Avon Valley Railway

John Ball · Post by **John Ball** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:09 am

I've heard that on Sunday 29th October, there is to be an end of season gala, with 2 industrial steam and the 07 at work. I can't get at the timetable on their website - don't know why, but it keeps saying page unavailable.

Can anyone please confirm the event?

John

Post by **James** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 3:57 pm

Also a Class 73 Electro-diesel apparently.

This is a gala of sorts, but they're not advertising it, and tickets are the normal fare. I get the impression that it's some kind of playtime for railway members, which seems a bit odd considering that it could bring in a lot of money if advertised properly, but then the way the line is run is a mystery to me.

simon · Post by **simon** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:37 pm

James wrote: the way the line is run is a mystery to me.

I agree. I wrote to them after visiting in the summer, saying that I was involved in the 70's; that the Avonside used to be under the care of my Dad; and I was hoping to get involved again. Could they tell me how to get involved.

The web master passed my details to the comercial manager who never replied.

Post by **madhattie** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:33 pm

There's some info about this event on the AVR homepage now.

http://www.avonvalleyrailway.org

I'm planning on going to this, so if anyone fancies meeting up and riding the trains with me..... ?

Post by **James** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:57 pm

Yooooo hoooooo, hello Big Brother, spies in the sky etc...

Apparently the gala was not advertised because they didn't know whether the 73 would arrive on time, as they wanted to lift a coach for a wheelset change, and wouldn't be able to "let it in" if they had the coach in the way. Or something.

Post by **madhattie** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 11:05 pm

Here's some pics from the day: BIG thankyou to James for the freebie tickets! Brilliant!

simon · Post by **simon** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:27 pm

Excellent pictures - I particularly like no 5.

Wish I had made it down there but after 14 hours on the M1 in the previous two days I couldn't face the M4 as well.

Post by **James** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:39 am

While you were enjoying the AVR gala, I was coming back from Saturday's Spa Valley Railway diesel gala. 2x33s, a 73, and the South Devon's 20118 in lots of tasty combinations.

I took some pics, but Jon Bradley's were better...he even provided me with a shot of the BR blue 33 with my requested 88 (Victoria - Uckfield...via my childhood home of Crowborough!) headcode, leading the BR blue 73, and if you look closely, you can see my head poking out the first coach window

http://jon-bradley.fotopic.net/p35559386.html