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Flying Scotsman back on the mainline - 2016


colin penfold

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Due by my back door in about 10 minutes.

 

Trying to photograph a moving black loco at night with minimal lighting ain't gonna happen.......................

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

Edit - passed by very quickly (and relatively quietly) and running well up a 1 in 120 gradient - until the 47 at the back came into view with the handle some way open...................................

Edited by newbryford
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Was the 47 helping with traction or purely head (?tail) end power and brakes?

 

Definitely pushing.

 

On it's test run two days ago, this is it climbing the same bank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sKI0u5SgSo

- going slower and working much harder. Very little noise from the diesel at the back above the traction motor whine.

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Definitely pushing.

 

On it's test run two days ago, this is it climbing the same bank

- going slower and working much harder. Very little noise from the diesel at the back above the traction motor whine.

I agree - I was at Langho this evening to see it go through (I reckon you live about 2 minutes from me) and FS was running very sweetly, almost purring. The 47 at the back certainly wasn't silent.....

 

Steve

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Can you blame them for having the 47 give a bit of a push. The loco is not run in yet and has commitments. The last thing the NRM and Riley's want is for her to sit down on the mainline with a big problem just before her official relaunch. From the footage I've seen she was doing her fair share and sounding good too. Plenty of time for her to be given her head once everyone is happy and she's settled down.

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Can you blame them for having the 47 give a bit of a push. The loco is not run in yet and has commitments. The last thing the NRM and Riley's want is for her to sit down on the mainline with a big problem just before her official relaunch. From the footage I've seen she was doing her fair share and sounding good too. Plenty of time for her to be given her head once everyone is happy and she's settled down.

 

Not a unique situation to FS.

Just about every steam hauled railtour past my house in the past two years or so has a had a bit of a push when there's a diesel on the back....

 

All to do with minimising delay since one slipped to a stand on the same bank.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited by newbryford
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Have to say all this attention over Flying Scotsman and coverage on TV etc has been good for our hobby.

For those who were saying a few years ago that she should be stuffed and mounted. You can argue over how much the restoration/rebuild has cost versus the cost of Tornado/Prince Of Wales but the public profile of THIS locomotive (whether right or wrong) transcends logic just witness the crowds attending a test run!

 

Welcome back old girl, we've missed you!

Edited by Rumblestripe
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Flying Scotsman is an engine that instantly is recognised by its name. Its fully history is often overlooked by many enthusiasts and public alike, due to the amount of information and stories attributed to the engine. This is the one that many think anyone who works on a railway, or did has been near, seen, touched or driven.

 
The protracted overhaul has been a source of some controversy in the recent past, however, its control and management from Ian Riley and his engineering company have brought development, success and conclusion. Gresley himself would be proud of how the engine has been returned to traffic and the decision by the NRM to fit the engine with its A3 boiler, and brief for it to be returned as an A3 in its purest form has been a masterstroke. Now, rather than forcing the design to its maximum power and stress, Ian Riley and the team have restored an engine that was seen to be in excellent condition and prepared as such. The engine seemed to be perfectly balanced, powering easily and running free. Riley and the team are rightly proud of their achievement and this will not be the only post and topic this year that ventures admiration and praise for what the company and this man have done.
 
On the day, with Scotsman in black, the weather seemed equally dark. Driving rain, spray and cold blotted many photographs and caused blur on some. The chase started at Carnforth before venturing to Tebay, where the photo is cropped and not brilliant. Its included more as a token for the day and its place shows that even good photographers (to which I have modestly been described as one) have days where conditions make it very difficult. Really I was too far away, going into rain with Scotsman at speed. The A3 charging north could have been seen at Penrith only to be bowled by a stopping train in the station. Scotsman screamed through charging north.
 
I caught the train again at Culcaith seeing Victorian signalling in action as trains were brought through from one line working. Finally a charge for Ais Gill was more in hope than reason as it was dark and again things went blurred. End score, very much in favour of the A3. Scotsman 3 v Black Hat 2. But what a day…
 

 

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Can you blame them for having the 47 give a bit of a push. The loco is not run in yet and has commitments. The last thing the NRM and Riley's want is for her to sit down on the mainline with a big problem just before her official relaunch. From the footage I've seen she was doing her fair share and sounding good too. Plenty of time for her to be given her head once everyone is happy and she's settled down.

Certainly not complaining and you're quite right - the last thing they need is for something to go wrong. Was certainly doing her fair share of the work - though slightly difficult to tell as she is clearly in phenomenal condition. I'd say she was purring. You can hear a duchess or jubilee from miles off coming up the bank from Whalley - Flying Scotsman was about 400yds away when you heard her and was probably moving a bit quicker too.

 

In any case, The kids loved seeing her and I can't wait to get hauled from York to Carlisle in September!

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When they gonna paint it?

 

After it was taken off the CME at Farington Jn last night, it then went to the NRM.

 

I expect it's next outing may be in something other than black..................

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Latest update from Ian Riley posted yesterday evening following this weekend's trip:

 

'Following a thousand miles, all the running-in and testing culminating with the Railtour this last Saturday, eventually with the loco coming off the train at Euxton Jnct, all of 60103's bearings and axleboxes have run at the acceptable 'running' temperature, as our, and our VAB acceptance inspectors regular inspections and checks confirmed.

However, following the Light Engine and Van move to York on Saturday night one of the engines axleboxes was running at an unacceptable elevated temperature. As such our staff have been busy over the last two days readying the locomotive for us to remove the Wheel-set to examine and rectify any problems we may find. The locomotive is being shunted into the NRM tonight and Riley and NRM staff will remove the wheel-set tomorrow morning.'

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Latest update from Ian Riley posted yesterday evening following this weekend's trip:

 

'Following a thousand miles, all the running-in and testing culminating with the Railtour this last Saturday, eventually with the loco coming off the train at Euxton Jnct, all of 60103's bearings and axleboxes have run at the acceptable 'running' temperature, as our, and our VAB acceptance inspectors regular inspections and checks confirmed.

 

However, following the Light Engine and Van move to York on Saturday night one of the engines axleboxes was running at an unacceptable elevated temperature. As such our staff have been busy over the last two days readying the locomotive for us to remove the Wheel-set to examine and rectify any problems we may find. The locomotive is being shunted into the NRM tonight and Riley and NRM staff will remove the wheel-set tomorrow morning.'

What an interesting form of nu-speak to describe a hotbox.  Alas such things can happen for all sorts of reasons, especially after recent major work - let's hope they can quickly sort the cause and rectify.

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At the NRM now and looking at a black and green 4-4-2 in the workshop. I hadn't seen the press release so I was surprised to see the motion stripped and the leading wheel set removed.

 

Looks as if the right hand bearing has run hot, paint looks like it has burnt off the axle and the bearing area of the axle is discoloured. Horn block from that side is with the wheel set.

 

The side of the tender that I can see from the workshop gallery is getting its first coat of green.

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At the NRM now and looking at a black and green 4-4-2 in the workshop. I hadn't seen the press release so I was surprised to see the motion stripped and the leading wheel set removed.

 

Looks as if the right hand bearing has run hot, paint looks like it has burnt off the axle and the bearing area of the axle is discoloured. Horn block from that side is with the wheel set.

 

The side of the tender that I can see from the workshop gallery is getting its first coat of green.

Did you get a picture of the first green coat by any chance?

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