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SVR Diesel Gala
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:08 pm
by salopiangrowler
Its Not running, i had my quarterly SVR magazine timetalbe and all info regarding special days up til Mid december and the only galas running are steam.
This isnt waffle this is a follow on from the other railways stopping Diesel Gala's
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:24 pm
by rwaceyw
This has been known since at least last year
David
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:28 pm
by RobertM
Suppose there isnt as much revenue in diesel gala's
During the L&HR's last diesel gala, we basicaly had more people coming too the railway during a normal operating service, than we did during the gala
RobertM

Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:01 pm
by Hymek
i think the main problem is the amount of diesel railtours happening nowerdays, stock damaged in the past from diesel "enthusiasts". its mainly the first one due to the fact that most locos available to most railways are used allready on railtours so many times a year that people would rather travel on a pact train going 70mph than a not as full train doing 25.
Maybe instead of running Diesel galas, they should run dmu galas instead, Railcar 50 did as good if not better than the DG in the same year as i recall
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:05 am
by arabiandisco
RobertM wrote:Suppose there isnt as much revenue in diesel gala's
During the L&HR's last diesel gala, we basicaly had more people coming too the railway during a normal operating service, than we did during the gala
RobertM

Depends on the gala. the Mid Hants (caped...) was the railway's second highest earner behind thomas.
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:18 am
by highterrace
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:22 am
by tigermon
The Great Central Railway has shown it's commitment to the Diesel Enthusiasts by providing four passenger trains per weekend that are Diesel Hauled (Used to be 2 per weekend, plus a Parcels with limited accomodation or a Frieght).
And ontop of that, we've introduced a Diesel Gala in May! Giving enthusiasts three Gala's of Diesels, the 1960's Gala at the end of this Month, the Diesel Gala at the end of May, and the Diesel Gala at the end of September.
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:06 pm
by viperskil
Diesel galas especially on my main preserved line (SVR) do have steam running as it is the main attraction so why have it diesel day with some steam if it is a diesel gala they should at least keep it pure to what it says on the label
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:20 pm
by jpantera
It all stems down to money and basically if a diesel event makes less than a normal operating day serious questions will be asked in the finance department. I have been a diesel fan all my life and have found diesel enthusiasts to be the fussiest and most unreliable bunch of the lot! Everything has to be just so IE: they wont go unless they can get 4 round trips on 33whatever.
Its the same with railtours and that market is struggling also. Working in that industry I can say that most people who travel on our tours are just there for a day out and dont give a monkeys about what sub class of engine is up front.
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:47 pm
by salopiangrowler
Yes that is the reason. It cost soo much to get 40145 and 135 down last time they came that any chance of northern traction at the SVR is minimal, unless they are already in the area.
We'll be lucky to see the 25 back at the SVR for a while, although saying that the Dean Forest Railway are making tremendous progress on it.
i think its about £2000 per loco on the Road! and double or treble that on rail so, diesel gala's are limited to home fleets, but the SVR run diesels through the summer anyway on saturdays (09:45) i think.
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:58 pm
by davidaward
salopiangrowler wrote:the SVR run diesels through the summer anyway on saturdays (09:45) i think.
Yep, and the Saturday evening DMU specials in the summer, plus 1960s weekend. Plus on some midweek days diesels can be seen on private driving experience turns.
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:14 pm
by Hymek
not that im biased of anything

, but the Saturday Evening Landcruise run by the DMU Group West Midlands is one of the best diesel runs of the year, with its own bar and lovelly fish and chips, i urge all to travel on it, plus you can see the drivers eye view of the line

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:37 am
by salopiangrowler
Fish & chips, mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, does it still pickup at Bewdley.
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:57 am
by alisterbetts
There's a lot of politics involved, plus a few amateurs involved in setting these events up who see the engines and neglect the commerciality. Then theres the old 'diesel enthusiasts smash up coaches' chestnut which is complete nonsense, but sadly is even repeated again in this thread.... sadly the kettle boys jump on this bandwagon at every opportunity
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:45 pm
by salopiangrowler
well im glad SVR cancelled actually what with a pub at bridgnorth and one a kidderminster selling cheap local mild's and ale's.
No offense to the Diesel genre and i am one of them, us boys tend to put a good few pints away and get upset at the slightest remark about their favourite traction (Branchline Societies - Pheonix Freighter is one prime example). There will be drunken NED's on any preserved railway during a diesel gala and an all night gala. But suprisingly none of the gala cancellations have been due to the rowdyness of the enthusiast's.
There are a small group of basher's (Obvious Chav's) who come to diesel gala's belching, farting, Drinking and swearing, and thats just during the day when the families are around.
But Looking on the bright side 37901 is star loco at llangollen gala in Large logo railfreight.