60019 Bittern

According to Railway Herald Bittern has been pulled from day 1 due to gauging issues - didn't specify where.

 

Yes, re-scheduled for next week. Still expected to be doing final day of GB6

 

Thanks, that's good news. Let's hope the test goes well.

 

HI bittern passed its test run Tuesday to Didcot and back to Southall. fish7373 81C fitter

 

No 4464 on the light engine move from Southall-NRM York emerging from the 58 yard Askham Tunnel. The recent cutting back of the trees at this spot as opened up a view not seen for along time.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/8686537788/in/photostream/lightbox/

http://simonlathlane.zenfolio.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10257146@N05/

 

forgive my ignorance - GB1 - 6?

 

The Great Britain railtours. This year's was the 6th. Bittern was rostered for the London-Exeter leg on Day 1 (Sat 20th) and the York-London leg on Day 9 (sun 28th). In the event, she couldn't do the first turn, due to clearence problems on the South Western (possibly the new platform at Templecombe??) but did work the final section. See the thread in What's Going On for a fuller discussion, photos, videos, etc.

 

A recent upload of some footage from last year:



4464 Bittern in the West Country last summer: on the turntable at Yeovil Junction, passing the S&DJR embankment at Cole and stopping briefly at Pewsey.

This is a "taster" for the latest releases from Steam Age Pictures, the final volumes covering Mainline 2012 - at long last. Click on the link in my signature if you want to know more.

 

I notice that it was announced yesterday on the Wensleydale Railway facebook page that Bittern is to visit on the 24th May, anyone know anymore info about the visit?

 

Just putting this question out on here. Anyone know when Bittern's boiler ticket expires??

 

"At the end of the year" according to an article I've just been reading in Steam Railway.

 

It might not be out that long… mechanically it proved to be in good nick last year
And isn't there a spare overhauled boiler waiting for it at Crewe.. maybe Bittern could come back before Scotsman.. with Scotsmans old boiler

 

Common sense purchase and reunited with the class of locomotive the boiler was intended for. The turn around could be something magical, couldn't it? Bittern gets my vote (aside from Tornado, but I'm biased there) for the mainline locomotive of the last decade. It's just been joyful to see the garter blue machine thundering up and down the country. We hadn't seen a garter blue A4 on the mainline since the 1980s with SNG and then suddenly we had three at once on display, and one doing 90+mph on the East Coast mainline. Magic indeed.

 

Its worth remembering that Bittern was returned to service by the guys down at Ropley on the Mid Hants, you are quite right Bittern always has been an excellent performer!

 

I agree with you on that. Seeing Bittern in Garter Blue reminds me on 4498 when it use to run in that livery. It just looks the bees-knees

 

I hope they keep her that way too.

 

Can someone tell me why they think her boiler cert runs out soon when she first ran after overhaul in 2007?

 

Heavy general for a mainline registered loco that is running on the big railway is every 7 years, isn't it?

 

Yes it certainly was. But if you believe Heritage Railway magazine, it was solely restored by Roland Kennington and gets all the credit as such. Lol.

But in truth he only acted as an as advisor. MHR personnel like Steve Humby, Frank Boait and the numerous volunteers are the real people who deserve the credit for a locomotive that has proved pretty darn reliable and a consistent performer since 2007.

 

This is not to decry the efforts of the MHR team who have done a great job but Bittern hadn't really done many miles since its withdrawal from BR in 1967 so it is to a large extent running on work done on its last BR overhaul. Cheltenham similarly had that benefit. Next time round it will be a much harder task.