MALLARD 75.

I was thinking along the lines that the UK rail network had been built to the same dimensions as that used by the Chinese. As after all the rest of the world let us make most of the mistakes.... Just look at the railways in "southern" Africa as a whole they have 3'6" track gauge but a loading gauge similar to ours 13' tall by 8' wide approx, as for those standard gauge lines further afield their loading gauges are far bigger than ours......

 

have a look at this pdf: http://www.cabbagepatchrailway.co.uk/mls/g3/loadinggauge.pdf

 

My son (who is 5) wanted to go to the event from the minute it was announced that the two streaks from across the pond were to visit. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! Basically that suited me down to the ground although due to the timings of the event in York, it meant picking him up from school (in Hampshire) on Friday and immediately driving to York. Visitng the NRM on the Saturday. Staying until Sunday and doing the return trip that afternoon.

Why oh why did the Highways see it as a fitting time to close the A1M and M18 for roadworks!!!

Anyway, got to the museum at around 9:40 on Saturday and the queues were as expected, by 10:05 though we were in. The counter system used seemed to work exceptionally well. I did take my camera and expected to get a few shots but also did not expect to get the clear un-inhibited shot that some elluded to during the normal opning hours. I'm glad that I did. Not only did I manage to record the event for my personal posterity, but also managed to get some decent shots of the other exhibits that were being largely ignored.

What more can I say except to re-iterate what has already been said. Thank you to all those who organised it, supplied and presented the locos and provided such a memorable experience. Well worth the 6 1/4 hour drive up!!! As with all the visits I have made to the NRM over the years, the credit card took a hammering (not hard with a 5 year old A4 freak in the family) and I hope that the financial outlay that had to be made to put on this event has been suitably helped by the generosity of the many people that came to enjoy the event.

Now looking forward to finishing work so I can settle down to finally partake in that bottle of Mallard Wildtop.

 

Nice to see someone else thinks the Q1 is Britain's most beautiful steam locomotive.

What? That's not what you meant?

Tom

 

Tom, if the Q1 was at present in steam and in service on the Bluebell it would indeed be the " Britain's most beautiful steam locomotive"....correct?

Sorry someone had to say it...

Regards

46118

 

Well, it would certainly have a claim to be "Britain's most useful..."

Though I'm not certain I'd fancy a fully enclosed cab in this weather!

Tom

 

Certainly confirms pretty well what I was driving at, Jurasik......

 

*Cough* K1 *Cough*

 

Managed to pick up a copy of the new Heritage Railway/ Railway Magazine Mallard 75 Bookazine. Very nice but I noticed something amusing: in the article about 4464's high speed runs she is recorded as running at 925 mph. Unfortunately the dot has been printed after the 5 rather than before it!

 

I wonder when we'll get to see the Monster Moves episode that was filmed when 4489 and 60008 were brought back over. Can't seem to find any info on a new series yet and really want to see it having watched the repeat of one with the Turkish 8F's being brougt back.

Also has that Mallard 75 bookazine that Green Five mentions appeared in shops yet. Haven't found it yet.

 

Indeed I've a selection of HR's bookazines and they all have such gaffers in, for instance one about the "change over years" 'tween steam and diesel that has a picture of a Midland [Blue] Pullman taken in 1996! So at least one Blue Pullman set apparently survives though where exactly I don't know, as they'd all withdrawn by 1975-6...... and there are others in the rest I have. It's a bit like those "Where's Wally.....?" books and quite fun too......

 

It's been hard to find. It was supposed to be out a couple of weeks ago but I only found it in Southampton's branch of WH Smiths when I went to visit my Father in Hospital on Sunday. They only had 3 copies and I bought 2 (one for myself and one for my Father).

 

Thanks will keep an eye out for it.

 

Afternoon!
Can anyone advise which A4s are currently at the NRM please? I am guessing 4468 but any others? I have a chance to visit at the weekend
Thanks!

 

4468, 4489 and 60008 are all in the Great Hall and 4464 is at the NRM but not in the GH.

Looking forward to seeing 5 out of the 6 A4s next weekend... shame I can't get to the NYMR for the 6th!

James at SVN

 

Thanks James, much appreciated.

 

Hi
I just noticed the Heritage Railway's Facebook page states as breaking news that the Autumn Mallard 75 event has been extended by 3 days and is now running from 26th October until 11th November and not the 8th as advertized. A quick scan on the NRM site doesn't confirm this though, so I'd be somewhat skeptical.
Can anyone confirm if the 11th is the new finish date or if as I suspect it is still the 8th?
Anne

 

I'd go with the NRM, it's probably just a missprint in HR.

 

If you look down at the photography mornings they have added the 9th. 10th. and 11th. to these sessions, therefore I would suggest that the gathering has been extended to cover these dates.

 

They are advertising morning photo events listed on the website on the 9th, 10th and 11th, so looks like it has been extended.