The Great North Steam Fair – Invited Exhibits – Part 1
Part 1: A selection of railway exhibits:
In anticipation of the Great North Steam Fair (April 12 – 15th) I will start to filter out some images of exhibits we hope will be attending – some await final confirmation and as ever these are all subject to availability…
Below: The Waggonway – the engines not in use during the event will be on display and hopefully available for photography.
<span >Below: The Y7 will be in operation, but not quite as usual. If the next exhibit arrives as is hoped, then the Y7 will be moved to the Colliery area for the four days of the event in order to match it with Bowes Railway coal wagons and the chaldrons – this should create some great photo opportunities. 985 was one of the LNER built Y7s (rather than being a former NER H class) and as built it did have lower buffers (dumb) for working with chaldron type stock.
Below: We have asked if we can borrow the Bluebell’s 1877 Fletcher Jennings ‘Baxter’ again.
Whilst still awaiting confirmation it would be the intention to operate the newly vacuum brake fitted loco at Rowley Station.
<span >Below: We are building a new narrow gauge railway, of a more permanent nature, and booked to appear this April to inaugurate this line is 1877 built De Winton vertical boiler locomotive ‘Chaloner’ normally based at the Leighton Buzzard Railway in Bedfordshire. It is seen here at the Llanberris Slate Museum, photo by owner Alf Fisher.
Below: On the vertical boiler theme we are delighted to have Dave Potter and co’s 0-4-0VBT (no longer geared!) ‘Paddy’ making its third visit to Beamish.
Is the new narrow gauge line going to be in the colliery yard?
Hi Paul, it will be in the Colliery but in a different, and now permanent, location. This will enable heavier track to be laid, to take larger engines, and will also form the basis of a small system running around the pit area and hopefully creating a number of interesting ‘shunts’ for visitors to watch as well as for the operators. I’ll post on the blog once progress on laying the track is made. This is likely to be next week, when an additional delivery of narrow gauge track is expected.