060915 - GCR Diesel Gala

15th September 2006 to 16th September 2006

This was my first trip back to the scenic Great Central for a year, but fortunately it was spread over two days while staying in Derby for the weekend. The Friday was spent linesiding and was definitely the best day for it, with glorious sunshine all day. The appropriate pairing of 20048+20098 was out, as were 33116, 37255 and 25035 - a "new" engine for me as well as being the lowest-numbered Class 25 in preservation. This subsequently proved itself to be an atrocious clag-monster of "Western Prince" proportions!

Linesiding is all very well and good but for me it's all about riding, so that was the plan for Saturday. Unfortunately I reckoned without a Friday night on the tiles in Derby. Let's just say The Tiger followed by Flares and leave it at that - certain members of the Peak Army will know exactly what I'm on about.

So it was not until around noon when we finally rolled up at the GCR and I immediately fell onto the first train that stopped in the platform. One brew plus a very tasty lunch in the Griddle car later and I was feeling normal enough to concentrate on 31463, which was its usual thrashy self. Thereafter a trip on the first "beer-ex" hauled by 33116+25035 and it was time to head back.

Loco's used for the gala were 20048, 20098, 25035, 31463, 33116, 37255, 45125 and 47117.

060915_02_GCR_Loughborough_37255_D8048+D8098.jpg	060915_03_GCR_Quorn_D6535.jpg	060915_04_GCR_Quorn_37255.jpg	060915_09_GCR_Quorn_D6535.jpg
060915_10_GCR_Quorn_D8048+D8098.jpg	060915_11_GCR_Quorn_D5185.jpg	060915_12_GCR_Quorn_25265.jpg	060915_13_GCR_Rothley_D5185.jpg
060915_14_GCR_Rothley_37255.jpg	060915_15_GCR_Rothley_D6535.jpg	060915_16_GCR_Loughborough_D5185.jpg	060915_17_GCR_Loughborough_D6535+D5185.jpg
060916_19_GCR_Rothley_D5830.jpg	060916_20_GCR_Rothley_D1705.jpg	060916_23_GCR_Leicester_North_D5830.jpg	060916_28_GCR_Loughborough_D6535+D5185.jpg