A short catch up this week.
The Ribble Steam Railway Autumn Steam Gala took place this last Saturday and Sunday, so there was considerable effort made to prepare and clean Furness Railway locomotive No. 20 so that it looked its best for the occasion.
The Gala saw the first publicised appearances of newly overhauled Borrows 0-4-0 well tank No. 48 of 1906 The King and Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 1969 of 1929 JN Derbyshire. Both of these locomotives were in ex-works condition and worked back to back for passenger workings, being accorded by some the nickname the ‘Preston Double Fairlie’. With other home-based locos Bagnall 0-6-0ST No. 2680 Courageous and Grant Richie 0-4-0ST No. 272 also in steam, along with the chance to ride in the FRT’s Great Eastern Railway royal saloon No. 5 and partake of tea, coffee, ploughman’s lunch and cream tea, there was plenty to see and do. In fact a number of visitors were noted to have spent both days at the Gala.
There was also a large second-hand book stall in the FRT shed which raised some welcome funds and it was a great opportunity to meet up with friends and visitors and display the current work being undertaken by the Trust.
All too soon the Gala was over and it was time to start preparing FR 20 for its trip to the East Lancashire Railway at Bury, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday. There will then be a test steaming and run up the line before the Autumn Steam Gala there on the 11th, 12th and 13th October.