Epping Ongar Railway | Steam Gala - Starring 4079 Pendennis Castle & 9466! - Saturday 24th June 2023

#PitchfordHall #steam #train

Despite moving to Hertfordshire from Sussex in 2018 we had yet to pay a visit to the Epping Ongar Railway, which was now our closest preserved railway, something we planned to put right with the upcomming annual 'Steam Gala' scheduled for Friday to Sunday 23rd-25th June. Visiting this year was Castle no.4079 'Pendennis Castle' from the Great Western Society at Didcot and Pannier Tank no.9466 from the West Somerset Railway. They joined home Hall no.4953 'Pitchford Hall', Small Priarie no.L150 and Hawthorn Leslie no.3437 'Isabel'. The timetable for Friday and Sunday was essentially an hourly service with 4079, 9466 and 4953 in use, with trains being 'top and tailed' between North Weald and Epping Forest and return due to no station/run round loop at Epping. Saturday would see extra runs from North Weald to Epping using both the main sets with L150 running alongside 4079, 9466 and 4953, and also saw 'Isabel' running with DMU trailer.

We visited on the Saturday, deciding to spend some time lineside in the morning before parking at Ongar and getting the train to North Weald to take advantage of the extra Epping Forest services by watching the action in between a couple of runs to the Forest and back. We had a great time, the only problem was the weather which was just too hot! Thanks as always to all involved in organising the event, we will certainly be back!

Photos...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts198...

Locations and Locos...

L150 at Blake Hall.
4953 at Marconi Bridge, North Weald.
9466 at Vicarage Road, Coopersale.
4079 at Vicarage Road, Coopersale.
L150 at North Weald.
4079 & 4953 at North Weald.
9466 at North Weald.
3437 at North Weald.
4953 at Ongar.