avonside1563

Ah well, loco for the day should be the Beyer Peacock and I'm driving so do make yourself known if you come.

3 hours ago, Reorte said:

 

There's an idea... maybe a birthday treat to myself, wasn't planning on doing anything else.

The real ale bar will also be open from 12pm on Sunday 

Next outing for the Knotty train at Foxfield is this coming Sunday 4th August. Come along and enjoy the experience.

16 hours ago, Phil Traxson said:

The name of the builders is actually Thornewille & Wareham.  Pictures of their loco's and more details occur in the book " The Brewery Railways of Burton on Trent" , which book is on my bookshelf, but unfortunately a few miles from me at the moment so I don't have details of the author etc. immediately available. If someone hasn't beaten me to it I will furnish these details sometime to-morrow if it will help.

 

Phil T.

Quite right, I hadn't spotted the autocorrect mistake!

They are both Thornhill and Wareham locos, several of the Burton-on-Trent breweries used this builder.

For your information here's the timetable for the weekend. I will be there as I'm in charge of the Peacock on Saturday and Wimblebury on Sunday :)

Summer Gala 2019 Public Timetable.pdf

Timetable for the gala now published and available for download here.

Summer Gala 2019 Public Timetable.pdf

Small correction to the photos of Gunby, she is a member of the Hunslet 50550 class and not an Austerity tank. Whilst there are similarities and the 18" classes of 41850 and 50550 can certainly be looked on as precursors to the Austerity tanks there are a number of detailed differences in the designs, such as split brass side rod bearings, deep buffer beams, sloping bunker back and cast steel wheels instead of cast iron used on the Austerity tanks.

If anyone wants to hear what a NZR chime sounds like here's some video that will give you the full range of Kiwi whistles, hooters and chimes (and some of those strange modern infernal confusion engine horns as well!)

The B4 class avonside was once described as looking like an elephant on roller skates due to the small wheels under such a high sitting boiler and tank. A very apt description I feel.

Yours is looking good.

The Foxfield summer steam gala will be held on the 20th and 21st July 2019. Once again it will feature demonstration coal trains on the famous  Foxfield Bank, two thirrds of a mile at an average gradient of 1 in 25 out of Foxfield Colliery to the summit of the railway at Dilhorne Park. Locomotives from the home fleet this year are anticipated to consist of Hunslet Austerity saddle tanks, Whiston and Wimblebury, Beyer Peacock 1827 and the Dubs crane tank.

Passenger services will again revolve around the Knotty Heritage train, including the newly introduced NSR brake 3rd, which will share passenger services with the, equally heritage but considerably newer, Mk1 set. The station bar will be open featuring a fine selection of real ales throughout the weekend and a free bus service will operate from Caverswall Road station to Foxfield Colliery for those who don't wish to venture out in the wilds to walk from Dilhorne Park to the Colliery.

The guest locomotive has been announced as the freshly repainted Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T from the Lakeside and Haverthwaite railway

I'm coming along with a contingent from Foxfield, the younger ones will be there Friday and Saturday, unfortunately I can only make the Saturday but looking forward to it.

I'm looking for a supplier of very short run transfers who can print white on clear water slide transfer material A4 size. Does anyone have a contact or suggestions of who may be able to help?

Here it is in it's full livery.

Back in a original livery, how can you not like it? Full kudos to the owner and the guys at Blaenavon for taking the plunge!

On 15/05/2019 at 19:13, numpty said:

When will Bellerophon be back in service?

At present we are working with the Vintage Carriage Trust to establish the costs of the overhaul and funding routes. It is anticipated that the overhaul should begin next year.

It's not just the UK that has this problem...

Good point Andrew, perhaps I should add the caveat 'Standard Gauge' to the question.

The Knotty Coach Trust have hardly paused to draw breath before ploughing on with fund raising to restore the next vehicle, NSR 1st class No.28. Whilst the main fabric of the body is in reasonably good condition the interior will require complete restoration and the Trust's efforts have been aimed at fund raising and researching the details of the interior. Once restored and in service 1st class No.28, along with 3rd class No.61, 3rd class No.127 and Brake 3rd class No.23,  will recreate a complete NSR Loop Line train as would have been seen working through the middle of Hanley, Burslem and Kidsgrove in the 1880s. Will this make the Foxfield Railway the only place you can experience a complete 19th Century rake of 4 wheel coaches?

If you would like to follow progress or find out how to contribute visit the Knotty Trust website, http://www.knottycoachtrust.org.uk/

Thanks for uploading your photos, and braving the Polish weather!

There a little story of the efforts to get the Peacock to Poland as it had broken the top leaf of one of its springs on Easter Sunday, and so Tuesday the 23rd saw myself with the broken spring in the boot of the car calling into Jones Springs in Darlaston for them to take a look at it. Jones pulled out all the stops and the repaired spring was collected two days later and re-fitted to the loco on the Saturday, in plenty of time to be ready for the Knotty ABC coach launch on the 1st of May. That was asomething of a day in itself as the Peacock featured on the inaugural train at 11.30am before departing from Caverswall Road to be loaded onto the low loader at 2pm at Foxfield Colliery to head to Poland catching the overnight boat from England at 11pm the same day!

The reason behind the Peacock's visit is down to a Foxfield member, Bob Gibbens, who has been a big supporter of Howard and his efforts in Wolsztyn for over 20 years. Bob has long held the idea of taking a loco to the May day parade so, with this year possibly being the last opportunity, Bob, Howard and many others behind the scenes in Poland, along with Jon Allman who owns the Peacock, made it happen.

The knotty train will be in service throughout the May bank holiday weekend along with many other suitably Victorian attractions around Caverswall Road.

The first official train to include No23 and very smart it looked. Special guest on this private train was Lucy Worsley who's father had given a substantial donation to the restoration and who was also present along with most of the Worsley family and a myriad of guests.

Visiting loco Hawthorn Leslie No.2 departs with the 1st train.

A very smart No23 seen at the tail of the train, spot the smart new white roof, yet to be smutted on.

Yes the engine has become Beyer Peacock 1927 which was waiting at Dilhorne Park to return the train as it was facing the opposite direction to No.2

A big thanks to all who came and supported this event, the Saturday was almost a complete washout but we still managed to run a full service despite the weather. Sunday was much better and was well attended and the organisers are already planning next year's event.

A quick tease of what you can expect if you are visiting the Foxfield Diesel Gala this weekend.

A Class 33 on the 1in25 of Foxfield Bank

Newly restored 12T ventilated van which will be included in all passenger trains.

Beyer Peacock 1827/1879 of the Foxfield Railway is to be the 'Star' at this years May Day parade at Wolzstyn in Poland. It will be leaving on the 1st May to head over the channel to Wolzstyn where it will be in action alongside a variety of European locomotives giving an interesting comparison in size. I'm sure it will turn heads whilst it is visiting foreign climes and will (hopefully) come back in one piece.