The East Lancashire Railway's Winter Steam Gala 2014, featured visiting locomotive B1 61264, Standard 4mt 76084, Ian Riley's Black Five 45407 and resident 80080. I attended the early morning photo charter at Burrs which was very enjoyable and very well organised.
Caprotti Standard 5MT 73129 was the star guest visitor of the East Lancashire Railway's 2011 Winter Steam Gala. It was supported by two other visiting locomotives in the form of the Severn Valley's Ivatt 46443 and Llangollen's Standard 4 80072, joining 80080 and 71000 Duke of Gloucester.
The East Lancs 2007 Autumn Steam Gala, my third visit to the East Lancs during their 20th Anniversary year had a Great Western feel with the visit of 4936 Kinlet Hall and 3802. The star of the show though was an Eastern locomotive in the form of 4771 Green Arrow. A special event held to celebrate 20 years since the reopening of the East Lancashire Railway, with a visitor in the form of MSC140 representing the industrial presence in the early days, the event was blessed with beautiful weather, the presence of 3440 City of Truro, Leander and a variety of diesels. Having originally reopened on the 25th July 1987, the line now runs passenger services from Heywood in the South East through Bury, were the line crosses the Metrolink tram network, before turning 90degrees North through Bury Bolton Street station and finishing in Rawtenstall. |