15” gauge steam
Evesham Vale Gala
© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2021
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
11 July 2021
Egwin, another resident. The
four steam locomotives saw
most of the action while we
were there, though diesel
Cromwell went out for a spin,
and Sludge (how did he get
that name? Don’t ask!)
assisted too.
The weather could have been more cooperative - it was
difficult to avoid some burned-out skies - but we had a most
enjoyable couple of hours, and it was great to be out enjoying
some railway fun again.
Link: Evesham Vale Light Railway
First ‘Rail Diaries’ day out for
a long time! I’m out of
practice (that’s especially
true of today’s video). Gala
days at Evesham are great
fun, with an intensive service
in operation. As one train
arrives at the terminus, the
next pulls away, to steam out
to the far end of the line, round the balloon loop, pause at
the station there, and return to allow the next train out.
I realised as we made our way to the railway that there’s a
bonus with this line. Every locomotive is facing the right way!
When trains arrive at the terminus, they uncouple and run
straight onto the turntable
(almost the first thing one
sees), to be turned and sent
back for their next service.
One of the resident
locomotives here is Dougal, an
0-6-2T (now with a tender
too). He was built in 1970 for
the Longleat line, where he
ran with a close relative.
Muffin, now resident on the
Lappa Valley Railway in
Cornwall, was due to join
Dougal today, but in the event
he was unable to come, so the
Lappa Valley’s Ruby came
instead. Ruby is similar to the
EVR’s Monty, who was also in
action today, along with St
