Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

Bought one about a month a go. Very good Bookazine (and not just for the 2 pictures that's feature Haywards Heath)

 

No. we didn't mind in those days. As you rightly point out, it was good that main line steam was still able to run at all. Nor did we mind about the 60mph limit. It was a similar story on preserved lines. Never mind authenticity. Think of that awful pseudo-American livery carried by the Worth Valley's USA tank! I've got a picture I took in the 1970s of the Dukedog running on the Bluebell coupled to the "C" Class tender and with the Caledonian coach immediately behind it. What a hotch-potch, but no one was bothered at the time as it was still a steam train and that was all that mattered.

I guess the bar started to be raised in the 1980s. The Worth Valley was one of the pioneers here, aiming to recreate as best as possible a 1950s branch line with stock, stations, signalling etc as it would have been at that time. On the main line, we use to have the lovely Great Western set from Didcot on the main line, and its loss is something I still regret. However, the repainting of one set of Mark 1 stock into maroon in the 1980s meant that Mark 1s in blue and grey began to be less of a common sight behind steam locos from the mid-80s onwards, but add all these developments together and "reasonably authentic looking train", whether on the main line or on most preserved lines, usually now means a BR-liveried loco up front and thus a 1950s/60s recreation. It is a great shame that it is so much harder to recreate trains from earlier periods, and full credit for the lines that are able to do so. Personally, when travelling on a heritage line, I am always pleased to find a pre-nationalisation carriage included in the train formation. Their interiors seem far more attractive than a Mark 1. It's a pity that no one has ever felt inspired to build a set of main-line certified stock that would look externally and internally like the "big four" era coaches but would be constructed with an updated structure which would cope with modern safety requirements. I guess it's an awful lot of money for something that only would really get a small handful of hard-core enthusiasts excited.

 

Hi guys I have created this thread as I have made a list of all remaining WC/BoB/MNs in an attempt to try to photograph and see them all before any are scrapped or cannabalised in peticular 34073 and 35009. Could everyone please help me with posting on this thread so I can plan this momentous trip I have already added 34023, 34046 and 34059.

 

Does the Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present thread not already cover this???


Keith

PS: Where has it been mentioned that 35009 could be cannibalised or scrapped?

 

It's nothing to do with "the Nanny State", as you put it, and everything to do with cash and a lack of existing rolling stock. Pre-war coaches can and do still run on the mainline (Railmotor, Royal Scotsman, etc.) but very few still survive and most of the owners of those that do have better ways of spending their money than keeping them inspected and certified to mainline standards.

"New build" vintage carriages is an idea whose time has not yet come, but maybe one day soon? Some of the extensively restored wooden-bodied vehicles are almost there - 80% new material on a different under-frame. However, for the moment, I think there's more than enough work to keep the C&W workshops busy without starting from scratch.

But we digress from the important topic of OVSB and his wonderful, if idiosyncratic, pacific locos

 

Thus far, UKRT is the only tour organiser that manages to bag 35028. Had quite a good trip behind the loco from Waterloo to Bristol in 2009. Stopped at Westbury on the return, so the attack on Upton Scudamore was undertaken from a standstill. Never heard a Bulleid make a racket like that, and 35028 surprised me as it is considered a quiet, introverted mainline performer even when working hard... We accelerated with about 12 carriages to 20ish mph until the gradient steepened, and held that speed apart from a brief dip to 17 mph. It was also dark, so wonderfully atmospheric.

 

A current view of 35010 'Blue Star' at the Colne Valley Sunday before last:

http://khardy.zenfolio.com/p223427120/h3dd36aac#h3dd36aac

A close up of the cylinder:

http://khardy.zenfolio.com/p223427120/h3dd36aac#h2968ed9e

Quite a contrast compared to this beauty we saw a day before: http://khardy.zenfolio.com/p1068473372/h2fee23bb#h2fee23bb

 

The MNLPS might want to pick up an issue of the August edition of Countryfile magazine. 35028 makes an appearance above an article about the VSOE, now Belmond British Pullman, on page 65.

 

With the new-ish method of providing patterns, I think the 35010 restoration is fairly achievable. It's just a question of money being thrown at it.

 

If at least one new cylinder is required isnt she perhaps the ideal candidate for back building to pre 1957 design ?

 

Not really, as the middle cylinder is different on an unrebuilt. If it was the middle cylinder that was broken, then it would be an idea with a couple of legs.

 

No. But the Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present thread may.

 

Fixed it!! Sorry!!! I usually double check the spelling just to make sure - must be age...


Keith

 

Age. Something most of us can't avoid.

 

Reported today, that 34016 was on the move from Southall to Carnforth towed in a consist of WCRC coaches by one of their class 57's. However it suffered a hotbox near Rugby, so the move was cut short.

More details and up to date info, in the: LE Movements, ECS and Test Runs 2014 thread.

 

It the spell-checker that tends to turn Bulleid into bullied.

 

Why does 34016 running a hot box not surprise me!

 

Two Carnforth pix.

Is this the boiler of 35018?

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...56943_GKDgnm#!i=3377189412&k=2NRvQPp&lb=1&s=L

And NB that WCRC have removed the boiler from 34073:

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...56943_GKDgnm#!i=3377189445&k=xXF5xZ2&lb=1&s=L

Cheers

Andrew N