The Night Runs are our best attended and most anticipated events in our Calendar. They are timed around the start and end of British Summer Time in order to have a dark evening and a reasonable chance of good weather. This year the forecast for the upcoming Wednesday was fairly horrendous.
A bad forecast seems a common excuse for members to suddenly find something more sensible to do and this year was no exception. The actual day turned out similar to the forecast in some ways but different in others. As normal, you might say, and we had a light but enthusiastic attendance.
The morning was sunny but windy. It rained at lunch but then brightened up by the afternoon when most of our members began to arrive. We ordered our chips and then witnessed an incredible hail storm while we hid in the cabin. Then we scoffed our supper, the sky cleared and we were treated to a beautiful dusk. But as the blue above us darkened the temperatures dropped and we wrapped up and played trains.
As night fell, the steamy scenes improved and our keen photographers took some gorgeous photos. Some of the best Night Run Photos we've ever had.
Elliot and Joe took the photos.
(Wednesday 27th March 2024)
Nightfall was eagerly awaited but many had been at BGRA for most of the day.
Mike's superb train running in the afternoon.
Phil's Regner put in a good performance.
John ran his Merseysider pulling the club's goods train.
Phil and Glenis put in some work on the "Not The Bog Garden".
A visitor got his 45 year old Beck's Anna running. An impressive little engine coaxed into life by Mike.
Meanwhile, Joe arrived straight from work and took to the prime photography location ...
... in the bushes behind the ladies toilet.
Joe attempted to get snaps of all the engines present, before it got too dark. This is Mike's impressive Accucraft Lawley
Eric's Jenny ...
... and Mike's Bulldog, joined the line up at the front of the layout.
Our visitor's Beck's Anna Loco from circa 1979...
... shown here next to a much more recent Roundhouse Billy, in Phil's photo.
Chips were eaten and darkness fell. Mike ran his illuminated train.
It became hard to identify trains accurately from now on.
Mike's impressive illuminated train and an superb photo from Joe.
Joe's Bertie pulling his recently illuminated train ended the running as the temperature plunged and we all packed up..
Joe's video of the event (9.45 mins)
If you have more photos to add to this or other galleries then please send them to bgrawebsite@gmail.com.