Isle of Wight 40th Anniversary Gala, 290511 Part 1 of 2

Apologies for the late upload, it's been caused by me being away, and UA-cam being unwilling to put this on the internet!
2011 is a year marking many milestones for preserved railways, and perhaps on of the most impressive is the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The line, which set out from the start to recreate as accurately as possible Island Railways, started running over the 1.5 mile section from Havenstreet to Wootton in 1971. 2011 also marked 20 years since the 3.5 mile extension eastwards to Ashey and the Ryde-Shanklin electric line at Smallbrook Junction. To commemorate both of these milestones, the line is putting on a series of events throughout the year, the first being a grand steam gala over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend, from May 28-30. The line operated its two operational former Island locomotives, as well as hiring in two visitors. The line-up was:
|LBSCR E4 0-6-2T B473 (formerly 'Birch Grove', visiting from the Bluebell Railway)
|LSWR 0298 'Beattie Well Tank' 2-4-0WT 30585 (visiting from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, not featured in this video)
|ex LSWR O2 0-4-4T W24 'Calbourne'
|ex LBSCR A1X 'Terrier' 0-6-0T W8 'Freshwater'
I was puzzled by the line's choice to hire in 30585. Aside from the obvious attraction of seeing a class 0298 with a similarly liveried class O2, its successor, for the first time since 1962, it didn't make much sense. All of the IoWSR's passenger stock is Air Braked, as it was in steam days, and 30585 is only fitted with Vacuum braking apparatus. This meant it could only haul the line's freight set, but it didn't even do that, all it spent the event doing was shunting. The line effectively hired in a locomotive from the mainland just to do something it could have done with its operational Industrial locomotives, and that would have cost them a lot less. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable day, despite the weather, which was overcast all day and fairly windy, with a few drops of rain here and there. The plan I did was:
|1102 Smallbrook Junction -- Wootton (W24)
|1257 Wootton -- Havenstreet (W24)
|1416 Havenstreet -- Ashey (B473)
|1722 Ashey -- Smallbrook (W24 + W8)
I would like to thank the IoWSR for putting on this very enjoyable event, the owning groups of B473 and 30585 for agreeing to their hire, and you for taking your time to watch this video

[@iantrack]

Great stuff!