Great Central Railway General Matters

It will be interesting to see if they can run to the intensive timetable over the weekend (Railways at Work Gala) with this fuel.....

 

Ash is right - I've seen photos of the front foot or so of 4270's grate completely dead because it is covered in a wad of ash several inches thick. Plus it seems to require a lot more shovelling on the part of the fireman - 35006 apparently had to be rescued because it required so many ovoids that it actually ran out of them

 

According to Stuart Williams on the TR the binding agent is molasses. Should smell nice!
Pat

 

My first ever visit to the GCR yesterday and I have to say - very impressed! Q&W in particular being a hive of activity kept things interesting and the people I was spending the day with (some of whom aren't enthusiasts but wanted a day out) were very praising of the 'show' that was put on.

It's more than just trains; the people make it.

 

Just to update this, there appeared to be a team working on this bridge on the Saturday of the Railways at Work Gala. There has been some tree cutting along the edge of the reservoir near to the rail bridge as well, which looks related to the forthcoming works. Certainly a forked-loader, a couple of vans and a compressor, along with some new looking metalwork sections were noted from passing trains.

 

I was pleased to see, from some videos posted, that there appeared to be steam to spare on the gala locomotives as safety valves were lifting!

 

I didn't check the composition of all the engines when helping on the Friday prep too see how many engines were starting the weekend on pure ovoid/coal or had a mixture, but Colombian coal was in use over the weekend which behaved well.

The remaining ovoids from the trial are slated for use in warming up/light-up fires, though I don't know if anymore are going to be bought for that purpose given their smokeless nature, or chancing it with whatever coal is acquired. In-line with what Jamessquared and ruddingtonrsh56 mentioned, the crews who had been out on pure ovoid over the week mentioned excessive consumption into the firebox, water consumption and ash generation. Some locos handle them better than others so they could probably be made to work at a push but I think would be a last resort!

 

Some photos of the bridge works at Swithland have been posted on the GCR Facebook page - which you don't have to be an FB Member to view...

 

I popped into Quorn yesterday and the car park has been resurfaced with chippings and looks much better - it is also a lot smoother!
As above post, I did try to view the GCR FB page but it said that I needed to log in?.....

 

FB has a sulk from time to time. Try a new search and head for the FB page indexed as ' posts' rather than what looks like the FB 'Home' page.

 

Still no joy with that FB page but Bridge 348 has been repaired and I was told at the GCR today, by some of the workers involved, that it was a normal steel bridge with girders under the rails. Apparently the repair has involved extra steel plate and rods (rebar?) and than concrete poured around the existing girders to form a solid base. However I have not seen any photographs or the actual result, so am eager to see a more detailed description in due course......

 

Good news re the A60 bridge replacement project. All going ahead and completed by October...
https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/2022/04...-the-go-ahead-for-1000000-bridge-replacement/

 

Excellent news and an ambitious timescale. If the fundraising for the "Factory Flyover" continues at its current rate, that could start around the end of this year?

 

Latest Reunification news... £1,000,000 Order signed for A60 Bridge replacement. To start beginning October and be completed by end of October this year!

 

Inside Loughborough shed, work has started to upgrade the building. New metal Purlins(?) are being installed into the roof ready for reroofing. New roller shutter doors and renewal of all the services are due to take place.

 

If all those little white dots on the photo are where daylight is coming through then the re-roofing can't happen soon enough!

 

It was good to have a train ride yesterday, together with a GCR breakfast in the griddle car. It was not too busy and people were able to spread out along the train. The Diesel rail car with 3 coaches, had lots of space.
I took this picture of repaired bridge 348 where the speed restriction is still in place - I assume until the ballast settles and is re-packed?

 

Quorn station yard is looking much better and I noticed that they have been "in-setting" short containers along the Eastern boundary, which is clearing the car parking area as well as providing a slight sound barrier effect for the neighbours.

 

Shame they couldn't reinstate a long storage siding (flush with the yard surfacing) along the eastern side of the yard - I think there is just enough room to get past the turntable - though no doubt there would be complaints if any of the trees that have grown up over the past 50 years were removed......

 

The LTHT organised bus event at Quorn was a very good show today - Think that's the largest turnout of buses they have had there, and very busy with visitors this afternoon. Trains seemed somewhat less busy and suffered from late running from the very first service of the day. The rather painful crawl for a very long stretch through the Quorn station area due to a PW speed restriction couldn't have helped matters though. Someone suggested another suspect bridge requiring works....????
Another bus event planned for 20th August - that one having a Midland Red theme.