Unavailability of Main Line Steam Locomotives

This is a tricky one I think - without knowing exactly how each company maintains and operates their locomotives its hard to say - Ian Riley seems to have a pretty decent maintenance program and his machines are V reliable - Even though the current fleet is expected to do a lot, its still a whole lot less than what they would have done in B.R service - so perhaps the regular stopping and restarting of locomotives without keeping them in steam for 14 days or so might have something to do with it - although I am sure I might be wrong and someone will point out that locomotive X is run in this way...

I suspect as well that it has a lot to do with over-stretching lower powered locomotives when we could do with a few more class 8 loco's (eg. the rest of the merchant navys) restored to main line running to handle the longer trains and regular use.

Personally, I think an "Ideal world" would be the formation of a mainline steam depot (or even two depots) - shared workshops and expertise and a central location - parts sharing, engineering and the available work for locomotives would be organised from one spot, allowing for everyone who wants to run main line access to the same skills etc. This way, if a locomotive failed its FTR it would be fairly easy to steam another engine in its place...again thats my "ideal world" senario and I don't think we would ever see that unless everybody (train operators, workshops, owners) became best of friends over night and politics gets left at the door...!

 

Strict controls on maintenance and and mileage help, but there is a still a fair element of luck involved, some loco's can be stars and others problem child's for no good reason.

You say there are more locos available in the north, what doesn't help for London starts is a large percentage of mainline locos are gauge restricted south of the Thames, there's only so many mainline Bulleids and Standards currently, no point stationing a King at Southall if half the promoters desired itineries can't be done with it.

Mainline running can be a vicious circle for some, you don't want excessive wear and tear, but you need to make enough money to try and cover the various costs associated with Mainline running, Tyseley's position is different to most in that Mainline tours are far from their sole income.

 

This year seems to be getting more difficult by the day it seems. When one locomotive that is heavily scheduled goes down for repairs a ripple effect occurs
depending on how heavily that engine's schedule is. It seems right know that we have 4 locomotive out of action that could be getting well utilized in the summer season. There isn't a balance

 

I'd argue there's too many...at the lower revenue end of the scale...

44932, 61306, 4953, 4936, even 46115 haven't exactly been flush for mainline work this year.

It's down to profit and loss where the issue lies...

Not enough air braked class 8's to go around.

 

While it may technically still be in ticket, I think 4953 can no longer be considered mainline since it's sale and move to a non mainline connected railway, the rest being heavily from the Tyseley/Carnforth stable where tour income isn't as critical as other groups.

Also, out of the above list, how many will fit to say Canterbury ?, 44932 only I reckon.

 

I seem to think that 46115 has been re-tyred in the first half of this year and, despite my protestations in the past, engineers insist that steam locos don't run well without wheels!

61306 only completed its test runs at the end of April/beginning of May and has spent quite a bit of the time since on heritage railways. However, I wouldn't expect very regular mainline work because I sort of gather Neil Boden doesn't want the loco over-working - in effect, the Tysley approach of "don't hammer the loco, and it won't hammer its maintainers (or their bank balance)!". I seem to think he went on record in one of the magazines saying a comparatively small number of trips per year - half a dozen or so?

Steven

 

4936 and 4953 don't belong to Tyseley. They are privately owned. Indeed one of the reasons 4953 was sold and left the mainline was the lack of work.
You can add 777, 45305 and 60007 to list where it seems a preserved railway is offering a more attractive option than the mainline.

 

I think you will find the owners of 60007 are actively looking for mainline work, and strangely struggling to find any.
Yes, she may have had issues over the last 2 years, but now seems to be running with good reliability.
She also has a mainline ticket, I am sure plenty of people ALL over the Uk would love to travel behind her, instead of the usual suspects.

I know she is contracted to NYMR for a good period of there running season, however after that, possibilities must be available.

 

Not that many customers though-only really RTC,SD(possibly VT) and for the summer season when contracted to NYMR Torbay Express. Then require the acceptance by WCRC or DBS as TOC. If you wanted to hire an Audi A4 car would you hire from x who supplied the perfect reliable car 10 times to you, or y who failed to deliver on several occasions ? Then replace Audi with Gresley.
60007 needs to prove its main line reliability-but without anyone taking the risk how without a mainline test run or two?

 

Is 60007 currently approved/ accepted by DBS?

 

Like the test run to the NRM for the A4 get together??????

 

Can't speak for 4953 and it's previous owner, but I was under the impression that 4936's owners, despite being a private loco, also went on the Tyseley logic that less mileage means less cost.

That said, I do wonder why 4936 hasn't seen a bit more heritage line use in the meantime.

With gauging now, without the regular Shakespeare Express, I wonder how viable it would be to operate 4965, in theory Halls are as capable as Black Fives, but far less itinaries open to them before you hit a snag.

 

Well I suppose it's an improvement on Heaton on it's last attempt to haul a railtour......

 

Don't think that post is helpful, in fact it is a slight on all of the hard work done by A4LPS over the winter, a nice apology will be accepted in due course.....

 

I have to admit as a potential passenger I would be a little reticent to book a tour advertised as 60007, starting 300 miles from my home.
Whilst a nice engine its record hasn't been good, but everyone has right to prove wrong or repair image..

There is a tour operator based in my neighbourhood who seems to be in a bit of a strggle for variety at the moment, presumably due to limitations on numbers of air braked class 8s available... If the SNG lot were looking for work, they maybe might find it if they came to London and earn back some of that street cred too.