With the draw of Railway Vehicle Preservation's Travelling Post Office (TPO) trains, together with a goods train and intense timetable, the Great Central Railway's Mail by Rail Gala proved to much to resist as the fine summer weather continues. We chose Saturday for our visit which saw five TPOs, four freights and motive power supplied by Loughborough shed! This comprised of four steam and two diesel locomotives; LMS Black 5 45305, 8F 48305; BR Standard 2 78019, Standard 4MT 80105, Class 31 D5830, Class 45 D123 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry. For more pictures and video of the Gala, try the following; Peter's Railway Photos (Peter Boggis), Clive Hanley - Photographs, Steam on the Web (Mike Snow).

After not paying a visit in 2005, a trip to the Great Central was long over due! I'm making no secret that the main reason for visiting the line's 'impromptu' Big Four Festival was the attendance of LNER V2 4771 Green Arrow. During the loco's stay at the North Norfolk Railway 18 months ago, Green Arrow made an ever lasting impression, and not least of all upon myself. So much so, it is now one of, if not my favourite loco. However, last July Green Arrow suffered a career threatening mechanical failure while on a Scarborough–York run, which left the V2's inside motion in tatters. Would I ever see the engine work again?! Thankfully yes, and on Saturday morning, it was fantastic to see Green Arrow again, back in steam, and recently out shopped in LNER Apple Green. The weekend also saw another National Railway Museum loco back in service, SR King Arthur 30777 Sir Lamiel, which hauled its first passenger trains since returning to steam from its latest overhaul. Finally, representing the other two companies from the big four were; LMS Black Five 45305 Alderman A E Draper and GWR Large Prairie 4141.