if anyone can help improve the information please let me know! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted August 10, 2016 Author Share Posted August 10, 2016 Indeed it is looking less and less likeley the Hymek will attend, which is a shame :-( so far only a 26 then………………………………. Is there any update on what will be replacing the broken down Hymek yet? Only one "serious" diesel would put the Diesel Gala well downmarket of the Flour Mill Steam Gala. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Derails Models Posted August 11, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 11, 2016 Is there any update on what will be replacing the broken down Hymek yet? Only one "serious" diesel would put the Diesel Gala well downmarket of the Flour Mill Steam Gala. Nothing atm, not even on unoffical circles! Sorry about that... I do agree too, mind you I think the next steam gala will be hard to beat the last one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted August 11, 2016 Author Share Posted August 11, 2016 Whilst it remains unclear what guest locos will appear at the Diesel Gala starting Friday 2nd September I thought I would stage my own this morning at my version of Parkend. Appearing in addition to the obvious Class 14, was a Class 26 as confirmed, one of my two Hymeks, and just to prove one will fit on the DFR, one of my two Warships. Not as good as the real thing - but it's something to look at in the meantime. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted August 18, 2016 Author Share Posted August 18, 2016 Took a trip over to the DFR yesterday Wednesday 17th Aug - and boy was it busy - good news for DFR. Things were really humming with standing room only on the 10.44 am behind the green prairie 5541out of Norchard bound for Parkend (car parked at Norchard). Looking down the platform at the crowds I opted for the extra £2 for the Owners Salon - wise move. Parkend station was thronged with youngsters and after we pulled out we were generously given back our £2 supplement as more folk were let into the Salon to stand. Some really nice folk on the train from Chester. At Norchard it got busier still so a DMU was planned to follow us leaving from the lower platform. At Lydney Junction we heard that the DMU hadn't got far due to a points failure - which took about an hour to clear including the time for the DMU to arrive at the platform opposite. The organisation of the volunteers dealing with the huge volume of passengers was magnificent. Had lunch at the cafe on the platform at Norchard (the cafe with it's excellent staff is brilliant even when working full tilt - recommended). This is a photo taken about 45 minutes later as 5541 scurried to make up time lost - taken between Whitecroft and Parkend at about 2.45 pm in brilliant sunshine (too bright for photos really) - note the Owners Salon just behind the loco. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 Whilst it remains unclear what guest locos will appear at the Diesel Gala starting Friday 2nd September I thought I would stage my own this morning at my version of Parkend. ... Not as good as the real thing - but it's something to look at in the meantime. Oh I don't know - looks like a decent event to me!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 (edited) This Wednesday 24th Aug 2016 I wanted some photos with a different feel to them than those I usually shoot. Mostly I use an extreme wide angle zoom lens so I opted to try a 105mm telephoto - no zoom. These are four of the results at Parkend. Note the foreshortening of perspective due to the greater shooting distance - gives a different "flavour". There are others but I will bore you with those later. Edited August 26, 2016 by ParkeNd 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted August 28, 2016 Author Share Posted August 28, 2016 I shall be going to the Diesel Gala on Friday 2nd September and look forward to riding behind, and photographing the visiting Class 26 and the freight trains. Still disappointed that the Hymek won't be visiting after all so I got to thinking about how we could see a Hymek pulling into Parkend station at the head of a passenger train. So I came up with the following two photographs. Better than nothing I guess. There are more tracks in "my Parkend" because I have included the loop to remove the waste tip, the line across to Marsh Wharf, and the tracks into the old tinplate works - all of which I like to think the DFR would have liked to retain if the powers that be hadn't ripped them up years before 1973. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 Off to the Diesel Gala tomorrow morning and planning to take some pictures to post here. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted September 2, 2016 Author Share Posted September 2, 2016 (edited) So I don't forget. The new paint colours at the stations on the DFR are Strata and Lizard - paint from Williamsons and apparently both BSI colours. I will post a photo of Parkend taken this morning and you will no doubt have an opinion on it - I'm saying nothing - other than my model railway layout is staying the colour Parkend used to be!! Edit - 3 hours later. Well here it is - no opinions from me about the colour - but it is undeniably well executed meaning Parkend Station remains the jewel in the crown. Edited September 2, 2016 by ParkeNd 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted September 2, 2016 Author Share Posted September 2, 2016 (edited) For everyone who knows what a blue diesel looks like, but has forgotten or never seen one on the DFR, here is a brief express taster from today's Diesel Gala Day 1 of 3. There are plenty more photos but here is a starter for 4. Alas not a Class 22, 25, or 37 - but a Class 26 which spent much of it's life in Scotland before joining the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway who have loaned the loco. Photos taken 2nd Sept 2016. More in a day or so - but I wanted you to see something while it's still new. Edited September 2, 2016 by ParkeNd 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Derails Models Posted September 3, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 3, 2016 Nice pictures, I am going down this evening to try some pictures myself, we have top and tailed 26 and Class 14 on the "beer train" tonight! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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