What line up of locos of the same class would you like to see

Yes, I remember now our GN saloon going. I wonder if the event made money though? Would love to think that it did, but if this forum is representative of the enthusiast community at large, I'd reckon that for every one who made a decision about where to visit based on the carriages you sit in, ten would make a decision based on the engine up front. In other words, given the cost of transport of bringing vehicles in from elsewhere, one engine will always seem more attractive as the basis for a gala than a rake of carriages - sadly.

Tom

 

Out of curiosity - how many heritage railways / centres are making concerted efforts to restore Victorian four/six wheeler carraiges for regular [sup]*[/sup] passenger use? I can think of the Bluebell, IoWSR, KESR, Gwili, Didcot, Embsay (?), KWVR (?) - anyone else? (And the Tallylyn and FfR, of course....)

[sup]*[/sup] By which I don't necessarily mean day-in, day-out, but where there is at least a reasonable chance that on multiple occasions in a year, you could travel in a four/ six wheeler.

Tom

 

There are a couple of four/six wheel coach bodies mounted on bogie chassis at the Pallot Museum on Jersey, a four wheeler spliced together from two NER bodies at the Derwent Valley, the NLR vehicles being restored by the Furness Railway Trust, the Forcett coach and Duke of Sutherland's saloon being restored for use at Beamish, the Barry Railway four wheeler at the SVR, and of course the large Tanfield fleet. There are also the PMV conversions at the Middleton, the modern 4w saloon at the Derwent Valley, and the 4w open and flat wagon conversions at Manchester, Bristol, and Hollycombe.

 

Yes, I remember now our GN saloon going. I wonder if the event made money though? Would love to think that it did, but if this forum is representative of the enthusiast community at large, I'd reckon that for every one who made a decision about where to visit based on the carriages you sit in, ten would make a decision based on the engine up front. In other words, given the cost of transport of bringing vehicles in from elsewhere, one engine will always seem more attractive as the basis for a gala than a rake of carriages - sadly.

The event was very successful and did make money - but only because the movement costs were covered by an HLF grant. Had everything gone to plan it would have been better still but all the hoped for LNER locos dropped out one by one, which is why it became the first - and so far only - coaching stock gala. In addition to the Bluebell, Bo'Ness and SVR coaches we also had some of Stephen Middletons 6-wheelers I seem to recall. Happy days! As one of the organisers, I wouldn't rule out trying something similar again one day.

 

You have overlooked the L&Y carriages at the Worth Valley (full details at the website of the Charity that owns them - lyrtrust.org.uk) of which 3 are fully restored and available for public use, typically 7-10 days per year as well as private events. Until last weekend you could have sat in one or more behind an L&Y loco (two between October and January last). The Brake is on its original bulb-angle 1910 chassis, the others on LMS and BR passenger chassis - and there is another 6-wheel under restoration, recently mounted on its LMS passenger chassis.

 

Wouldn't it be cheaper to have them passed for haulage on the mainline as empty freight stock ?

 

Maybe but, try and get a wooden bodied AND wooden underframed coach (GN Saloon)passed for running on NR and of course the Blluebell was not connected to the main line. As it was I insisted that the saloon was always at the rear of the rake leaving Grosmont. Can you imagine the effect of a violent re-start on the bank to a wooden frame with a whole train hanging on the back.

And yes a draw hook HAS been pulled out before.!!!!!

 

We did try to move the SVR Gresleys to the NYMR by rail but their owners vetoed the possibility on the grounds that if one ran hot and had to be detached somewhere it might take days to rescue it and it coukd be vandalised in that time. Nowadays the LNERCA are hoping to get the NYMR teak set registered to go to Battersby and Whitby which would allow them to be run at up to 45mph, which would make it easier to move them to aother line if requested for a gala. Once the new platform is ready at Whitby I think it will be operationally very difficult if some coaches cannot run to Whitby, and as there seems no technical reason why they should not be registered I'm sure it will come. There have already been discussions and it is known what will probably have to be done. GNR saloon 3087 is likely to be the first, test, case.

 

Is the 'Railmotor' not already a test case as this is first and foremost a passenger vehicle, not a locomotive ?


and id like to see all the 9f's pulling silly sized heavy trains a la Plandampf/ Merehead

 

Well let's see being an AC electric fan all 36 class 87's would be fantastic, however several have been scrapped now including Thyroid 87101..... Sooo in that case 87001,002 and 035 all 3 preserved examples (before 002 gets her European licence approoved) all lined up on the blocks at Manchester Piccadilly. Then at the stroke of midnight on the locos 40th anniversary (this year as it happens sorry unsure on the actual date) all 3 locos kick their motors into life under the roof one last time and a horn serenade naturally.

That really would be worth filming and I guarantee that I wouldn't be the only one waving a Union Jack, and with tears streaming down my face but boy what a magnificent send off it would truly be.

VANBASHER.... THE CLASS 87 BASHER FACING LONG TERM RETIREMENT!

 

Not strictly a line up but there were 4 86's on view at Willesden yesterday [86213/401/701 together and 86259 in the background] one wonders how long we will be able to see them al there. Not heritage but there was a numerical line up with 90008 and 90009 both on the stops at Liverpool Street this afternoon

 

Don't retire, discover Wizzair... Flights to Bulgaria cheaper than the airport taxi.

 

All seven Westerns lined up at Laira

 

A gathering of all the bubble cars has always been a popular idea in the DMU world, indeed it was being planned by The Railcar Association in the late 1990's for their 50th birthday (in 2008) but sadly as many on here will know the price of road haulage sky-rocketed over these intervening years so it never happened.

If it could be funded it would still be feasible as the proportion of single unit DMU's that are operational as opposed to stored is very healthy at the moment. 55000, 55001, 55003, 55005, 55006, 55009 (not fully restored but does run), 55012, 55023, 55028 & 55033 all in service with only 55019 & 55029 out of traffc (under restoration)...

 

Or a line up of all the 47555s that existed!