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Britannia to Shrewsbury 23 November

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by alastair, Nov 1, 2013.

  1. john34077

    john34077 New Member

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    Failed FTR exam with steam gland leak, so not able to travel Saturday.

    John
     
  2. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    What sort of steam gland leak? Most are quickly fixable.
     
  3. john34077

    john34077 New Member

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    I don't know - this is what the NVR signalman told me.

    John
     
  4. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I understand from someone who works in the loco shed at Wansford it's actually a leaking crown stay that's the problem. Uh oh!
     
  5. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    That's more plausible.
     
  6. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    I hope SD are working on finding a suitable alternative, just in case. Maybe Britannia or Braunton, provided they're not stopped for maintenance and have a support crew available? Given Tornado's extended range, I'd hazard a guess that London-Bristol would revert to DL-haulage and maybe the water stop would need to be changed - Abergavenny or Hereford instead of Magor?
     
  7. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That's a depressingly sensible idea. Suddenly £109 for more diesel mileage than steam seems an unattractive prospect even with the £10 probable refund. Better to drive to Ludlow and do the Christmas Market separately if that's what you want. Let's hope that SD can do some magic on this one.
     
  8. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    I do admire your tenacity with steam trips Al. With all they throw at you these days. With you being a hard core steam timer from the good old days I'd love to see you start a thread somewhere more appropriate than here on Nat Pres by writing a post summarising the highs and lows for you in 2013. And whether it is still all worth while for you. NOT a "knocking" thread, but you tend not to do that, but just how it is for you these days as that hard core steam timer. The costs and benefits showing as part of that post.

    As I've posted elsewhere I've virtually given up now. My very narrow focus on pure SR steam only trips has virtually nothing to home in on these days! And I am flat out at present with my Owls.
     
  9. osprey

    osprey Resident of Nat Pres

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    Flat out with your Owls?.........you can fly?:eek:
     
  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    It's all in my signature Bryan. Nothing is ever half empty. And a steamy dash passed Andover with whatever is up front is always worth a few bob. Actually, I think that Andover may be dashing passed Andover on Saturday if you get the drift of that rather cryptic comment!
     
  11. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    One hell of a thud when I land!
     
  12. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Should be passing Andover and Andover myself today. If Dave S is at home today.

    Always quite emotional driving that route . Farnborough-Fleet-Winchfield- Hook-Basingstoke-Micheldever, (!), Overton, then down to Andover and then onto Salisbury Plain for the Short-Eared Owls.

    I try to keep speed down, but any descents do have me winding out to 25% and yanking the throttle into the roof! LOL.

    PS. What a shame a Light Pacific was never named Andover. And preserved as a main line loco!
     
  13. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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  14. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    On Facebook announced that 60163 has two leaking stays and failed FTR as a result

    Boiler coming out as part of the 6 month maintenance plan for the engine . Also confirmed 70000 will run
     
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Well, 70000 is an excellent substitute for Tornado although I have to say that I would have been desperately sad if Britannia really was replacing King Edward V (6016) as David's lovely typo tells us on UK Steam!
     
  16. banana patch

    banana patch Member

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    Does anybody know if Britannia will take us all the way from waterloo or just bristol-shrewsbury-bristol? With such a tight turn round at shrewsbury being late arriving would be a problem I feel . Keeping fingers x just in case!!!
     
  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Well, it's in London at present so I'm with you in hoping it'll start from Wloo. If it does start from London, whether it does any of the return from Shrewsbury must be debatable for the reason you have given. And then, of course they will have to find a DL at Shrewsbury to bring us back. As I said, let's hope that DBS and SD can work some magic on this one as I am sure that SD will not want yet another one of their trips to become a disappointment. Presumably if things change they will tell passenegers first via mail or their website. At the moment, they are still showing Tornado.
     
  18. osprey

    osprey Resident of Nat Pres

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    Victor better keep an eye on his pie then......
     
  19. malc

    malc Part of the furniture

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    SD website now shows 70000 for this trip, with the existing timings, although I'm sure an extra water stop will be needed in each direction between Magor and Shrewsbury (just over 100 miles) - hopefully that can be fitted in without any major changes to the timings.
     
  20. Steamage

    Steamage Part of the furniture

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    UKsteam.info timings say "PROVISIONAL TIMES Times subject to amendment". I expect that the final timings will be a little different from the Tornado plan. A friend in the railway video fraternity has heard that the return trip may have a DL pilot from Shrewsbury, though I don't know how reliable his source is. I can see how that would be one possible option that is being considered, but I hope DBS and SD come up with something better.
     

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