srihaggis Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 (edited) Beautiful day over Gotham Moor today. Edited June 3, 2017 by srihaggis 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 On the subject of trains working directly to and from thr Mountsorrel branch - the current signalling arrangements allow only non-passenger workings. The GCR have confirmed they will upgrade the signalling at Swithland for regular passenger workings but the cost is £75,000. According to the current edition of Main Line, £70,000 has already been raised. Regular workings may not be too far away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 A long run on a preserved line could be a good substitute for a main line rail tour at most likely the fraction of the cost with what will most likely be a similar sized locomotive evem maybe the same locomotive. Who knows in the future that might be all that's available if main line running ever comes to an end. I recently went to an air show at Duxford and returned a few months later deliberately on a non flying day so I could look around the museums and displays. Both visits took a day each so I would definitely go to a steam running day at a long preserved railway and return to see the static exhibits if they were there. As most of the land and infrastructure is already there it would be silly for the railway in this case not to use it and develop it in the future it might be one of the few places where one will be able to experience period express train speeds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 ...... I think 16-18 miles is about the appropriate length. .... How long's the Welsh Highland line on its own? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul.Uni Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 How long's the Welsh Highland line on its own? IIRC about 25 miles. The FR is 13.5 miles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted June 6, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 6, 2017 The unified GCR is never going to get any longer than the two sections are now. When a preserved HST is running on the whole line in a few years the journey could be fairly quick - the NRM are intending to preserve at least part of an HST, where better to run it than paired with the prototype power car & trailers! Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 If the NRM fail to preserve any of a HST, they'll need to be rounded up, taken out the back and dealt with. A regular HST power car and a couple of trailers is such an obvious thing for the GCR to have - to pair with the prototype, because it's a "main line" and because going Leicester - Loughborough - Nottingham on a HST is something that has been happening for ages... (The NRM will need a power car for York as well, given the ECML connection). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckymucklebackit Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 If the NRM fail to preserve any of a HST, they'll need to be rounded up, taken out the back and dealt with. A regular HST power car and a couple of trailers is such an obvious thing for the GCR to have - to pair with the prototype, because it's a "main line" and because going Leicester - Loughborough - Nottingham on a HST is something that has been happening for ages... (The NRM will need a power car for York as well, given the ECML connection). Are there any with the original power plant, Some in the NRM would argue that they not original because they have a replacement engine - remember what happened to "Ben Alder" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Are there any with the original power plant, Some in the NRM would argue that they not original because they have a replacement engine - remember what happened to "Ben Alder"If they can't see the value of a HST to the national collection, then they are in the wrong job.They have a 31, which lacks a Mirlees engine. And FFS, which could not be described as "original", either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brack Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Indeed, they need one for the ecml motive power sequence. The NRM have a continuous line from 1870 to the present (assuming a 91 goes there as planned). The fact that they have a prototype doesn't preclude them having a production loco too - look at the deltics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted June 7, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 7, 2017 The NRM blog, on another topic, states their intention to acquire a production HST [or part of]: http://blog.nrm.org.uk/managing-national-collection-gifting-t3/ Haven't they run longer and more reliably with the replacement engines? Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted June 7, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 7, 2017 Originally introduced with the Valenta 12RP engine between 1975 and 1982 I am led to believe some HST power cars were re-engined with the Valenta 12VP between 1994 and 2003. The MTU life extension programme was started in 2005. I am, of course, open to correction on this information. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Most of the "Re-engineered by brush" plates on the GWR Power Cars are dated 2006 or 2007. The ones I've noticed anyhow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
srihaggis Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 The NRM couldn't handle the APT-E at York and couldn't even assemble it correctly at Shildon, so doubt they'll be wanting an HST set, the TGS would probably be mistaken for the buffet. A power car maybe. Hopefully they won't 'section' the engine this time round. I'll leave this here though.... http://www.125group.org.uk/aims-objectives/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 (edited) Where would one obtain a Paxman Valenta engine today with which to retro-engineer a class 43? Edited June 8, 2017 by 28XX Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
srihaggis Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Where would one obtain a Paxman Valenta engine today with which to retro-engineer a class 43? There are a few power units at GCRN owned by 125 group, waiting for such a project to happen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckymucklebackit Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Where would one obtain a Paxman Valenta engine today with which to retro-engineer a class 43? Seems to be a market for second hand marine version Paxman Valentas - anyone know what the differences are between these and those fitted to the class 43? http://www.eurotex-intl.com/062-second-paxman-valenta-12rp200-engine-from-unique-%E2%80%98rotable-pool%E2%80%99-concept/ JIm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfsup Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Where would one obtain a Paxman Valenta engine today with which to retro-engineer a class 43? There are a few power units at GCRN owned by 125 group, waiting for such a project to happen. Indeed so, although it's not an easy task to retro-fit an Paxman Valtenta engine back into a HST Power Car - The refurbishment included a lot of new wiring and control system, new radiator / coolergroup set up and I believe the alternator was also refurbished and modernised at the same time. While not impossible, it's not a simple task either. That said, I'm sure that the 125 Group I'm sure are fully aware of what needs to be done and no doubt will have the help of BRUSH back on their side. Of all the current Power Car operations, the East Midlands sets are probably the closest to their original state - and are of course running with VP185 engines, also given the state of some of them, not for much longer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted June 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2017 There is a slight problem is that the railway will have to change from operating under a LRO to a mainline standard, so all the trackwork will have to be upgraded, most likely all coaches with secondary door locking on if going above 25 MPH with a good chance the steam engines will also have to upgraded as well, as you wouldn't be able to run the HST doing 75 MPH and the steam trains doing 25 MPH at the same time. Also all the paper work as well to get the ball rolling as well. Yes they do fast test trains at times, but there is a big difference between allowed to do these and running them with Jo Public bums on seats. I didn't say how quick, did I? The southern section of the GCR is approved for 75mph running for test [non-passenger] trains. 'City of Nottingham' is reputed to have done a ton over Gotham Moor on the last steam special over the line before closure to through trains. We don't expect or need to run passenger trains any faster than 25mph in the near future but the line is engineered to be faster if required. Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted June 10, 2017 Author Share Posted June 10, 2017 Great to hear that 70013 "Oliver Cromwell" was back in steam on service trains today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pom-pom Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 (edited) I didn't say how quick, did I? The southern section of the GCR is approved for 75mph running for test [non-passenger] trains. 'City of Nottingham' is reputed to have done a ton over Gotham Moor on the last steam special over the line before closure to through trains. We don't expect or need to run passenger trains any faster than 25mph in the near future but the line is engineered to be faster if required. Dava Will it still be engineered to the same fast alignment through the new embankments and bridges of the 'gap'? I imagine that if not this would be a speed bottleneck in the middle of the line notwithstanding being single tracked. Loughborough is actually in a dip and was one of the fastest sections on the line along with the down descent into Leicester. My step-father sometimes refers to the speeds he witnessed through Loughborough and there are documented speeds well into the 80s (mph) by various authors, Nock, et al. Perhaps the objective in speeding through Loughborough being an easier climb up the grades both north and south. I seem to recall that the fatal accident under Empress Road bridge in the '30s was at a similar speed too. I'd be amazed to see anything of this nature on the GCR through Loughborough in an accurate recreation of mainline speeds. And I'm sure many wouldn't want to see it - a breathtaking spectacle on a now much more sedentary Loughborough platform. Nick Edited June 11, 2017 by pom-pom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted June 11, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11, 2017 Back in the real world...Expect a permanent speed restriction across the new bridges, Network Rail will own the MMLbridge. There is a slight change in alignment onto the line of the new embankment and you can expect that to be speed restricted until it consolidates. I'm completing the model versions today for the Model Gala next weekend. Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted June 11, 2017 Author Share Posted June 11, 2017 Look forward to seeing you next week Dava. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted June 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2017 GCR Bridge works – in real and model form Work on the GCR bridge foundations is well under way on both sides of the MML. On the North side the large pile borer is on site and in action drilling holes for the abutment support piles. The second photo shows a northbound HST power car passing the site of the new bridge. Pile cylinders can be seen on the work site. Meanwhile I have been completing the update of the 1:148 scale model which will be on show at the GCR Model Gala on June 16-18 at Quorn, on the Friends of the Great Central Main Line stand. The model has been built using the engineering drawings of the new bridge structures, kindly provided by FJD Consulting, the bridge design engineers. The model is to scale although some compression has been necessary to fit it into the site on the layout. Here 46521 hauls the first train to cross the completed bridge. Railway models courtesy of Bachmann Europe. The basic sructures are complete although some scenic finishing and more detailing work needs to be done. An aerial photo of a Class 27 hauled train on the bridge section with an East Midlands Trains unit passing below on the Midland Main Line. The model is designed to operate automatically at events, and will play a useful role in informing visitors about the Bridge project and in the vital fundraising work in the next few years. Swing by the Friends stand at Quorn if you visit the Model gala event! Dava 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
srihaggis Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Photo of the bridge site as viewed from a GCRN train. You can get a better view from the front of the train though. Looks quite a sharp bend from this perspective but guess its angles playing on the eye. Model looks great Dave. Having the shuttle module will bring it to life and be more appealing imho 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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