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Coronation Bittern


Mike J

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Guest Belgian

Hi Belgian,

 

you say that the 'water carrier' tender hasn't been disguised - I'm not sure exactly what you mean? If you mean that they haven't disguised it as a coach or wagon, then maybe that's true. However, if you mean it will stand out like a sore thumb, then you may just need to wait until tomorrow to see B) ;)

 

I'm sure 4492 will impress - just wish I could see its first mainline railtour run!!

 

Cheers,

Ixion.

OK, I've waited and seen it, so I return to and stand by my original comments - the second tender looks totally out of place.

 

And I give it 10 out of 10 on the awfulness scale, but the loco and one tender 10 out of 10 on the beauty scale.

 

JE

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Have to admit that I'm undecided about the second tender but it has to be superior to a bogie tank wagon or similar behind the loco. I'm unsure why a water-stop was required at Grantham with all that extra capacity on board but jolly glad it was, as it allowed a really good chance to admire 4492 in all her splendour.

 

I've uploaded a few stills on Flickr, including some close-up detail shots.

 

4492 at Grantham

 

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It looks superb!

 

I have one free morning this week and am very tempted to pop to the NRM to it! Shame Mallard is exiled in Shildon - the two of them side by side at the 'cafe end' of the Great Hall would have been a superb site!

 

OK, I've waited and seen it, so I return to and stand by my original comments - the second tender looks totally out of place.

 

And I give it 10 out of 10 on the awfulness scale, but the loco and one tender 10 out of 10 on the beauty scale.

I'd say it's no more at odds with the appearance than the OHLE! :lol:

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Thanks to those posting photos and videos. I went to see her go through Retford like .... er.... an express train! She purred through at about 75mph, a couple of minutes early, looking and sounding magnificent.

 

Let's face it, whatever colour the tender was painted would have caused some adverse comment from somebody because however you look at it, two tenders is not and never will be authentic for the 1930s. As has been said already, the whole ECML has changed dramatically since we last saw a garter blue valanced "streak" out of the "cross".

 

I just think that the fact that we can still see things like this at all is to be celebrated and cherished.

 

Is there a whole blue and grey rake of carriages around? The all maroon set (apart from the leading support carriage) looked very nice but a blue/grey set would be getting us that bit closer to what Sir Nigel intended!

 

Anybody with the numbers available fancy checking out the running time (omitting water stops) and comparing it to the pre war scheduled time? I reckon that a good run with much of it at a steady 75mph gets pretty close to the pre war streamline timings (as Tornado did on the Top Gear challenge run).

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I have to admit to mixed feelings about the way this thing looks now. I've had quite a deep relationship with 60019 over a fair few years now both in helping to restore it and then having the pleasure of driving it on numerous occasions. For me A4's were trainspotting at KX in the early 60's, always seeming to be immaculate in Brunswick green - so green does it for me.

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Thanks to the good captain (Adam) for posting the above video of 4492 (60019). She does look superb. What a great job on the paintwork and numbering/lettering.

Unfortunately I didn't get to see her in the flesh as me and my mate Geoff were busy constructing his layout while our respective 'other halves' were using the cars.

I will have to try harder next time.

 

Edit;- Thanks also to all who posted photos and videos on page 2 which I've just caught up with. (You've all been voted a big green plus!)

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I have to admit to mixed feelings about the way this thing looks now. I've had quite a deep relationship with 60019 over a fair few years now both in helping to restore it and then having the pleasure of driving it on numerous occasions. For me A4's were trainspotting at KX in the early 60's, always seeming to be immaculate in Brunswick green - so green does it for me.

 

I love the garter blue - but...

 

post-1656-0-20014900-1302984557_thumb.jpg

 

I prefer Bittern as Bittern, to be honest - her own identity I thought the Coronation livery might sway me: it's certainly nice for a one-off, and gives us a sight we haven't see for years. But Bittern deserves to be Bittern.

 

Once Bittern, twice shy, it seems!

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For those interested Anthony Coulls has posted on the National Preservation Forum that 4492 will be on display on the NRM car park until Thursday 21st. After that happens I do not know but fingers crossed for a trip to Grosmont to link up with the teak set.

 

I saw this loco coming south L/E after coming off the train and have to say it is a real credit to the team who did the work. Is it too early to predict this loco will be in the Hornby 2012 programme?

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Yes, I have to admit that I prefer Bittern as Bittern for the long haul, but as a one off (3 years???) the choice of alternative ID and livery is very exciting. To see an A4 in the flesh as Dominion of New Zealand and previously as Silver Link has given all of us A4 fans (and steam fans in general) the chance to see something we thought we'd never see except on grainy old films and picture books. I'm all for it as a temporary change.

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For those interested Anthony Coulls has posted on the National Preservation Forum that 4492 will be on display on the NRM car park until Thursday 21st. After that happens I do not know but fingers crossed for a trip to Grosmont to link up with the teak set.

 

I saw this loco coming south L/E after coming off the train and have to say it is a real credit to the team who did the work. Is it too early to predict this loco will be in the Hornby 2012 programme?

 

Thanks Ed, forgot to post it on here in all my haste last night. And yes, we were going to try and pair her up with 4468, but 'twas not to be this week, but who knows? We have 3 years of 4492... :blink:

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Here is 'Dom' on the way back to York this evening through Northallerton 15mins early.

 

Not everyone managed the shot..... courtesy of Cross Country

 

Not being an expert on A4's is the nameplate suppose to be bent downwards at the front?

 

Mike Wiltshire

post-9992-0-13176700-1302990246_thumb.jpg

post-9992-0-21752900-1302990412_thumb.jpg

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It does look absolutely superb in LNER garter blue, the team at Southall have done a great job.

 

Intriguing though - no OHLE warning stickers... :unsure:

 

Regards,

 

Dan

 

Sshhhh...

Don't say that, or the lack of OHLE warning stickers will no doubt encourage lots of otherwise sensible people to climb all over the boiler/tender when she's under the wires and partake of 25,000 of the National Grid's finest volts.:blink:

In fact, in lieu of the stickers, it amazing dozens haven't been killed already. Someone better tell the HSE Gestapo!:rolleyes:

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Anybody with the numbers available fancy checking out the running time (omitting water stops) and comparing it to the pre war scheduled time? I reckon that a good run with much of it at a steady 75mph gets pretty close to the pre war streamline timings (as Tornado did on the Top Gear challenge run).

 

Despite that being a run that was arranged with NR/NatEx staff onboard, I do believe last Novembers 'Christmas Coronation' (which was a 'normal' raitlour) actually bettered the Top Gear timings.

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I love the garter blue - but...

 

post-1656-0-20014900-1302984557_thumb.jpg

 

I prefer Bittern as Bittern, to be honest - her own identity I thought the Coronation livery might sway me: it's certainly nice for a one-off, and gives us a sight we haven't see for years. But Bittern deserves to be Bittern.

 

Once Bittern, twice shy, it seems!

 

Can't say that I love garter blue unfortunately - the almost total lack of lining makes it just too plain and the stainless steel embellishments don't improve it either. Bring back Mallard!

 

Yes, Bittern should be Bittern, not Silver Link or Dominion of New Zealand.

 

When it was in B.R. green it looked nearly right, now sadly, to me at least it looks somewhat wrong and far, far less appealing.

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Sshhhh...

Don't say that, or the lack of OHLE warning stickers will no doubt encourage lots of otherwise sensible people to climb all over the boiler/tender when she's under the wires and partake of 25,000 of the National Grid's finest volts.:blink:

In fact, in lieu of the stickers, it amazing dozens haven't been killed already. Someone better tell the HSE Gestapo!:rolleyes:

More admiring how they had managed to get away with it actually...

 

Regards,

 

Dan

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