Flying Scotsman

Go on! Outshop it with that exact number displayed - I dare you!

 

are you trying to turn Anthony into a hermit? if he does that, there’s nowhere he could hide but it would be very very amusing to hear the howls of indignation

 

That's Steam Railway's 1st April cover sorted out, then!

 

But if you can't wait that long, here's a taste of roughly what it could look like

http://www.fictitiousliveries.co.uk/photo.php?S_98832_BRB.jpg

 

Nice - but really needs a full yellow end, including the smokebox door.

 

No yellow front end, but a yellow numberplate!

 

Nice shot.
If this was John Farrow's Hertfordshire Railtours trip on 21st March 1987 then I think I was on the support team - but had forgotten about the TOPS number plate! I believe there was a little 'gibber' amongst the photographic fraternity at the time!
Just glimpsed behind the tender was "ETHEL 3" [97252] to provide ETS for the SLOA Pullmans. It had been outshopped in Inter-City livery only a few days earlier I believe.
This tour was a very long day leaving Marylebone and going via (if I remember correctly) Banbury [water]; Derby [water: http://railwayherald.com/imagingcentre/view/102168/PL]; Chesterfield; somewhere near Barrow Hill [water]; Beighton Junction enabling a northern entry to Sheffield. On the return, the climb up to Dore was phenomenal, as you might expect, and "ETHEL 3" could not be heard at all above the single chimney bark.

Seeing the front vacuum hose reminded me that I had first painted it white whilst she'd been at Stratford Depot (RIP) in November 1984 as part of 4472 being 'Stratford Royalised' for the formal opening of the North Woolwich Railway Museum (RIP).
Go to: https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/tornado.10750/page-83 [fourth item] for my fuller write-up. Here's proof about the gauging run (not my photo): https://www.flickr.com/photos/24287492@N02/14467650080/ - and, yes, there are the two BR technicians either side (in white boiler suits, face masks and white hard hats) on the running plates. When going through Connaught Tunnel in Silvertown there was less than an inch clearance, between roof and chimney rim, and those two gents had to endure the blower hard-on creating lots of smoke/fumes! As a result. the fireman (Reggie Rowe) ensured the boiler was nearly full on the actual job. The Driver, Tony Gooding, also took part in both trial and actual runs. He retired from the footplate some years ago and lives on the East Coast in Norfolk. Unfortunately I never kept in touch with Fireman Rowe although I seem to recall he kept wearing a greasetop hat, whilst driving diesels and electrics, well into the late '80s.

 

Wot? A Stratford 'royal' paint job with no white wheel rims?? Shocking.

 

I respect your point of view, but beg to differ! Personally, yellow ends are probably my least favourite aspect of modern railway aesthetics (though I fully appreciate the neccessity of them). The trouble for me is that, generally speaking, adding yellow to a colour scheme makes it look cheap and naff (with a few exceptions, e.g. Railfreight grey).

I'll try to avoid dragging this too far off-topic, but have a browse on the Fictitious Liveries site and you'll find some examples of BR diesel liveries with the yellow ends removed - personally I think it makes them look a lot more sophisticated.

 

Fascinating to read that Peter and it's a very interesting picture of the two inspectors that you have found!

I think this is why so many people are so passionate about 4472/60103. She has been involved in so many impressive events and feats over her entire life; what a career she has had.
At the weekend I finally got time to start watching the DVD's in this excellent NRM Flying Scotsman box set I bought last year (pictured below). The first DVD has some cracking footage of her in the 1960's just after Alan Pegler had bought her from BR. I did not know that after she was returned to single chimney form (but not repainted) she then carried out some test runs whilst still in her 60103 BR guise. Never seen any pictures or footage of that before watching the DVD. I thought that she went straight back into LNER livery after Alan had bought her. There is also some great footage of her on Rail tours throughout the Sixties. Of particular note are the runs on which she exceeded 90mph. Some superb shots of her hammering along in the 80's and 90's much like the footage of 4464 in recent times.

 

During its getting-on-for-100 years this loco has had at least three kinds of boiler, single and double chimneys, smoke deflectors or not, several liveries and several numbers. I am dubious how many even among enthusiasts could accurately list which combinations have existed at one time or another in the past and are thus in some sense "authentic" and which have never existed yet. With so many already, my personal view would be that there's no harm in adding some new ones, though only new combinations of features that have existed individually before, nothing completely new apart from the bits and bobs needed for main line running nowadays.

 

Two types of cylinders steam chests, valve gear, right hand to left hand drive, cab and tender at least as well.

 

Not forgetting Cow Catcher, bell & Yankee Headlight..........

 

Not forgetting the foot operated (tri-tone? ) chime fitted during Australian trips.

 

Perhaps we should have a competition to work out what combination of features which have previously all appeared on the loco would, when combined, most offend the purists...

 

I think a far more profitable avenue would be for us to all place bets on which month either she moves under her own power or when the main line loaded test run is?!

 

When did the TOPS no. change from 98772 to 98872?

 

Update

http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/see/photos.aspx

 

Not to distract from the A3 updates but looks like a brand new welded Stanier tender tank in the last photo.

Going on the info. Looks like the IR/ ELR will be running 60103 in on said railway.

 

If I were asked to choose a livery for Flying Scotsman I suppose the condition that she existed in for the longest period of time (if there is one?) in her long life would be my choice.