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The Cotswold Venturer 22nd Oct

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by BillR, Oct 8, 2011.

  1. BillR

    BillR Well-Known Member

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    I see the Cotswold Line Promotion Group website (http://www.clpg.co.uk/) are reporting this tour as cancelled due to gauging issues with the King (again). Another disappointment for the passengers & the 6024 crew if this is true.

    About time Notwork Fail got their act together.
     
    BillR, Oct 8, 2011
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  2. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    Letter received from 6024PSL today confirming this. " Out of gauge at large number of locations". Loco remeasured by society. Network Rail required loco to be laser measured by a certified firm. Height is not an issue, but " its width and the from buffer beam arc, when traversing curves is a problem, due to N.R. having slewed track to platform gaps, especially on curves."
     
    Paul42, Oct 8, 2011
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  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That's a really sad instance of an unintended consequence that will have wider implications. NR moves track as close as it can to platforms on curves so that the gap is less and people have a shorter step to take on and off the train (risk assessment/H&S etc). As a result anything steamy with a wide front end and/or front bogie that swings out a fair way becomes vulnerable to a gauging issue. That'll throw the cat amongst the pigeons on choice of routes and locomotives into the future.....as it seems to do now.
     
    Big Al, Oct 8, 2011
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  4. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    I wonder what the legal position is, there is supposed to be open access to the whole railway system, but if NR continue to make alterations to clearances knowing that it will restrict this access, are they not therefore deliberately denying users this access.
     
    RalphW, Oct 8, 2011
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  5. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    The letter also stated " It is hoped that we can obtain a list of routes where the locomotive does not have gauging issues, so that future rail tours can be planned with more confidence(albeit still subject to engineering alterations to the rail infrastructure in the future) .
     
    Paul42, Oct 8, 2011
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  6. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Ive been wondering the same thing Ralph, could the likes of WCRC & Riveira complain they are losing revenue due to these restrictions on what motive power they can use and where, when in theory the Network is open to all ?, Charters TOC's they may be, but they have just as much right to run as anyone else and as i see it Network Rail is putting an illegal restriction on their trade by not maintaining the Network to already established clearences.

    If they want to lessen the gap between trains and platforms, hows this for an idea - order your TOC's to put wider steps on their rolling stock instead of blasting away millions slewing track all over the country.
     
    david1984, Oct 8, 2011
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  7. Oakfield

    Oakfield Guest



    Hold on, you are talking Common Sense here! Notwork Fail do not use common Sense or look for the most cost effective and simple solutions.
     
    Oakfield, Oct 8, 2011
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  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    I wonder how much a curve affects this, platform 12 at Crewe seems to take anything and is on a curve and I've never noticed a particularly wide gap, conversely there are quite wide gaps at York which passengers have coped with for many years, is it not even about lessening the gap, just plain carelessness when tamping or ballast cleaning/replacing, with reducing the gap being an excuse?
     
    RalphW, Oct 8, 2011
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  9. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That may be true but there are also well established issues. For example, if I remember correctly, the King (and possibly other GW locos) cannot arrive into Victoria No2 but can take a train out.
     
    Big Al, Oct 8, 2011
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  10. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    To be fair in that case, the Southern has never historically been the most gauge friendly region to loco's from other area's, so you could argue that it's always been like that rather than something of Network Rails doing, a King not fitting the former Western Region however is a different matter...
     
    david1984, Oct 9, 2011
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  11. Southernman99

    Southernman99 Member Friend

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    Rather than gauging issues could it be possible that the logistics of this train may have caused a few headaches. Ie the ability to turn a train around at Leamington? It would have to have a diesel on the back all the way from Worcester as there is nowhere at Leamington to hold a diesel and attach to the rear of the train.
     
    Southernman99, Oct 10, 2011
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  12. Big Dave

    Big Dave Member

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    This is not a problem that is down to network rail it was happening on BR as well.
    The Marches route was all bridge slacks for ex GW locos then, with the Marylebone Stratford services 46229 scraped a bridge somewhere near to Marylebone but when 47 hit the same bridge it all seemed to be sorted very quickly.
    Now it would seem the same is happening again.
    Is it down to poor workmanship? it all should be much easier with all the modern aids.
    Will not network rail have to be more diligent about clearances if freight from the continent comes through the tunnel?
    Is this stock slightly larger than our own.
    Perhaps someone else here will know the answer to that.


    Cheers Dave
     
    Big Dave, Oct 10, 2011
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  13. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    There is no problem running around at Leamington - it has been done before.

    David
     
    gwr4090, Oct 10, 2011
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  14. Southernman99

    Southernman99 Member Friend

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    Might I ask when? And also how? Bare in mind also Leamington has been resignalled in recent years.
     
    Southernman99, Oct 11, 2011
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  15. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Double Panniers was the last time I can think of , probably a good ten years ago . From a conversation last night most steam engines seem out of gauge on the platforms at Leamington , hence why they are always middle road
     
    Sidmouth, Oct 11, 2011
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  16. RASDV

    RASDV Member

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    Hi All,

    Sad news. Just checked up on UKsteam info about this tour on Saturday and this suggests that the tour is cancelled due to 'gauging issues'. A shame - I was looking forward to photographing that one. Still, better than any safety valves getting knocked off or platforms getting damaged!
    Read it for yourself here: http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs11.htm#oct
     
    RASDV, Oct 19, 2011
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  17. BillR

    BillR Well-Known Member

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    Blimey RADSV where have you been? most of this thread is about being "out of gauge" :\
     
    BillR, Oct 19, 2011
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