SUNDAY AT LLANGOLLEN RAILWAY'S AUTUMN STEAM GALA, SEPTEMBER 4th 2016

Llangollen Railway's Autumn Steam Gala was held over the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday in September 2016. The weather during all three days was very overcast and with some heavy rain at times. I went on the Sunday which promised to see the best of the weather and the Manor and Standard tank were to change identities on this day. What a disappointment that was as Foxcote Manor had Dunley Manor nameplates strapped over its own but with no change to its cabside numbers. Thankfully, on the last run of the day good sense had prevailed and it had lost its alter ego. The tank engine had stark white wrinkly numerals, 80043, stuck over its own cabside set. It was all very crude and meant that close up photography had to be very carefully framed to hide it all. The guest locomotive, and for me the star of the gala, was L&Y Aspinall 0-6-0 No 12322. When at school I knew these elegant engines well as 27D - Wigan had a sizeable allocation. In view of these comments you will understand why this engine features the most prominently in this video. Normally Llangollen do things so well but I suggest that they leave identities unchanged if this is the best that they can do but that apart it was enjoyable even so.
For 'Along Branch Lines' at Llangollen see:    • LLANGOLLEN RAILWAY 'ALONG BRANCH LINE...  
Footplate action on L&Y 0-6-0 also appears in:    • L & Y 0-6-0 NO 52322 AT ECCLESBOURNE ...