Time for a Black Five gathering??

I did make clear right at the start that Carnforth is a private site and the idea should really be filed under the fantasy section. However they have had an open day in the last few years so it can be done. The fact is though, regardless of who owns it, that 10A is the only survivor of late 60's British steam. As we now have so many members locos available of a class associated with 10A in its final days and a simple credible mainline circuit nearby, I just thought that it stacked up.

 

Mike, it is a sensible idea.

Before anyone starts thinking that Mr Shuttleworth might be "sensitive" on this one, bear in mind it is only a suggestion, an idea, or whatever. I am sure James will pick up on it if he thinks it might be financially viable.
No one is telling Carnforth how to "suck eggs" as they say!

 

I'd go

 

Is this going to be the 1936 livery she would have carried when first built?

 

The maximum speed on Glaisdale to Battersby is 45mph, which usually features in NYMR Galas on the Sundays. Current thoughts are to have a Black Five day as part of the Whitby and Pickering 175 Gala

Steven

 

Going by whats been said in the past about running normal services on a heritage line faster than 25mph, i doubt very much we'll see MCR trains going anywhere near 60. Its just not worth the hassle and the expense.

Chris

 

Can i just add that mcr are not a heritage line. The 60 mph which Greg Wilson (mcr director ) said on here it Will do is for the alton towers modern dmu's not for the heritage trains. But mainline excursions Will use as 60 i believe.

 

No problem with an LMS get together,but I believe the thread title was a Black 5 gathering, not an LMS gathering.
An LMS Gathering with Blue and Grey coaches, or a mix match of Mark 1s/2s... doesnt do it for me though, but take them to Severn Valley and pair them with the LMS set... then wow !.. i'd even add 13000 to the mix and tow it around (or swap tenders with 13065 for a day..just for fun).

Coming back to the Black 5 + friends gala...
re my suggestion of a Crewe-Cauldon Lowe BR steam gala... whats the line speed between Crewe and Stoke for the mainline bit ?.. loco changes at Leekbrook perhaps, (though if the triangle was added at Leek it'd help a lot !)...

 

That will be good Steven; but knowing my luck it will be a weekday when I am at work......

 

I too think that is a good idea, my concern was getting carried away in the fantasy and people believing that becasue they read it on the net it must be true. If an early approach can be made by the right people I am sure that a workable proposal could be developed

 

I've been following this one and I don't think the proposal is something about which I would be 'sensitive', as the line-up is something I would, of course, like to see myself!

Having said that, our last open weekend, in 2008, took a vast amount of effort to lay on, as Carnforth is a working site and doesn't have an army of willing volunteers on which to rely. Despite perfect weather (well, perhaps not on the Friday evening!), it did little more than wash its face, so it would take a lot of persuasion to stage another.

At the end of the day, though, it would be David Smith's decision, not mine.

JS

 

Presumably the major problem would be cost / income profile but would that be helped by finding a suitable route. I could suggest the Carnforth Test Circle and breaking the circuit into sections ( viz. Carnforth - Hellifield / Hellifield - Blackburn / Blackburn - Preston / Preston - Carnforth ) then charging differential prices for stages. I agree that this would need some input from Northern Trains or TransPenine with regard to covering the return journey for some stages but if any "profit" was to be donated to the Railway Children perhaps something could be arranged. A possible alternative worth considering is a Sunday PlanDampf between Lancaster and Windermere worked in top 'n tail mode but presumably the same cost / income profile comes into play.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply James.

If David could be persuaded and the enthusiast movement could provide some volunteers and the money up front 'Plandampf style' then could it be a goer? I could provide 3 or 4 easy maybe more. I'm sure '12D Railtours' people would get involved! I only have pictures of Carnforth, Rose Grove and Lostock in the late 60's to look at. To be able to re-create a North West steam shed with a sort of correct allocation would be an amazing thing to do in 2011. Too often open days get hung up on trying to have super star locos. Not that 46115/70013 arn't celebrity enough!

Maybe its just me, but I believe that 2 black fives simmering away in the dark on shed whilst the railwaymen drink tea and play cards in the bothy is the true essence of steam. I don't think we celebrated the steam shed enough the other year for the end of steam stuff.

Anyway, chuffed you didn't think it was a totally ridiculous idea.

Mike

 

Windermere would be great, but operationally its a night mare! Simple price:- entry plus trip on one of the 4 Hellifield-Blackburn circuits much easier to manage. Slightly different price for photographers who could have the shed to themselves at some point.

Can I just reiterate that this is all just idle fantasy talk at the moment.

 

If this were to be done Im sure many trade stands would pay to be there. Would create some good revenue. I would also volunteer my services to help get something like this going. And Im sure many others would also volunteer to get this going. Nat pres would help out. Some events we should all get behind because otherwise we Will never see it.

 

Lancaster - Windermere = 29 Miles; round trip 58 Miles; NR calculation for water consumption of Black 5 = 72 miles. Operate with top 'n tail Black 5 possible timetable running at 09:00; 12:00 15:00 ex Lancaster with ( ultimate ? ) evening diner at 19:00 ex Lancaster. This is sufficiently self contained to be possible if the price is right and staff at Carnforth are able to balance the cost / income. What price for customers ? - £10:00 each way ? Load depends on platform length but could it bear a 10-coach load giving potential 500+ seats ?

 

However that would detract somewhat from the '68 nostalgia trip, unless carefully placed well out of the way of the photo opportunities.

 

Top n tailed to Windermere though although a good idea, involves 2 sets of steam crews for 1 job. You could have the same amount of crews for 2 Blackburn circuits?

Plus there are no daytime paths to Windermere anyway.

 

You lot never cease to amaze me - You've been told that the NYMR will have 5 available, for a day that will include Esk Valley running and you completely ignore it in favour of a mythical event that someone - not you, obviously! - will have to organise for you. Why not settle for what is actually going to happen, for starters, and then see if there is enough interest to go to something more ambitious? For some reason the NYMR is often overlooked on here, but for once its spring steam gala is looking like an epic event - according to the Railway Herald, up to 18 engines in steam (and that doesn't include 53809, 92214 or 6619, so there is scope for dsticking to thiis even with some dropouts!) with Planet, Rocket & Puffing Billy putting on a show at Levisham, Duke of Gloucester again - what more could you want?

 

Because the people who are talking would like to see something at carnforth. There are only a few people who are talking about a fantasy so what's the harm. You have plugged the nymr and Im sure quite a few people who are on here Will go. But people would like to see this in there own stamping ground.