WSR Loco Fleet - Present & Future

Thought I would start a new topic following some recent discussions on the WSR Autumn Gala thread where I earlier posted:

"So both 5553 and 5542 Out of ticket at about the same time.... With Brauntons future deptature to Southall and presumably Raveningham Hall off to GWR after running in by my reckoning that leaves only Norton Manor, 4160, 88, 3850 and 9351 which will also soon be out of ticket. So very shortly the WSR will have only 4 operational locos. Is there any plans to expand the fleet? I suppose Dinmore Manor will be back at some point in the next 12 months and the Std 4 tank must be getting close."

And received the below reply:

 

We also have to consider that 7820 Dinmore Manor is due back in service at some point next year according to the DMF website, which even excluding 34046 and 6960 should see 6 locos in a serviceable condition. 2013 should also be fine with no locos going out that I know of, then if I have my dates correct, 9351 will run until around Autumn 2014, 88 Autumn 2015, 4160 Summer 2016, and 3850 Winter 2015/Spring 2016, but that should be extended for another ten years assuming the DMF get one of the boilers from the other 2-8-0s into a condition where it can be put straight into 3850.

That then of course leaves the fates of 4561 and 7821 to be worked out. Of course we can't know exactly when these locos will be back, but with 7821 being I believe a long term project it will at a guess be another 10 years before we see her out and about again, but I hope I'm wrong! And with what has been said about 4561 I would hope she is in service within the next 5 years.

As for 5553 and 5542 I'm guessing it would be up to Pete Waterman and the 5542 Group as to how quickly we see each of these locos back in traffic after they go out of service later this year.

I'm not sure how helpful that is but hopefully it sheds some sort of light on what the loco situation will be over the next few years!

 

Is it confirmed that 80136 will return to the WSR?

 

Who said 6960 is actually leaving the WSR?

 

I can't speak for '53 but it is our intention to have 5542 fully operational by Spring 2012. Where it will then operates remains to be seen, but we are currently in active negotiations for the next 5 years' work and hope to be able to give more details in the next couple of months. 'Watch this Space' as they say!

John

 

Ive always thought that this should be the way forward. Rather than having otherwise perfectly good locos withdrawn when the boiler cert runs out ( and stored for up to 20 years!), it should be possible to maintain the chassis in good condition throughout the 10 year boiler cert period and then simply replace the boiler with a spare. Rather than building replicas for ever more, Id prefer to see spare boilers built to keep genuine locos running

 

I agree that building new boilers is a way forward, but I think it ought to be remembered that these elderly engines were designed in an age when they were expected to do fewer miles in between overhauls and so the chassis might not be able to do the full 10 years anyway.

Notwithstanding the above paragraph I disagree with your view about building replicas.

Regards

 

im not suggesting the chassis goes 10 years without overhaul, im assuming there would be several heavy generals during the closed seasons, keeping the chassis always in good condition. I think thsi is the way the old Companies would have managed thier fleets anyway.

 

71000 Duke of Gloucester will be hauling service trains on the WSR from Sat 23 July to Fri 29 July inclusive.
60163 Tornado will be hauling servcie trains on the WSR from Saturday 27 August to Sun 4 September inclusive.
Details may be found at www.wsr.org.uk

David

 

I agree with this, but not everyone is in a position to do this.
There's now a question mark over 3850, regarding the fore & aft shuttling felt in the trains she has.

 

I thought the shuttling had been at least partially sorted Jim, but for the life of me cannot think where I saw that - something is ringing a bell about the springing between engine and tender or I may be on the wrong track completely! (sorry pun intended!) DH

 

I have been asked to post the following on behalf of Mike:

On the 15th of October a group of us from Dinmore Manor Loco Ltd, along with WSR staff, spent a day carefully examining the draw gear of 3850’s tender, a number of items were found to be in need of attention, the most significant being a lack of adequate compression of the intermediate buffers when coupled to the loco. This issue, combined with general wear levels to be expected in draw gear components after 100k miles of use, have helped to reduce the engine to tender compression even further which has resulted in the ‘shuttling’ you mention.. After taking detailed measurements alterations were made which have improved the engine to tender compression whilst we await the manufacture of a number of new components which will be fitted as soon as available. Currently the loco is within the shed at Minehead being prepared for her annual exam in November, whether a public message board is the place to speculate or air ‘mess room banter’ that ‘there are questions over 3850’ is open for debate but it does little to help us or the WSR.

Mike Solloway

Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited

 

Sorry, I just thought it was common knowledge.

 

Update appreciated Kieran and hopefully the actions taken will resolve the issue DH