With less than two weeks to go until the Great North Steam Fair and the Saturday photo session, some thoughts regarding what we hope to put on show in the evening might be of use/interest. I’m also interested in hearing back, via the comments section here, from blog followers to see if there are any specific requests from those attending that we might consider for this, or later, sessions. We are keenly aware of the need to better control the ‘crowds’ during these sessions and some steps are in place for the 14th to ensure that there is as little intrusion as possible into each other’s photographs.

Themes wise, I am considering:

Town:

• Birkenhead 20 and Newcastle 114
• A selection of traction engines, cars and motorcycles plus folks in period costume
• SOS bus, perhaps alongside the newly outshopped (by then) Daimler in similar Northern livery (though the Daimler may be on duty providing the evening transport for photographers!). We might move these to the Colliery however as they somehow look much more in-keeping there.
• Horse and water cart or street sweeper (TBC)

Colliery:

• Y7 and chaldron waggons in front of the pit-head and screens
• Coffee Pot in/around the engine shed (nice when the sun casts its rays through the dusty windows!)
• Newcastle (our new Manning Wardle) with the two low sided open wagons – reminiscent of its working days as a contractor’s locomotive
• Something posed on the narrow gauge, possibly Chaloner outside the shed (and alongside a low coal platform that will feature in this area).

Pockerley Tram Stop:

• Blackpool 233 (weather and staffing numbers permitting)

Now, we are limited in numbers of staff, so can’t have everything out, and the appearance of visiting transport items is at the kind cooperation of the owners to stay behind after an already long day. But, we are still developing and exploring these events and sessions and hope that this one will top last years – and lets hope the weather cooperates!

Photos of last year’s event can be found on Flickr and the image that forms the header on this blog showing Baxter and Coffee Pot No.1 in the low evening sunshine was also taken at last year’s event.

I’d be interested to hear thoughts and suggestions…