GWR 175 Part Two.

A Hymek or a Warship on the mainline would be nice too.

 

City of Truro would be great down here in Devon how about a trip on the mainline down to Bodmin then she spend a weekend or two on the Bodmin & Wrenford Railway, it's a few years since Truro was down the West Country.

 

Come on SD drop a few hints of what's happening

 

3217 + 3440 Doubleheader, mainline. Get a temporary permit for 3217. As 3440 has all the OTMR guff, a non-fitted 3217 should be okay.

 

2807 is just reaching the end of its restoration. If somebody wanted to come up with some imaginative way to get 2807 onto the mainline for a short period I'm sure we'd be ready to discuss it with them.

 

I dont know the rules but...

Many locomotives are "towed" across the network... could say a Mainline approved Hall tow 2807 on a freight working ?, if there were private sidings on the route, is there anything stopping it doing the shunting ?, and static photo calls at stations ?.. for most reality it would be a night anyway, so something like Didcot to Southall and back wouldnt have that much impact at 2am in the morning... i'm sure there's still some older looking wagons still in use on the network.

Coming back to the Hymek / Warship... could they not be "towed" on a charter train with the Western ?


Even something one off... could GWS's wagons be used say from Didcot to Cholsey ? or a few wagons from SVR's from Kidderminster to Tyseley with a Pannier (I know it's not far but it would be unique)

 

How about City of Truro double heading with something that does have all the mainline equipment, like a Tyseley Hall?
Route: Truro to Bodmin and back hauling passengers with package deal tickets including a run up the B&W. That ought to get every single GWR fan west of Bristol ( of whom there are doubtless a few) checking their petty cash!

 

Biggest problem with a Freight of any description would be finding a stretch of Railway where there's still paths to trundle along at 30mph.

22 out to play at say Buckfastleigh or Bridgnorth would get my vote too.

 

Towing a GWR engine normally menas the rods need to be taken off or the engine needs to be in steam to provide lubrication to the cylinders, it is ok for a few miles but not for a long distance.

In theory wagons could go on the mainline if fitted with a continous brake, wheels ultrasoniced and the vehicle fully examined, but would anyone have the time and money to do it, I wish they would. As far as I know there is only 1 GWR wagon passed for mailine work that is Didcot sleeper wagon, this was later converted by BR by putting sides on it.

 

Afraid I can't. But there are one or two good ideas on here that I wouldn't mind seeing.
Obviously freights on the mainline are pretty much non starters for the reasons already mentioned, the same with Truro.
As for some of the other suggestions.......well you never know who might be reading this.

 

Well after a great start on the Great Western Incursion I'm looking forward to travelling on 3rd & 17th April (not to mention 26th-28th June) and to whatever Vintage Trains comes up with for the rest of the year.

PS. Not too many gooduns for 8th - 30th November please, as I shall be in the Med on the Queen Elizabeth.

 

What about...

Birmingham to Southall via the Chilterns, an engine change at Southall, along the GWR Mainline to Didcot or Swindon, another engine change or another loco added, then over Sapperton and back to Brum.

or...

Paddington to Stratford via the Chilterns

Just a thought...

 

Looks like someones wish could come true.......http://railways.national-preservati.../23330-9466-on-the-Looe-branch-19th-26th-Sept