Dartmouth Steam Railway General Discusssion

Now that is interesting. Wonder if their experience with the USATC encouraged them to look at a heavy freight locomotive?

 

More plausible. Its broadly similar but the estate version.

 

does that mean the 7200 class is the GTI version?

 

Whatever that weird Ford Focus saloon briefly available was.

 

Surely the 7200 would be the Renault Megane of steam locomotives?



Tom

 

more ass than class…(4200!)

 

Could they convert 3803 to a tank?

I'm surprised 4270 hasn't been transferred to the DVR company to be honest.

 

I'm excited and intrigued by how quickly the line-up at Paignton is growing. It's always had a small fleet with a 'just enough and no extravagances' feeling about it, and adding 4110, 4247, 3803 plus the S160 on a long deal in quick succession does feel like a very distinct change of thinking.

I suppose they have had more hire-ins in the last decade than I remember before then (which has been great fun for variety), they are operating deeper in the winter than was probably the case before and their Decembers are more intense than they used to be with the success of the Lights trains. So all that might just add up to a sensible feeling of needing more of their own locos to rely on. But I must admit I'm hoping this expanded line-up is also a sign of plans for even more running days or more two-train service days.

I absolutely love the line - brilliant gradients and scenery, just a superb place to spend time on the train and the lineside footpaths. Will be on the first train of 2022 with my daughter on Tuesday morning.

 

It's crazy to think the line used to rely on 6435 hauling 7 coach trains!

 

In fairness that did sound pretty good - as did L94's relatively recent visit. Of all the guests in the last few years, as excited as I was about the King and S160s, they took the line in their stride but the Pannier had to do some proper work and was by far the most exhilarating from the front window up the banks.

 

Things do seem to have changed somewhat since the previous GM retired, certainly those in charge seem to be a bit more willing to encourage/engage with the enthusiast market a bit more than in the past.
I appreciate that enthusiasts like ourselves on this forum aren’t the DSR’s core market, but those in charge now seem to cater for both gricers/cranks as well as ‘normals’ in the area for a holiday.

 

No doubt these were all factors considered when Dart Valley Railway decided that they no longer wanted to run 2 railways, and decided to keep the one by the seaside rather than the riverside one*.

* Which seems to have worked out very nicely for both them and the South Devon Railway.

 

Your last sentence is far from universally true.