I was already out and about on the Friday as me & my friend Bruce had planned to head out on a South Yorkshire Day Tripper where we'd sampled a First Transpennine Express class 185, Northern Rail 142 & 144 as well as riding the south west section of Sheffield's Supertram network between Sheffield Station, Herdings Park & Halfway. After this morning's travel we boarded an East Midlands Trains Meridian service to Loughborough for a trip to the GCR for it's Swithland gala to celebrate the launch of the mass complex there. Friday was the only day that the Port of Par Twins were scheduled to haul a passenger train and I felt i couldn't give it a miss. The Port of Par pair called Alfred & Judy are fantastic little bits of kit and must never be underestimated. also out on the day were the Jinty 47406, Webb Coal Tank 1054, Ivatt 2MT 46521 (see part 2) & GWR king class 6023 King Edward II

The 2nd day of the Swithland gala at the Great Central railway started well until approximately half past 9 in the morning. Unbeknownst to be (while I was waiting at Swithland on the local pulled by the coal tank) Ivatt 2mt 46521 had come off the rails at Quorn & Woodhouse station. I now know it had passed a signal at danger and slid off the catch points protecting the down mainline. As a result the timetable was temporarily suspended leaving all 7 remaining locos, the goods set and all passenger sets stranded between swithland and leicester north until matters were resolved, this meant cancelling all TPO demos and all freight trains, 47406 was drafted in to assist the coal tank top & tail the local set while the GWR king on one of it's final appearances at the GCR and 78019 handled the other passenger services while the 8F spent all morning at Rothley but set back to Loughborough to handle the mid day dining train, after this it took lead a passenger rake with the Jinty and coal tank on the rear while 78019 joined the king on the other to start top and tail running while the GCR started their efforts to rescue the stricken Ivatt which meant reducing service to one line between Quorn & Rothley.
I did manage to get down to Swithland sidings during the day to get close to the action where Alfred & Judy were spending the day shunting whilst the bigger locos ran by with their respected services. Big credit is due to all staff at the GCR for the tremendous gala (Despite the obvious mishap) while they pulled off all the stops to make the gala spectacular, keep things running after the farce and assist all passengers where nesasery 

things have been a bit quiet recently mainly because i've spent a bit of time with my girlfriend but in between seeing her i've done a few bit and pieces and i've had a couple rides on east coast trains skyfall train. as well as going on skyfall i've now been on alll of stagecoach supertram's wonderful trams and 13/14th i saw 3 railtours, for starters was the lincolnshire coaster railtour, i only saw the class 92 hauled section on the outward leg due to going to see live music, second tour was the cathedrals express in the capable hands of 60163 tornado, these 2 tours saw wonderful weather in the morning but conditions in the evening were attrocious but i still saw tornado at tallington. the last tour i saw was the peak forester railtour hauled by 34067 tangmere. this tour was originally meant to be pulled by 70013 oliver cromwell, then 34046 braunton but eventually tangmere was the loco to run the tour. it was a brilliant time doing all of this and i hope to be doing a bit more soon