Tigermon: The NRM RailFest 2004 Report + Photos

tigermon · Post by **tigermon** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 2:51 pm

This is my Report, origionally posted at vNERR as not all of them could get to RailFest, as they live in America.

I woke up at about 05:30 so that I could make some Bacon & Cheese Cob's for Railfest, and get ready in time, I left the house around 06:30 for the short walk to Loughborough Railway Station where I arrived at around 06:45, purchased two Cheap Day Returns (1 for me, 1 for my Mother), and sat down on the platform.

As we walked onto Platform 1 (Down platform, Nottingham & Derby trains, Up London St Pancras & Leicester trains), a HST Class 43 train was leaving, I sat down and waited for my train, the 07:03 to Nottingham, When it arrived I found that it was a highly unusual combination, we had a Class 153, a Single Clas 158 and then a double Class 158 all coupled together, I chose the Class 153 at the front, I did take some pictures of my journey to Nottingham however I ran out of space and deleted them for the Flying Scotsman.

We arrived in Nottingham Platform 5 with more than enough time for my 13 minute connection, we asked where the train for Chesterfield was departing, Platform 6, so we headed over to P6 and waited for about five minutes, yet another unusual combination entered the station, we had in the following order a Class 156, 170, 156, 156 (All two car trains) Which made it an Eight Car DMU train, however it did split up and we ended up with the 'Turbostar' Class 170 DMU, it left about three minutes late and stopped in Langley Mill and Alfreton before Chesterfield where we departed to wait for our Virgin Voyager.

Chesterfield is a very lovely station which mixes Modern with Old, it had a Midland Railway style canopy, with a 1990's built station building, it was very light and airy and my Mother decided to have a Cup of Tea while we waited (What can I say, we love our Tea).

Was walked onto Platform One (Down Platform for Sheffield, Up for Derby and Nottingham), and waited for about five minutes, the announcer (Who was incredibly clear, a rarity in England) made a speach about the Virgin Cross-Country service arriving in Platform 2, it took about three minutes to arrive, and when it did to my pleasure it was an Unmarked HST, when it stopped to my horror all of the diesel fumes wafted under the canopy and it absolutely stank of Diesel fumes, it was even worse when it left, I't made a huge cloud of 'Clag' ('Clag' is when a Diesel train smokes really badly).

As the train was leaving the Virgin Voyager rounded the corner south of Chesterfield and pulled into the platform a minute later, we boarded and all At Seat Electronic Reservation Systems were saying that all seats were Reserved from Doncaster (Never trust them anyway, they are usually broken), so was sat down in Coach C halfway along the train, which was very busy (Virgin XC usually is), it took about 50 minutes to get to Doncaster, where I expected to pass the Flying Scotsman, sadly due to a Boiler Failure she didnt run from Doncaster and stayed at the National Rail Museum.

So we left Doncaster under the wire of the East Coast Mainline and travelled along (We passed the site of the Selby Rail Carash in 2000, didn't really notice that we had), and after about 20 minutes we had arrived in York Platform 5.

We met up with some guys from The Transport Forum and then headed over the Bridge and also the newly built York Station-NRM link bridge and queued for about 30 minutes, and that was only because we had pre-purchased the tickets and could get in quickly, others were waiting about an hour to 90 minutes!!!!

We entered into the Shop of the NRM (All overpriced, although Museums and things like that are free to enter in the UK, except on Special Events, so we had to pay), we first heading into the Station Hall, which included many good's Wagons, a Restaurant, a whole selection of Royal Train Car's, and yet another small Shop.

Then we headed into the South Yard which had been totally re-moddeled for RailFest 2004, there had to be about 20 different steam loco's, 15 were in steam and whistling away, I took a few photographs of them all (Photo Thread B), we walked past City of Truro and Duke (From the Ffestiniog Rly) and both we giving rides, we walked over to the Modern Arena side of the site which included a Class 390 Pendolino, a Tamper, a Turbostar Class 171 (Class differently due to the fact it has a Dellner Coupling), a Class 67, a Class 66, a GNER Mallard MK4 coach, and Eurostar Power Car 'Entente Cordial' which is holdeer of the fastest speed achieved in the UK (200+ MPH or something).

I took a Brilliant shot of the Class 67, from a trackbed angle, so the Locomotive looms right over the picture, we headed back and just as we neared the exit of the Modern Area, the track laying machine started a demonstration, and I must say I agree with the operators, it is graceful, they even layed to the tune of Robert Miles' 'Children' song.

Next we headed over the the Great Hall (Via the Station Hall, Shop and Under a busy road), which included among other things a Shinkansen from Japan, a Pensylvania Steam Locomotive (From the front of the MSTS2 box, R.I.P), an numerous other locomotives, even a full sive model of the Channel Tunnel with a Eurostar Mock-Up, oh and also the Desiro Class 185 Transpennine-Express Mock-Up loco.

We then headed out into The Works, and had a look at the locomotive under Restoration, and then into the Viewing Gallery, took two shots of a Transpennine-Express Class 158 arriving from Scarborough into Platform 4 (See Photo Thread C), I then headed back inside to see the real-time IECC York Power Signal Box screens, showing on 5 screens including York Station on 2 screens, watched a few trains arrive and leave, and took a photo of the screens before an Intercity 225 set pulled by a Class 91 messed them all up by draining the power (File photo of a Class 91)

I then left the Guy's from The Transport Forum and headed off into the Warehouse, not very interesting, just loads of things stored for later use, took two pictures of some model sets though (Photo Thread C.

We then headed back into the Great Hall and finished having a look around, we then headed back to the South Yards alone and headed over to the City of Truro ride, it wasnt running because the Flying Scotsman was coming in, cue a mad dash over to the other side of the Fairground to get six shots of the Flying Scotsman (Photo Thread D), Richard Branson was present as were about ten News Camera Crews, I had to stand on another train to get a decent shot, luckily it had been taken apart and I didnt burn myself as the Scotsman came in (Pushed by a Class 47 'Prince William' some bagpipes played and all of the steam train began blowing their whistles, it' was an incredibly wonderful experience, and I am only sorry that many of you will not hear the sounds.

After a short speech by Richard Branson which I could barely hear, somebody else gave a speech about how the National Railway Museum saved the Scotsman from going abroad, and for that I thank them dearly, It's our Locomotive now, and it's staying put.

Sadly by this time I had used all of my shots and couldnt get many of the trains that I would have likes to get, but we then headed into the Great Railway Bazzar, which was full of the usual stuff and a few good things, many were displaying TV's showing steam trains or modern Trains, Hornby were there giving a demonstration of Live Steam Model Locomotives, only Mallard at the moment, we also saw a wonderful layout with a Turbostar, a double set of Voyagers, and a Pendolino running, It even included fully canted rail so they tilted into the corners.

We entered a few competitions and then headed back out to complete our tour of the South Yard, which included the 'RAIL' magazine stand where I purchased a RailFest 2004 guide book, I then had a sit down, (after walking for three hours you try standing a moment longer) and then decided to eat a Bacon & Cheese Cob and have a drink, I then walked down some newly opened steps (I was the first to walk down them) and headed back over to try and find the Midalnd Mainline Meridian, the ******* ******** hadnt sent one!!!!!!!!!!!!

I then headed back over to the Brief Encounter restaurant and had a drink (Sprite), It was wonderfully refreshing, more so than warm Cherry Coke, then I headed back to the Viewing Gallery, watched about two trains for fifteen minutes, then back to the South Yard to look for the guys from the Transport Forum, until I heard an announcement that they were giving a demonstration on how Turntables work in the Great Hall (Or should I say 'In 'T' greet 'all' as Yorkshiremen say).

I the Turntable was a wonderful experience, even if the man gave the demonstration on the other side, until it had swun around electronically, then the poor girl had to crank it into place on Track 4, over 100 tons of weight, we gave her a small round of applause.

Then we headed back to the works where a small tour was about to start, lasted about ten minutes, then we headed to the Shinkansen, which was wonderful to sit in, 3+2 seating arrangements and they were still spacious!!!!!!! In England 2+2 seating arrangements are only just adequate enough.

After that we went for a ride on Rocket (Replica) Pennydarren wasnt giving rides, the ride ventured about fifteen feet, and then reverse back to the goods dock, not that fun but still, it was a ride behind Rocket in a replica Passenger Truck (Think wooden wagon with no seats for passengers, you got it!).

After that it was about 17:00 so we phoned the guy who organised the Transport Forum meet up, and he was on Platform 7 of York, but we missed him and couldnt say goodbye in person, but we headed back to York and had to trek all the 5 miles (Over-estimation, but it felt like it) up to Platform 4.

By this time I found I had a few more Photos to take, and took one a a Transpennine-Express leaving York (About 30 MPH in the Station alone, and it's wheels were squealing a lot!), then a GNER 225 set came into the station, 30MPH again, into Platform 3, along from Platform 4, a junction is between the two, then a Pacer unit left for Scarborough, it bounced past our platform (Pacers are also nicknamed 'Bouncy Castles', I'm sure you don't need help to know why?)

Then my Midland Mainline Scarborough-St Pancras Turbostar Class 170 arrived and stopped just in front of me, I took a photo as it entered the platform, I boarded into Coach B, just behind First Class, and began chatting with this 80 something year old whom I gladly showed my photo's of Flying Scotsman, he offered me a Railway Newspaper, but I declined him, it looked unread, and it cost him about Â£1, they departed at Doncaster to continue further down the East Coast Main Line, we left for the Midland Main Line, all was fine, except for a two internal doors which kept on opening, and the liights which were working half the time, we arrived at Derby where we were told the Fitters were coming to fix the lights, the 'mm's bar' had closed because they couldnt see what they were doing

We were delayed by ten minutes whilst they fixed the lights, we arrived in Loughborough at 19:55 and that is the end of my story at RailFest.

As I said it was for the guys at North Eastern Railroad, and all the bits about Photo File A/B/C/D and the Database Photos arn't included, I'm sure you know what they are.

Now if you want to view all of my lovely Photographs, even if a few of them were wasted by being very black or having my fingers across the lens (I'm not a very good photographer) they are at http://www.tigermon.fotopic.net

Hope you have enjoyed my legnthy post, I know I enjoyed RailFest, but now it's all over, or will be in two hours.

Post by **martinhodgson** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 3:07 pm

Good report - which day were you there?

tigermon · Post by **tigermon** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 4:05 pm

Saturday the 29th, very good day, except that it was Dark, it did rain a little, but not too much to make everybody miserable

rwaceyw · Post by **rwaceyw** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 4:21 pm

The Ffestiniog Loco was Prince, there is no such loco as Duke, apart from in the Thomas series

David

tigermon · Post by **tigermon** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 4:34 pm

I know, I made a massive error there, I was uh, looking over to my bookshelf and saw one of my old Thomas the Tank paperbacks, and it was one about the Little Engines or whatever they were called, and then I uploaded the photo of Prince, and called it Duke accedentally.

My bad.

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:46 pm

Just a small reminder about the importance of timing - if you'd waited a moment or two longer to take the photo of 61572, I might have been looking intelligent, rather than vaguely confused...

. At least you didn't record our humiliation the next evening, when we had to be dragged over the pit by 'City of Truro'

! Anyway, excellent photos and a good report to go along with it - keep up the good work

.

rwaceyw · Post by **rwaceyw** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:49 pm

Have you found John Pipes' initials carved into the seat yet

. Couldn't stand her myself..an absolute . to fire..didn't sound too bad though..

David

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:55 pm

We found someone's initials - all becomes clear now! Firing the B12? Remember that Eastern Region firemen have skill

. Seriously, it was once said that, if you could fire to a B12, you could fire to anything...

.

rwaceyw · Post by **rwaceyw** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:58 pm

Skill? Pah! That B12 of yours is definately in need of scrapping..an awful engine to oil too!

David

tigermon · Post by **tigermon** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:27 pm

So Tomnick, were you the guy on the Train looking across the yard, or the guy in front of my photo?

I might go to another thing like this and type up another report, although I think I took too many pictures indoors, should have taken loads of RailFest and then gone again for the Inside bits.

alex2008 · Post by **alex2008** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:30 pm

Good report, thanks for taking the time to write it, I enjoyed reading it. Just two questions.

Why did you arrive at Loughtborough at 6:45 when you were catching the 8:03 train?
Did the ticket office send you via Nottingham, then Chesterfield? I'm sure it would of been easier to go Loughborough -> Derby -> York or were you just exploring?

tigermon · Post by **tigermon** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:49 pm

Thanks for spotting my mistake, it was the 07:03 train, and I went via Nottingham and Chesterfield because I was told to do so via QJump, either way the Derby train was a lot later and I would have had about a minute to gat from the MML Train to the Virgin train.

And it was much better going Nottingham and Chesterfield, and I changed at Chesterfield to get a seat, as at Sheffield, it was packed.

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 5:16 pm

tigermon wrote:So Tomnick, were you the guy on the Train looking across the yard, or the guy in front of my photo?

Nope, I'm not semi-bald

. I am indeed the one looking across the yard at God-knows-what - probably 'City of Truro' passing for what seemed like the millionth time...

Scrapping the B12? No way...how else can our firemen show how good they are?

tigermon · Post by **tigermon** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 5:54 pm

Oh Truro! They closed the ride so the Flying Scotsman could come in, so that meant not only did I have to dash all the way around to get a good view, but I also didn't get a ride

And all I got was a ride on Rocket with the baby's

jdjonny · Post by **jdjonny** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 8:42 pm

Good photos there mate! It's nice that you've concerntrated on the details as well as the locos themselves, something that's been overlooked by other photographers. Well done

JDJonny