Jump to content
 

Tornado fails on ECML


Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

Never mind, some Great Western engine will bend a firebar or get a hot box soon. But the thread title ignores the work put in by the A1 Trust to repair their loco which is now running again.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Pardon me for daring to criticize the A1 Trust.

 

My only objection is that they are not doing a very good PR job. If the root-cause is still under investigation or they are prohibited from making any findings public for now, they could easily say that. What's so difficult about that?

Why are you so worried? Comments from a country which introduced the "litigation " culture which has spread to the UK means is a bit cheap. So long as the A1 Trust has completed a review and repair to match the needs of Network Rail and their own insurers when the information from that review is published, in whichever way it is made public is up to them. 

 

Of course you can come back to the UK and become part of the Trust to ensure they provide the PR information that you want when you want it.

 

Baz

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

I rather imagine that issues of commercial and professional confidentiality apply to anything relating to insurance and chartering, and PR is a long way behind that. The A1 Trust are doubtless, focussed on maintaining their relationships within the complex web of stakeholders without whom, there IS no main line running - and this is as it should be.

 

And let’s be clear about this. It’s all very interesting to know, as an otherwise uninvolved third party, what did, or didn’t actually occur but in the wider scheme of things, it isn’t a priority for anyone directly involved.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Gresley was trained at Crewe, then went to the L&Y, I think, on the carriage & wagon side, then to the Great Northern in the same capacity. He didn't get into locomotive matters until HA Ivatt retired. His locomotive designs were not without their flaws, although from the writings of others who were around at the time, he was not one to acknowledge his mistakes.

 

Jim

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

There's already plenty of rubbish in this thread so I'll throw a bit more in. 

 

Gresley was trained at Crewe, ............

....His locomotive designs were not without their flaws, although from the writings of others who were around at the time, he was not one to acknowledge his mistakes.

Jim

 

Perhaps his conjugated valve gear was something he dreamed up when studying the Compounds of F W Webb, who would have been Boss at Crewe when HNG was there.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Speaking as a born and bred LMS man, I wonder why it is that one of their 'bit rubbish' engines still holds the World Speed Record?

Probably because they never had a really good opportunity to allow a Duchess to fully flex its muscles.

(Ducks behind parapet now and dons tin helmet)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Probably because they never had a really good opportunity to allow a Duchess to fully flex its muscles.

(Ducks behind parapet now and dons tin helmet)

But the LMS did test the track holding capabilities! The loco was also able to complete its journey.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

But the LMS did test the track holding capabilities! The loco was also able to complete its journey.

Yes, but I suspect that ANY Duchess (streamlined or otherwise) could have hit 130mph given the conditions that Mallard had - ie a long slow descent with no difficult curves - such conditions did not exist on the LMS system anywhere.  I know from talking to some drivers that some of the speeds achieved were very fast indeed in the 1950s - one or two have claimed that they were WELL over 120 mph - however that could just be talk - my late uncle, who was a senior man at Crewe said that most if not all of the Duchesses had "a hell of a lot more to give".

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On a very basic level, given what it's cost them, I'd be very surprised if the A1 Trust just shrugged their collective shoulders and said "s#%£ happens". Ditto the other players (NR, assorted insurers, any engineering subcontractors from the initial build and subsequent maintenance). As I and others have said, those who need to know will know as much as can be determined. That's hardly a cover-up. The general public, even the enthusiast general public, has repeatedly, over the years, shown itself to be, on average, unable to understand the engineering concepts involved in anything more complex than, say, a wheelbarrow. I can certainly understand putting out technical details to those not directly involved as being a low priority when allocating limited resources.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Comments from a country which introduced the "litigation " culture which has spread to the UK means is a bit cheap.

 

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Charles Dickens exposed a blooming English litigation culture in his novel Bleak House.

 

What is cheap is attempting to suppress the views of someone for no other reason than they "don't belong".

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Charles Dickens exposed a blooming English litigation culture in his novel Bleak House.

 

What is cheap is attempting to suppress the views of someone for no other reason than they "don't belong".

 

I quite agree, I really don't see where a poster is from as being relevant to their opinions in most cases. Exceptions tend to be in wheeltappers where we discuss off topic things where there may well be a regional slant.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

It is cheap for someone overseas to demand information from the A1 Trust which is not relevant to them or will impact their lives. This has been covered in PMs but obviously this isn't enough.

 

Baz

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

It is cheap for someone overseas to demand information from the A1 Trust which is not relevant to them or will impact their lives. This has been covered in PMs but obviously this isn't enough.

 

Baz

Why? Much of the news anybody on this board will take an interest in is hardly to affect their lives, it doesn't stop them asking questions or taking an interest in things. Nor should it. And are we to believe no overseas residents have provided any financial benefit for the A1 Trust? I find the concept of limiting what interest a person may take in a subject because of where they live to be a rather sinister idea. Where does it stop?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Back on topic, I saw Tornado running this afternoon over the Ham  Lane crossing  at Ferry Meadows Country Park.   The Nene Valley Railway also has Flying Scotsman there this weekend, and according to their website is completely sold out. They were even warning over resale of tickets and ticket-touts, so looks like it'll be very popular.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It is cheap for someone overseas to demand information from the A1 Trust which is not relevant to them or will impact their lives. This has been covered in PMs but obviously this isn't enough.

 

Baz

 

Hi Baz,

 

Nobody is demanding anything.  "Overseas" visitors contribute significant monies to the UK economy because of live steam.

 

Andy

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...