Sherwood Forest Railway Gala 2007

Miniature Railways - Colin Peake's Photographs

13th October 2007

I'm not sure where the last year has gone. Is it really that long since Effie and Mountaineer were visiting the Farm Park? Actually, to be pedantic, it was a year and a week, but let's not dwell on that...

This year's Sherwood Forest gala was a little different. No visiting locos, but the whole of he home fleet in use, even battery-electric 'Anne' and 'Lottie' the 5/8th scale Lister replica. Anne was looking smart sporting a fresh coat of black paint and the line's two wagons had also had a lick of paint, into grey with black ironwork and SFR lettering.

On the Saturday the service pattern was for each loco to work passenger and freight trains in turn, whilst on Sunday steam worked passenger trains and the bttery and i/c locos on the freight. We visited on Saturday and stayed into the evening at the invitation of the Colley family, who made everyone feel most welcome and part of the event.

It had been hoped that the items recently acquired from Brocklands in Cornwall would be at the railway for the gala. Alas they arrived on the Tuesday afterwards, but they should make next year an interesting one!

My thanks to David and Colleen, David and Robert Colley, Ian and Callum, plus the rest of the crew, for a memorable day!

Smokey Joe engaged in some pre-gala shunting. 640x480	Anne arrives at Weldale with the freight train. 640x480	A view of the repainted wagons. 640x480
Smokey Joe on arrival at Loxley station. 640x480	Lottie waits for a rare passenger duty 640x480	David Colley Snr takes Lottie for a trip down the line. 640x480
Anne arrives uphill with a full train. 640x480	A side view of Anne. 640x480	A head-on view of Anne. 640x480
Everyone present agreed the black livery suited Anne. But don't suggest wasp stripes... 640x480	David Jnr waits for the off with Pet 640x480	Smokey Joe arrives at Weldale with the goods. 640x480
A deceptive view of Smokey Joe at rest. 640x480	Smokey Joe awaits the arrival of the next passenger train. 640x480	Ian brings Pet around the curve into Weldale. 640x480
Smokey Joe takes over the passenger duty. 640x480	Once the goods train has arrived, Pet couples up. 640x480	Callum on Lottie near the first crossing. 640x480
Followed by Smokey Joe on the goods. 640x480	Anne passes under the treehouse with an uphill passenger train. 640x480	Smokey Joe glimpsed over the pig pens. 640x480
A night time view of Smokey Joe. 640x480	Anne sits patiently in the dark. 640x480	The new arrivals from Brocklands before being placed on the track. 640x480