5944

UK - don't let any body part get anywhere near an open window on pain of death. Raise your hand if you're on a railtour and need the loo. Meanwhile, in Germany...

Just the four people - 2 witches, 2 devils - hanging off the side of the loco during the annual Walpurgis special in the Harz. They travel from Wernigerode to at least Schierke like that, possibly all the way to the Brocken. Oh, and there's a tunnel en route!

On 03/05/2024 at 13:37, 03189 said:

 

Having dropped by Levisham station earlier this week, I've been catching up with the generally eye-opening NYMR-related posts.

 

Since 2008, I've lived within a 30-minute drive of Pickering. Preferring on the whole to watch trains go by, I rarely ride on the NYMR, of which I find interesting only the Levisham to Grosmont stretch. Let's face it, the finest views of the moors are from the A169, whether you're driving or taking the bus. How non-enthusiasts, especially those with children, cope with a five-hour round trip, on the NYMR, from Pickering to Whitby, I don't know. Must seem endless. I grew up near the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, and have always felt that to be the ideal length line for non-enthusiasts.

 

Now I have learned the NYMR's 2024 return-as-often-as-you-like ticket covers the June diesel gala, however, I may be tempted to purchase, even at £49, although I wouldn't envisage returning more than a couple of times during the 12 months I could ride 'for free'.

 

As others have said, it's a real shame single tickets, perfect for walkers, are no longer available between the likes of Levisham and Newtondale Halt, and Grosmont and Goathland. I've used the NYMR, primarily for walking, several times in the past.

Single tickets are available, but not advertised on the website. Apparently revenue was up 23% last year - funnily enough, a very similar amount to the gift aid claimed back from £49 entry passes rather than travel ticket sales. Passenger numbers have stayed the same.

17 hours ago, Tinsley no.3 said:

I dunno, the pony has no spring so can't go no lower and front wheels touch track...  I was curious if the kato 0-4-0 would fit but not sure.. I just want a decent running 1401 for my small titfield train

There should be a spring above the pony wheels - I seem to recall it can be too strong and lift the rear set of driving wheels off the rail a fraction. I'm guessing if there's no spring there then in forwards the front wheels will be lifting slightly.

7 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Interestingly the SBB IC 2000 stock will not be seen coupled to ordinary stock as the inter coach gangway is set high up at the upper deck level.

It does happen very occasionally! Of course the double deck stock is often strengthened adding single deck coaches in front of the driving trailer.

https://flic.kr/p/2mEJ4j9

The high level gangway allows a trolley service to be operated - the carriage behind the loco has a door at the end which allows the trolleys to be loaded and lifted up to the upper deck.

On 01/05/2024 at 16:48, adb968008 said:

6023 was all set to go mainline… in ticket overhauled, ready for trials.

Many good people did not live to see it happen, others walked away after doing the work. Its one thing to overhaul a loco, run a mainline ticket and retire it off the mainline, saying its too hard, expensive etc having had a decade or too to enjoy it… To giving 30 years of your life with the same aim, and literally giving up at the gates, in steam, several times and letting the naysayers have it.

 

I think you need more research.

 

 

 

 

The others you mention all left the mainline decades ago, I could have added many in the 2000’s too… 7812, 42968, 76079 but the point your missing is they came and went, and most are under overhaul still. 6023 came, but didnt get out of the gates, and spent a good five years or so waiting… it was supposed to go mainline… had it arrived a few years earlier in a better landscape it would have happened, same too for 4079.. but that wasnt ready before the decision was taken to abandon it, unlike 6023… will of people saying No, for different reasons, ultimately went against it.  Compare it to say to 35006 which was overhauled for preservation only.

 

Thing is in the last decade a large number of loco owners have taken the “fun whilst it lasted” decision and decieded its too hard, expensive to continue. There was a peak, and since a decline, and now were close to back at 1990’s levels of locos with a slide back to 1980’s looking quite likely.

 

I dont think any mainline steam has ever truly been profitable, as the more you run it the unexpected bigger the bills & repairs get. I dont believe wcrc and lsl are exempt from math that either, its just one found a subsidiary set of activities to make it work, the other started with a very big sack of cash and is ok with it spending it, just remember LSL wasnt the first bag of money for mainline preservation  in Crewe, and look how that ended.

Enjoy it whilst you can… ive watched steam fade all over the world, I see the same thing happening here.

 

6023 on the mainline would've been interesting, for the simple reason it was such a hungry and thirsty loco, it would've been virtually useless. When first overhauled, before the new blastpipe was fitted, it was using about 3000 gallons of water on a 26-mile round trip on the Mid Norfolk, not exactly a mountainous line. Even after the new blastpipe was fitted, it was still never that good, barely being able to complete a round trip on NYMR or WSR without needing to be topped up.

Yes, slow, stop-start preserved line running is inefficient, but for a loco that hadn't done a huge amount of mileage, the front end was very worn. 2999 isn't much better by all accounts - lots of potential but loads of little faults with it. 

14 hours ago, Johann Marsbar said:

The B1 seemed to have an aversion to The Fine City  in the early 2000's as I travelled on a run from Liverpool St on 10th November 2001 which was supposed to carry on to Lowestoft and then return via the East Suffolk Line.  However the B1 aquired a hot box on the outward run to Norwich and we ended up with this.....

 

 

The 67 wasn't passed to run via the East Suffolk, so we had to return via Norwich (Wensum Curve), though whoever was in Control that day added interest to the return trip by routeing us through lots of little used loops and other lines on the way back!

Down passenger loops in the up direction were a specialty that day! Lots of random crossovers as well. 

https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/00s/040410rt.htm

61264 suffered a fair bit of boiler damage that day, several broken stays for example. The run back with 37057 was good fun. 121 minutes Norwich to Liverpool St including a 7 minute stop at Ipswich, not bad for an 80mph loco. Very few passengers on board so no problems getting the front window. Full power applied through Colchester station sent passengers scurrying away from the edge of the platform!

3 hours ago, ess1uk said:

So they shouldn’t be too difficult to fit for the remaining few that work out of Kings Cross?

Physically, no, not that difficult, though it's an aftermarket mod so not as simple as fitting during construction. I'm not entirely sure what the issue is with 387101, but I believe it's related to having both ETCS and TPWS installed which is causing the problems.

Some of the GN ones have had parts of the underframe equipment fitted - balises, cabling, brackets, etc - but nothing upstairs yet. Though work will now be concentrated on 387102-115 as the first 15 are staying with GN, the rest will be moving south of the river once the 379s are transferred across.

1 hour ago, ess1uk said:

First in class 66039 is ready to undergo testing of its Siemens ETCS equipment at Old Dalby 

Hopefully it'll work better than 387101, which is currently 18 months into an 11 month programme for fitment and testing!

40 minutes ago, Matt37268 said:

60007’s owners have said they’re happy to work with other operators though, just as long as it doesn’t clash with the commitments they have with LSL, I also believe they’re rather happy to have 60007 not overworked. 

Indeed - not even so much as a tentative email received regarding the loco's availablity.

2 hours ago, MarkC said:

Hope not.

 

In any case, RTT is reporting that the Kidderminster - Crewe working is being operated by "60532 Blue Peter", and it's now on its way.

 

Mark

60532 + support coach + 37667 on the rear.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U11829/2024-04-30/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U11830/2024-04-30/detailed

60532 being taken back to Crewe on Tuesday morning.

14 hours ago, uax6 said:

 

I'm aware of the unpleasantness, I was just going down the retention tank route (down the pan?) to try and find a reason why the Mk1's were in the train.....

 

Andy G

 

Looks like WCRC are using them as 35 tonne portaloos.

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Or some of the Italian Franco Crosti's. 

 

Jamie

Oh I don't know, they're not that bad, certainly not compared to the RENFE versions...

Chimney through the boiler anyone?!

On 20/04/2024 at 19:22, Ron Ron Ron said:

BA377 is a full size model Spitfire IX

 

 

.

https://iconic-ww2aircraft.co.uk/mark-ix-spitfire-1

That would make it more original than a lot of the Spitfires flying today! 

Regarding the Jaguars at Cosford, a lot have moved on and aren't operational. Cosford have got three Hawks and the Typhoon prototype that was previously on display at Duxford for training. 

Talking of Typoons, ZJ913 was rolled out this morning for the cameras, ready for the 2024 airshow season...

Oooh....! Appears ZJ914 "Blackjack" will be the spare jet this season.

35 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

All 3 of Ian Rileys Black 5’s have air braking, they have done for many years.

And today all three are in use in Scotland… 45407/44871 are to Glasgow, then Inverness tomorrow, whilst 45212 is on the Mallaig.

 

I suspect you may be right on vac braked stock, and hence the cdl hold off…. Because the expense triples… AB mk1’s, AB the steam locos then CDL the stock.

 

There seems to be a mk1 exemption date running until 2028 too… theres no guarentees that goal post wont shift either to an outright ban of mk1’s no matter what…

 

Then there is also sealing the droplights and fitting interior doir handles….

 

it also means any other steam preservation groups 45596, 45305,777,70013,76084 wont be able to go mainline any more either unless a vac braked cdl solution emerges… 

 

I do see a lot of business risk to this… LSL has thrown huge wedges at its dozen coaches.. WCRC I still think may run until the end and just wrap it all up… Carnforths seaside location and proximity to the motorway is a multi million property development just waiting to be scooped up… the scrapping coaches / diesel fleet and clearing the site a huge tax offset to the above…

 

put it another way.., if I owned that lot and only cared about money.. i’d be binning the lot for a property development too… theres way more potential there than wcrcs company value.

 

 

 

 

 

SRPS are fitting their dual-braked Mk1s with electrical CDL that doesn't need an air supply, and I assume Vintage will do the same to their stock as well. So the solution is out there, but the Yorkshire farmer isn't willing to stump up the cash to fit it to his stock. Instead he's happy to lose the income from about 50 railtours in the summer - he's said the air con isn't effective in Mk2s in the summer so the stock won't be used. RTC have about 35 trips booked from mid-May to mid-Sept, WCRC have about 15. Yet WCRC are still happy to send the Northern Belle out every few days in the summer!

12 minutes ago, Tony Teague said:

If that is right it would be very odd, with Sir Archie out, the Atlantic expected and the Q on fast overhaul.

I hope you are wrong!

Tony

There's also 73082 and 80151 as well, so 5 big locos with 30541 expected back at some point. Does seem a bit of overkill but if the owners and the railway are happy, then it's all good.

1 hour ago, nightstar.train said:

Maybe. But I’d think a rake of Mk3s with 37s will attract a lot more rail enthusiasts than “civilians”. Overseas tourists will want a steam engine pulling red coaches to get the Harry Potter experience. And even if it’s aimed at local tourists it’s still very short notice, and rather early in the morning. The last trains did get some punters, but not even enough to fill 2 coaches. I doubt it made a single pfennig in profit. They’d be better running in the afternoon Jacobite slot. Although do WCRC own that at this time of year? They obviously do in the summer, I’m not familiar with their access agreements. 

160 passengers on the Monday, 40 on the Tuesday I believe. It's not possible to get it to it by train without staying overnight the previous day, which really doesn't help.  Then 4 hours back in Fort William before the next train south. 

At least today's passengers didn't have to worry about the weather in Mallaig - the train stalled leaving Glenfinnan and couldn't get going again, even with hand sanding. Driver had to go back to Fort William to fetch a diesel.

7 minutes ago, ruggedpeak said:

Apologies if this has been answered before, but if no ETH loco what powers the CDL?

The coach batteries. It only needs power to unlock it, air pressure keeps the locks engaged in service.

22 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

Couldn't see a loco on the back of for ETH etc and why is there a mk1 between each mk2.

 

Are they trying to prove something here or finding a way to get around the regulations and avoid fitting CDL to the Mk1s.

 

It certainly arrived with a 47 on the tail as the ECS from Carnforth.

 

 

Because in their wisdom, rather than sending one of their dozen or so ETS fitted 47s/57s up the Fort William, the ranch dispatched 47245. The other two WCRC locos up there are a pair of non-ETS fitted 37s.

I really feel for the passengers today. You have two hours in cold, very wet and very windy Mallaig, and your train back is a set of cold, dark Mk2s that have been parked up for years until this week. WCRC are massively shooting themselves in the foot with this farce of an operation.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ViYzQA2jJ15C4WvJ/

45212 tender first. Looks very dark in the coaches! 

Edit - load 7. Four CDL Mk2s and three Mk1s with the doors locked out of use.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/UH7aiw9TJNM2qiCW/

6989 is staying for the 2025 season as well.

On 14/04/2024 at 10:41, rogerzilla said:

The SVR website says it won't be running at next weekend's steam gala.  Must have teething troubles.

They haven't had time to find out if it's got teething troubles! It was meant to be ready in January (or 2018 if you read their website) but has only just been completed. It's already missed two galas, won't be at SVR in time, and its booking for WSR in May has been cancelled as well.

The Bluebell Atlantic group have got it right - it'll be ready when it's ready. I know they've got a date in mind, but won't announce it publicly until it's completed and fully tested.

15 hours ago, Jeremy Cumberland said:

Do you have a rule book you can quote from?

 

There is nothing in RSR99 that precludes taking doors out of passenger use. It is only doors for use by passengers that require CDL. Of course, there may well be some other rule that prevents operators from locking doors out of use.

 

@phil-b259 pointed out earlier in this thread that Mk1 RUs didn't have any passenger doors - something I had forgotten (and now that I do some checking, I don't think RBs had passenger doors either). Would these be permitted today? Doubtless the loose seats that RUs used to have wouldn't be permitted, but these could be replaced with fixed seats.

 

I see WCRC does have an RU in its fleet (1961), but it has had the seating removed.

 

Edit: I spent so long writing this that Phil got in before me.

The RUs and RBRs have emergency doors that can only be opened from the inside, as well as the doors in and around the kitchen area. I'd be very surprised if ORR allowed WCRC to run with a passenger-carrying RMB in the middle of the set with all the doors locked shut.

But I'm sure all will become clear soon as the empty stock arrived at Fort William on time this morning. 6 degrees and windy up there at the moment. It's going to be bloody cold on the train as WCRC contrived to send their only non-ETS fitted 47 up with the stock. How long will the batteries last for the lights and CDL? I can only hope they've found some way of charging them up, otherwise it's going to be a disaster.