Reorte

So think of it more as just applying an old livery to an existing modern loco (modern as in what condition it's in now in this case, but could equally apply to a brand new loco), just as you would with a brand new livery, rather than trying to recreate something? So you can think of it as what it would look like if liveries hadn't changed but everything else had, or that any livery, new or old, is just as valid so take your pick on that alone, its age is irrelevant. I can get behind that without it bothering me.

Depends which green. I like this green but I'm not keen on two tone green. Blue was OK when clean and new (on locos, I thought it looked bad on units), but it wasn't clean and new very often.

Maybe a daft question - but is D6817 its genuine pre-TOPS number?

Sounds pretty darned dystopian to me. I might have to put up with that but there's no way in hell I'll embrace it (had to make an appointment for a haircut too, but I'm fine with exceptions in exceptional circumstances).

My experience of Northern, when it comes to the staff, is a mixture of line of easiest resistance, a bunch of jobsworths, and people trying to do their best. Fortunately the last seem to be the most common, although definitely not universal throughout.

I'm not at all unsympathetic to that view but I do find (and I'm talking very generally here, more than just the railways) that despite the good intentions and real practical benefits in many cases behind each measure and scheme the net result is a world I find ever more depressing to live in. Would I feel the same way if my circumstances were different (e.g. not able-bodied)? Who can ever say, although I do always at least try to think "if I was in that position how would I feel?" And don't forget "enjoyable" - the look and feel of your day to day surroundings - can have a very big impact on your state of mind and hence quality of life. No doubt I'll get an earful for this.

If it's got multiple locos and is going to be there for a while then split the train either side of the crossing (not a serious suggestion BTW).

Really does make me think we've just made things far too complicated. It's easy enough to see all the reasons why it it is what it is, but when you take a step back is it really worth it? Anyway, hadn't realised that not even all 68s could work with them (and I also thought they were designed to work with 88s because one of the points of the whole thing was to just change loco instead of the entire train when wired up, although of course that could've been planned with doing the necessary work).

The RES livery looked more like a loco had had a patch repair job and hadn't been repainted. I often saw one on the way to the bus stop from school, and thought that was what it was for a while, just seeing the same loco every time. Took me a while to realise that was what it was supposed to look like.

Interesting to see the 47 above - could that in theory operate the trains, or is it only able to drag them dead (so not able to use the DVT or anything else other than presumably the brakes)?

The Beeb's got a bit of video up too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-53484392/views-from-new-north-yorkshire-to-cumbria-tourist-train

There's something almost model-like about that second picture.

Is it just me or is there something rather surreal about that loco, (what I assume is a support coach or needing something for a brake) and Mk 3s, with that variety of liveries?

The larger units might well have a problem in the future finding a home (particularly electrics), but I'd have thought that many of the smaller two, three, four car units would be ideal for heritage lines, as much as I'd roll my eyes now at the idea of seeing a 195 on one. They might be the main line preserved trains of the future. Good point about being computerised though, whether it'll be practical to keep those technologically complicated trains running or not remains to be seen.

It would require a significant change of culture and attitude in the country in general, a tolerance of the idea that someone will stick themselves out and get hurt or worse.