Schools Class "Cheltenham"

Manston left the Works in steam after its repair, despite not having a ticket to operate on its own on the Network .
We are aiming for the same with Cheltenham.

Inital inspection suggests she is in pretty good nick

 

by in steam whats meant is that the engine will be in steam but deisel haulled , unless of course there happens to be an mainline approoved steam engine that just happens to be heading to Ropley , now wouldnt that be a sight, if say 30777 was to be heading onto MHR metals for a visit and just "happened" to be routed via eastleigh

 

Now you're talking Martin. Time for a Southern gala perhaps. I can see the line up now:- 34007, 850, 30075, 30777, 925, 30506, 31806, perhaps even 53 and 35028. Fantastic! I'll have to have a chat with Tim Beere next time I see him. Any chance of the Q1 next Anthony or am I just fantasizing now?

Ian

 

Now thats an idea! But would 30777 fit down this way? She might be out of gauge on the line down to Alton. 6024 only just scraped through the platforms when she came down. 35028 might be able to go and "assist" 925 down to the MHR?

 

The Q1 would be great as the next project. My Father remembers them running in the local area and would love to see her in action a bit closer to home.

 

Dont tell 34051, or she(he) ?? will be reaching for the paint brush why not just put the old girl out of her missery and end her exile , get 2 for the price of one , could 35028 be sent up to bring them home and pick up 925 on the way , what else could be sprirted away from york whilst they are not looking ?

 

Going slightly off tack.. but this summer we had the pretend steam tours where diesels shoved steam locomotives around whilst on a train.. whats stopping this being a railtour with another steam or diesel shoving 925 about ?.. If it's closest your going to get to a mainline schools and a one off i'm sure there would be a lot of interest.

 

if she was coupled inside another mainline approved steam engine would she still need tpws ? is it mandatory for passinger work on network rail( not including the Whitby branch of course)

NRM might not want her to go mainline and if they did, who would pay for it ?
The MHR do not do mainline work now even if they might have approved engines based there sometimes .

One posible option could be to remove the AWS and TPWS off of Lord Nelson but its all down to what the HRM want, and what the MHR are prepared to concider

 

I for one will be very pleased just to see Cheltenham in steam and at work on the MHR. No doubt she will visit other preserved lines, too, for galas and the like. I would hope that the restoration will be done to full main-line standards, with the necessary paperwork filled in along the way - I believe this is more-or-less standard practice these days. As and when the money and the opportunities arise, she can perhaps be considered for mainline service. However, the NRM have a limited team for mainline operations and, just at the moment, these folks are kept busy with 70013 and 777, soon to be joined by 4472. I suppose there may be a case to be made for certifying 925 for the mainline instead of 850?

 

Now that would be good

 

"Only" having 4472 is quite enough when you count how many engineering staff there are at York. Maintaining 4472 will be a full time job, main line in future is only possible with partnerships such as 5305LA.

 

Hi have you any updates on the overhaul of 4472.

Thanks

 

http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/news.aspx

 

What about the group who were responsible for 850,
if 850 isnt going mainline, and has the bits for it.. then there's a group and no locomotive any longer?

or are they not trusted with an NRM locomotive any longer ?

 

The group you are referring to is the Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society.

They are now based at the MHR, and have got their own loco S15 No.828 to overhaul, which is enough to keep them busy i would guess.

They are also part of the trio of partners including the MHR and the NRM that decide on the best future for No.850, and it has been decided that 850 should no longer operate the mainline in the short to medium term, at least not until after the next 10 year overhaul.

As far as not being trusted to look after an NRM loco i would say that that is highly unlikey to be an issue.

 

its more to do with the VAB wanting the engine to be given an overhaul before they will sign it off, and i would guess that would be the final plan, given the mileage she has done it shouldnt be that much work to do, but saying that, it might be that 925 might actually be in better condition ,so could she possibly go main line whilst 850 gets her overhaul? whats the limitations route wise for a V class as oppossed to an LN

 

('ello Wingnut! Long time no see...)

The route availability would be pretty good, the Schools class having been designed to fit within the narrow 8' 6 1/2" width restriction on the Hastings line. The axle load of 21 tons is a bit high but there is heavier stuff out there. I'm sure 925 could come close to doing what 777 does. I recommend S C Townroe's book "The Arthur's Nelsons and Schools of the Southern" to any doubters!

My understanding is that the MHRPS is funding the overhaul so that it will run on the Mid-Hants, so purely on cost grounds don't get your hopes up for mainline running as I don't think the MHRPS are interested in this.

Visual inspections by MHR staff have taken place, and the general opinion initially is that 925 is in very good condition, although nothing has been measured yet.

 

Hey SMIFF you still about then
my view is this, the extra work is mostly the inspections , the TPWS and AWS fitted to 850 isnt going to be needed this side of an ten yearly, so you have a set of hardwear that could be used , 925 would be an asset for the MHR and NRM and more useful than 850

could one of the magazines get involved would the MHR and NRM be interested if an appeal was launched to pay for the extra work involved? if 925 has a simular power output to 777 and 75 mph rating, then there should be no shortage of work down south , after all a schools on its old stamping ground has got to be worth supporting