Leighton Buzzard galas just keep getting better
…at least that is what many people have been saying since the Autumn Steam Gala at the Leighton Buzzard Railway on the weekend of 24 & 25 October. Running to new dates following the steam operation suspension imposed over the summer because of fire risk, the organising team were a little apprehensive when the new dates were threatened by not one but two storms. The Friday photoshoot was wet and windy, but on the weekend they luckily avoided the worst of the weather, especially on the Sunday, so everything ran as planned.
All four resident steam locomotives were in steam running an intensive timetable service assisted by French built Decauville 0-4-2T ‘Victory’ works No. 246 of 1897 visiting from the Bredgar and Wormshill Railway in Kent to help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Leighton Buzzard Railway’s twinning with the Froissy, Cappy and Dompierre Railway in France.
Unfortunately Andrew Barclay No. 1919 of 1931 ‘Cegin’ had a last-minute failure and was unable to attend. The much anticipated three Barclay engine line-up will have to be postponed to another occasion.
The other planned visitor ‘WDLR303’ Hunslet 1215 of 1916 arrived safely and performed faultlessly all weekend. Buzzrail is grateful to The War Office Locomotive Trust and Apedale Valley Light Railway for the opportunity to welcome this locomotive to the railway. They are also grateful to the Moseley Railway Trust and the Apedale Valley boys who were able at the last minute to arrange a substitution for ‘Cegin’ in the form of Bagnall 2133 of 1924, ‘WOTO’.
With the storms working around the event, and the loco difficulty solved, everything went ahead as planned. Three passenger sets and a freight train kept all sections on the main line to Stonehenge Works and the extension to Munday’s Hill busy all day, with very few seats empty on any train on both days. The event also saw the highest number of ‘Rover’ tickets sold for a long time.
Thoughts now turn to the ‘CoffePot’ Gala taking place on 15 & 16 May 2027. As announced recently, this 150th Birthday Celebration for 1877 de Winton 0-4-0vbt ‘Chaloner’ is planned to be another must-go -to event in the Narrow Gauge world. Visiting engines will only be limited by the cost of transport because of the price of diesel. If additional sponsorship can be found there could be up to seven working vertical boiler engines jostling for a run on the main line. This is as well as the planned opportunity for modellers of most gauges to bring their locomotives to have a run also. More details will be announced over the winter.
Spooky end of season specials
This weekend Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November will see another two-day event where everything will all be themed for Halloween. Come in costume and join in the fun.
At Page’s Park you can join in with grave robbing to find buried treasures. At Stonehenge you will need your thinking heads on to find the hidden letters and unscramble them to find a word and win a prize.
Santa Specials are all ready to go
This year’s Santa Special trains start on Saturday 28 November with 15 running days before Christmas, and 4 days of Mince Pie Specials to round off the holiday from 27 December. The most popular days are already filling fast. Book your tickets at www.buzzrail.uk.
Photo credit: Mark Lewis