LE Movements, ECS and Test Runs 2017

BIL and Leander out to play together - just after Clapham (the inspection edited) then Giggleswick on the return:

 

Other than the daft comment here and there surely Steam is a side stall after the scum bags struck again this week .

 

Who's disappointed?? Not me that's for sure.

 

Any enthusiast who likes to see all the effort gone in to restoring a locomotive to then not finish the job properly and honour it's historical importance? I suspect there are a good percentage who fall into that category?

I'm very happy to see BIL in operation, but I'm still a bit disappointed and will remain so, unless it gets the right number, the right nameplates, the crest facing the right way and the correct colour. I fully expect all of the those except the colour to be 'Carnforth's little joke' and they will be corrected by the time she hauls her first charter.

 

Yes, that's fair comment, but some of us enthusiasts like to look a little bit further than the dress that a loco. is wearing, some of us enjoy what the restorers have turned out regardless., some of us look at what it was when it came out of the scrap yard and to be honest, I would care if it was left unpainted but restored to near mechanical perfection. Some of us remember the 60's when the vast majority of steam locomotives looked as though they'd never seen a paint brush and god knows where the nameplates were.
I once got on a United Airlines 747 that looked like a patchwork quilt on the outside, but mechanically it was sound, it had been fully stripped down and overhauled and when I asked I was told it was going in for a repaint when it got back to America.

 

One for Mr Smith...LINK

 

Totally agree the mechanical integrity is the absolute priority which is why it is a little surprising to see effort expended on fripparies aimed at displeasing those that would otherwise be totally supportive. One only has to see the splendid illustrations featuring 46115 for example in the promotional tour literature to realise how much difference an accurate restoration makes to the corporate image. A BR green 35018 would be a greater asset to its owner than a black one, however trivial the livery may be to the loco performance. That is the mentality I struggle to comprehend - a magnificient acheivement will be slightly undermined IMHO by not finishing it off "properly", simply for the want of a bit of class.
Hopefully it is a temporary joke.

 

What makes me wonder if you're right about this is the Bodmin nameplates. Whatever decisions have been made about final number or livery, I can't see it hauling service trains bearing 34016's name. Of course, I could be wrong as 34046 is going round with a fictitious identity at the moment. Still, all will be revealed in due course.

As with others who have posted on this thread, however, my reservations about certain aspects of the loco's external appearance are far outweighed by my delight that it has been restored to working order after all these years and hope I will be able to enjoy a run behind it on the main line in due course. My prevailing sentiment is therefore "well done Mr Smith and the Carnforth Team".

 

That is the really sad part, the paint job is relatively unimportant so you might as well do it right because it costs you nought and may have some benefits.
Probably it has already acheived its aims in getting a bunch of folk wasting their time chatting about it

 

Which is exactly the reason Peter Beet painted some loco's in outrageous colours in the early days of 'Steamtown.' His spirit lives on at the site of 10A it seems

 

Totally understand what Dr Beet did, twofold thing of ending the drab last days of steam with a bit of colour and generating publicity for the commercial museum venture.
Latter-day 10A has no commercial need to attract publicity yet when they did open up in 2008 the centre piece was an immaculately authentic 46115? Go figure :-?
How good would a 10A line up of three BR green southern pacifics be in this 50th anniversary year as part of 35018s launch?

 

If it were that simple Ralph 45699 would be green because "sponsorship" was/has been offered.
As has been acknowledged countless times it is entirely the owners perogative and nobody is entitled to expect it as they would like it. It is purely the logic that escapes me but maybe if some finishing touches are added the imaginary aesthetic of a fictional livery will be revealed. Not seeing it quite yet but perhaps it is unfinished.

 

Looking back at Galateas test runs she was also turned out in the main livery minus the lining out and crests. As a result, I anticipate the same going on here, with WCRC enjoying the antics of putting the guise and plates on in this way to watch the reaction. Its certainly been fun, but also interesting.

Personally, I anticipate the engine being lined out into British Railways mixed traffic black, but reckon they will swtich the number to 35018. However, I wouldn't object if it did carry its TOPS number where it lined out and finished displaying that. I would think that's a way to display it in its current form, as it demonstrates how the engines work and history has continued, but could understand how others might think it detracts from that link to the past.

I doubt many people on the trains that 35018/98818 would haul would notice the difference in number and colour as the paying traveling public don't always have detailed knowledge and in any case would still enjoy the ride and experience.

I think its great to see the changes made, and having modelled the engine have noted the differences to the tender and locomotive in detail. I like how they have made changes to enhance the engine and done for todays operation by increasing coal and water space.

Its all academic as Ive said before. WCRC are putting the work in to ensure the finishing touches are done to get the engine right for traffic and despite my interest and preference for Eastern region and standards, I think this locomotives appearance for traffic, will be very interesting to see and follow.

 

It would be more logical if the livery made no reference to earlier ownership. A lined black with WC branding I could understand more than a pseudo BR livery.

 

Remember when FS did it's 'snagging and tweaking' runs ?? No point getting the Heritage team in if the unexpected needs attention with a large 'Birmingham Hammer'

 

Well said Ralph,after a few runs the engine will be accepted whatever colour it is.Only a few know how the engine will surface so lets enjoy it. It seems that Mr Smith isn't allowed a preference.
He can paint his property whatever colour he likes but cant win.A few white stripes would see it sailing into the premiership lol

 

Not sure anyone is denying the right of the owner to do as he pleases Henry. It is more a question of what, if any, reasoning there might be for rejecting a historically correct livery with this case when such trouble was gone to with 46115. As said though testing livery it may be, fingers crossed?