Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway General Discussion

I only did it for thirty years.

 

I have wondered if sheep are secretly highly intelligent and are playing a very long game! Why else would they stand licking the road surface in winter oblivious to oncoming cars....Meehaha (yes I know they are after the salt)

 

When your trundling along at 20MPH on a 50 odd ton locomotive with 5 or 6 MK1's in tow, and the sheep still keep running along in the 4ft with no inclination to move out of the way (despite your best efforts) - you soon learn "intelligence" and "sheep" is something that does not go together.

 

Whillan Beck is to be delivered from Carlisle to Ravenglass (with an overnight stop in Workington) via traction engine on 22nd and 23rd July 2017 to follow the same trend as set by the delivery of River Mite 50 years ago by the same motive power. http://www.cumbriacrack.com/2017/07/10/steam-traction-engine-tow-locomotive-carlisle-ravenglass/

She will also be appearing at the DRS open day at Carlisle on the 22nd https://www.facebook.com/events/183926592141444/permalink/189659581568145/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular&action_history=[{"surface":"newsfeed","mechanism":"feed_story","extra_data":[]}]

In relation to her German heritage there is also a planned Oktoberfest at the railway on the 21st October 2017 to 29th October 2017 - see

https://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/events/event.php?id=121

 

Oktoberfest marked in the diary...

 

Some details in Narrow Gauge World for July - this looks really good.

 

The website doesn't have much info but for those not on facebook it was announced that 2 other krauss Pacifics, one from Stuttgart and one from Vienna will be visiting this event. A couple more as yet unannounced visiting engines are expected as well as Whillan Beck of course.

Tim

 

What I understand is that the home fleet including museum locos will be in use, the two german locos, two from the south( one not steam able) and maybe one other will be present during that week. Exact details are still being worked on.

 

But what if they could fly?

 

Any update on progress on River Esk ?

 

According to SR (which rolled up in the post this AM) should steam sometime in October, the locomotive engineer posts on here and may wish to provide more detail.

 

It's still difficult to be specific when I will finish Esk. We're well into the motion work now. The tender is also getting the hours in now.

 

Can it be arranged for the diagrams to be released in advance? Last summer gala with Katie gave no workings, and the impression that the guests were just pottering around Ravenglass with the 2x atlantics doing the Muncaster Shuttle. It was only as our 142 home was leaving we saw the Perrgrove loco work it's way round to haul last trip of the day, which we would of stayed for had we known!

 

I have no say in the loco rosters. We only know late the day before in the engineers. The atlantics did and generally do the muncaster mill shuttles. It depends on the locos what other trips are done. If you really want any details I surgest you contact the railway Ofice or ticket Ofice directly.

 

Many thanks Nigel... especially for the photo. Glad to hear work is proceeding well now. This Greenly masterpiece has been sidelined for quite long enough. Exciting times at La'al Ratty!

 

Are you carrying out any improvements to the steam circuit?

 

It has been a long time. I never realised just how much we would have to make when I took it on. It's been 2 1/2 years of hard graft and set backs but at least there is a sign that the worst is behind us now.

 

The exhaust system is entirely new including making changes to the new cylinder castings. Lempor and my type of Kordina. The valves are effectively Porta type now plus a few other mods. The steam pipes are new having various faults sorted.