Back Of The Shed

the 72 for one is not making progress. It's stalled as I understand it because of unexpected work on the boiler being needed. Pendennis isn't either. It's re-assembled and parked in the shed. The 47 isn't even a Didcot project any more.

The Saint and the 47 are both Churchward locos and thus redress no balance at all. Trainspotter wet dreams really. The City is really a Churchward loco even if not Standard as such and the Dukedog is a later development shall we say, which leaves the Dean Goods, locked up in Swindon.

 

Depends on your viewpoint really. 5322 is the only pre Collett standard class at Didcot. 1363 is scarcely in the mainstream of GWR design.

 

A plan is being formulated for a full assessment of the works required to return 'North Stafford No.2' to steam. There is plenty of interest from various railways who could make good use of her once she is done, all of which helps the project gain confidence that she will find plenty of work for a large class 4 tank loco. We anticipate work beginning within the next 5 years dependent on funding (watch this space!).

In the meantime we are assessing the condition of, and obtaining estimates for work on 'Ackton Hall No.2', the sole surviving inside cylinder X2 Peckett which has also never worked in preservation. The overhaul will including a replacement tank and cab, and major boiler work. Once completed, being a substantial 16" 0-6-0ST she will be an ideal loco for Foxfield and many other small to medium railways.

 

well that depends on whether you consider the 5205 and 2884 classes as not being Churchward and you could include 7202 there too, not to mention 5572.

 

I hadn't realized that it was that long since 6203 and 35027 were steamed; I remember 6203 making a very dramatic departure from Derby hauling the Richard Levick Memorial in June 1990.

On the original thread topic, I would like to see the Pecket 0-6-0ST Menelaus (late of Cwm Colliery) in steam-I think it is now at the Caledonian Railway. I read a piece in Railway World or Railway Magazine when it made it's last journey at the mine and was most moved by it and have wanted to see it since then.

 

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Well there are those who enthuse about the whole Vale of the White Horse area, the Ridgway, the Cotswolds, Thames paths etc etc

 

None of which are adjacent to, or visible from, Didcot Locomotive Shed

 

I wonder what the longest period a loco that has been on the mainline since 68 has gone without running. Burton Agnes Hall hasn't run for 22 years, but I am sure that this isn't the longest period (and I'm excluding locos that were at the Rainfall Parade ie Hardwicke) (Lets be honest we aren't ever seeing a Hardwicke- Evening Star double header over the S&C again).

 

LMS 5025 must be a contender in that category? 75069 perhaps similar to 6998 but very soon not?

 

When did that happen?

 

Wittenham Clumps (featured on Time Team) and the Berkshire Downs/Ridgeway are visible

 

Visible - but you aren't going to visit Didcot and take a walk to Wittenham Clumps in the same way that you might take a ride on the KESR to Bodiam and visit Bodiam Castle for a few hours before returning to Tenterden (to take one example).

Tom

 

Hinderton Hall last ran on the mainline in 1979, and was withdrawn from service at the end of that year. I have to say that I'm struggling to think of anything outside the NRM that beats that, but it would be interesting to hear of any other contenders.

Didcot is hardly the capital of Oxfordshire culture. No one goes to Didcot for the sake of it. But, it's a fairly short car journey from Oxford, and even quicker on the train (about 12 minutes if it's a fast one.) The area isn't short of tourists.

 

it's right on the doorstep of the Thames with gorgeous villages/Towns thereon and in the general area. Blenheim Place is a major attraction to include in a tour and Pendon Museum of modelling is a stone's throws away.

Hard to believe Hinderton Hall has been out of service for 38 years, may as well have left it in Barry.

 

I wouldn't say it has stalled. The boiler has needed quite a bit more work than expected, but the group have continued plugging away. They are responsible for raising their own funds, and have by far the healthiest bank account of any of the GWS loco projects.

 

I don’t know if they ran over the S & C but they ran a number of double headers in the North in the 1970s. If you google hardwicke-evening star various photos come up. To correct myself - Hardwicke ran a double header over the S& C with flying scotsman in 1976.

http://www.semaphoresandsteam.com/p570448020/h51F55320

 

Does that mean that it is owned by a group - rather than the GWS?

 

No, it is owned by the GWS. ( Or rather Great Western Preservations, but same difference.) Like 3822, it's looked after by the Heavy Freight Group. They restored 3822 from Barry condition, and gave it a subsequent overhaul. When the 38's previous ticket expired, they decided to concentrate on 7202, rather than have two projects on the go.

Most importantly, they run the bar!

 

On 1st May 1976, Hardwicke and Flying Scotsman double-headed the Settle-Carlisle Centenary train from Carnforth to Hellifield. The train then proceeded onto the S&C diesel hauled. From Hellifield, the steam locomotives then ran to Settle where they remained on display in the station before returning to Hellifield to return the special back to Carnforth later that day. During the day, the locomotives had ran to turn on the Shipley triangle. The reason why the pair weren't allowed on the S&C throughout was because the S&C was not a steam approved route at that time; BR eventually allowed steam onto the S&C in 1978 with Green Arrow doing the honours.
As far as Hardwicke working a train on the S&C is concerned, it was a case of so near, but so far.