What would you like to see in preservation?

[Clay Country]

Most important thing I'd like to see in the preservation movement is preserved lines being able to run with passengers at higher speeds where appropriate.

 

Don't get me wrong - the 25mph light railway concept is good for preservation and suits a lot of preservation activity, particularly the lines maintained with a few volunteers which go from nowhere to nowhere, and have only one or two stations.

 

Other lines however have a longer run, better pway on good alignments, and the skills to maintain it to a better than required standard for a 25mph light railway. I'm thinking here of lines like the SVR or the GC, both of whom have been permitted to run faster, but AFAIK not while open to the public.

 

IMHO that's the most important thing to fix. I know not every preserved railway would benefit, but for those who have a longish run and a connection to one or more towns and/or other transport links, it would offer an opportunity to provide transport to take people places, rather than just to attract visitors. 40mph has been proposed as a practical minimum for this kind of operation, and circa 55 or 60mph would be preferable...

 

A big problem with a higher-speed railway is cost - you use more fuel, more wear and tear on infrastructure and rolling stock, and particularly locomotives, which will stretch maintenance resources. Even the most modern steam locomotives (Tornado excepted) are pretty venerable machines with very high maintenance costs, and thrashing them will add immensely to the costs of running heritage railways. I'd also say the pace heritage railways operate at suits most of their customers - time to sit back and contemplate the countryside, which is a real selling point of lines like the SVR.

 

A lot more achievable would be to re-create a 12LVA24 powered "class 48" - it would actually be possible to obtain the engine for these, as they aren't anywhere near as rare. Are any of the five original locos (albeit re-engined to class 47s) still extant and in a condition worth saving? There is some appeal to re-fitting the V engine to a loco that originally had it, rather than one of the many others that never did...

 

This is an interesting idea. One of the original Class 48s, D1705, still survives and is operational at the GCR.

[Bloodnok]

A big problem with a higher-speed railway is cost - you use more fuel, more wear and tear on infrastructure and rolling stock, and particularly locomotives, which will stretch maintenance resources.

 

There's also ride dynamics to consider. Most preserved lines use Mk1 coaches with BR1 bogies, which ride pretty badly at 25mph - and are a lot more stable and smooth at 40mph. (Yes, I know the SVR pride themselves on using all commonwealths, but they are the exception, not the rule). Running at a more appropriate speed for the stock is likely to result in less wear and thus less maintenance required.

 

Even the most modern steam locomotives (Tornado excepted) are pretty venerable machines with very high maintenance costs, and thrashing them will add immensely to the costs of running heritage railways.

 

I'd hardly suggest that 40mph is 'thrashing' a locomotive. Well, assuming you've got a mainline loco, not a shunter. Even a trip freight loco shouldn't be too stressed at 40mph. Obviously, if you are running with shunters, then maybe 25mph is more the right speed - there's nothing stating that you *have* to go faster, just that the best maintained preserved railways wouldn't be quite as restricted.

[coachmann]

I'd like to see in preservation......the whole of North Wales from Chester to Holyhead and branchlines. Steam centre at Chester supplying locos for mainline. Smaller centre at Llandudno Junction for shedding tank locos to work Llandudno-Betws-Y-Coed, plus Gaerwen to Amlwch. Heritage DMU service on through services from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

 

Out-based GWR Pannier tanks in Blaenau to work Trawsfynedd Branch while Welsh Assembly and Euro-Grants reinstate track onwards to Bala and from Corwen to Bala. Chester out and back Snowdonia Land Cruises throughout summer season. Preserved locos and carriage owners invited to provide for these services on 5 year contract. Any Mk.2D stock lying around in sidings to be refurbished for Rheilffordd Steam. BR 1949-55 the chosen livery. Polish coal to be docked at Llysfaen.

 

De-regulated bus companies to be returned to Scotland along with this Governent and any weather forecasters.....

 

In yer dreams....

[RELIEF SIGNALMAN]

I'd like to see in preservation......the whole of North Wales from Chester to Holyhead and branchlines. Steam centre at Chester supplying locos for mainline. Smaller centre at Llandudno Junction for shedding tank locos to work Llandudno-Betws-Y-Coed, plus Gaerwen to Amlwch. Heritage DMU service on through services from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

 

Out-based GWR Pannier tanks in Blaenau to work Trawsfynedd Branch while Welsh Assembly and Euro-Grants reinstate track onwards to Bala and from Corwen to Bala. Chester out and back Snowdonia Land Cruises throughout summer season. Preserved locos and carriage owners invited to provide for these services on 5 year contract. Any Mk.2D stock lying around in sidings to be refurbished for Rheilffordd Steam. BR 1949-55 the chosen livery. Polish coal to be docked at Llysfaen.

 

De-regulated bus companies to be returned to Scotland along with this Governent and any weather forecasters.....

 

In yer dreams....

 

 

Mmmmm .... very unlikely, but a nice thought !