Well, its been and gone. Most of the visiting exhibits have left, those remaining are packing ready to leave early in the week and the narrow gauge railway is back in the shed (yes, the track is packed onto wagons and put into the corrugated engine shed!). Whilst there aren’t any figures through yet, it can certainly be considered a great success with Sunday being the busiest many have see the Museum.

As ever we have to thank all those who worked so hard to make it possible, and all the exhibitors who come. The Friends excelled themselves with the fantastic line up of vintage and veteran vehicles and it was wonderful to stand still and have vehicle after vehicle roar, steam or swish past. The Heaton Park crew seemed to enjoy themselves and 765 settled in very nicely. Again thanks to the efforts of its group and our own Beamish Tramway Group.

Bob and Paul have done a great job in coordinating the mass of visitors, each with a vehicle of unusual characteristics and with its own special requirements. Both must have pedaled many miles over the event! So, what next?! Well, Easter and a string of bank holidays hit us shortly and so hopefully we will continue to enjoy the great attendances – remember it is this that pays for things like Chip Shops (opening in June), Dunrobin and all the other exciting developments in hand.

I hope those who came thoroughly enjoyed it, that those who couldn’t come might make it to another event (Power from the Past in September!) and that the staff and volunteers found it an enjoyable (though busy!) experience.

The photo session was clearly popular so we will work on this idea of open access evenings – we’d be glad to hear your thoughts on these and what you would like to see/photograph. Again it is valuable revenue that enables us to develop this brilliant Museum!

I’m already working on next year’s GNSF with something of a theme along the lines of ‘Locomotives of Quality – the thousand year gala!’. As ever watch this space…

My final reflection is on Baxter and Coffee Pot’s reunion on the Colliery Railway. Thanks to the Bluebell Railway for making it possible and enabling us to enjoy the sight of them together. Here is a final selection of views taken at 5pm this evening as we put the railway then engines to bed…

Stop Press – the visitors figures were just under 13,000 for the four days, some 33% up on last year. Remember though that we have lots happening each and every day of the week so please keep coming and supporting the Museum. There are lots of exciting plans in progress which are all possible because of what we can generate from the operation and enable the Museum to become better and better still…