The Aberdonian 14/3/19

[Bob Reid]

Well it's not the original Aberdonian, what with the absence of most of the Caley main line from Glasgow and no Buchanan Street, but this A1 does a good job of impersonating it...

 

Stonehaven (1Z63 10:14 Edinburgh to Aberdeen) 14/3/2019

 

Last engine of this ilk up to Aberdeen was the Peppercorn A2 60532 Blue Peter in 1994! - okay different class, but maybe one day it'll be back, and then there's the P2 to come. This A1 however, makes it look all so easy.

 

Bob.

[Bob Reid]

As a side note, this was only made possible by the sterling efforts of the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust.  Without them the 1906 70' Caledonian Railway turntable was sure to have gone elsewhere, or for scrap!

 

Here, courtesy of Aberdeen M.R.C. is a video of 60163 being turned at Ferryhill.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by Bob Reid

[Mallard60022]

Is the chap meant to be turning that handle that way round. He would surely have got better purchase on it by facing the engine? Loss of steam age skills and 'tricks'?

Hey ho, thanks for the vid. Lovely engine of course. Hope it performs well.

Phil

[Bob Reid]

No idea.  The gearing on it makes it fairly easy work anyway - a dam sight easier anyway than it was as built - just two big levers to push the table round - one at each end.   I've no idea whether they'll follow the LMSR's example and at some point reinstate the original vacuum motor with of course the modern air equivalent!

 

Bob