Steam Railmotor's return to Brentford confirmed

Brentford shuttles with the Steam Railmotor have now been confirmed for October:

The Great Western Society is pleased to announce that arrangements have been made for Steam Railmotor 93 and trailer 92 to run on the Southall to Brentford branch line on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October. It will be a rare opportunity to travel in vehicles over 100 years old on a branch line which only has a freight service.

Richard Croucher, Chairman of the Great Western Society, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring the Steam Railmotor back to Southall where it began life, and it is doubly important as this is also the birthplace of the Great Western Society.”

The event is supported by First Great Western, who will be making an announcement shortly about other events taking place in the area. There will be seven departures each day from Southall at 10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 13.00, 14.30, 1530 and 16.30. The round trip will take just over 30 minutes. There will be a maximum of 110 seats per train – 50 in 93 and 60 in 92.

Tickets will be £20 each, bookable in advance through the Didcot Railway Centre website, where you can also find more information: www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/news/latest.html#news01

Chris

 

There is already a thread see http://www.national-preservation.co...hall-to-brentford-18-and-19th-october.329493/

 

Ooops, how did I miss that?

 

Sounds interesting! Pity I can't be there.

Just as a mischievous thought, a Brighton A1x will haul, with a bit in hand, a train which has capacity for over 160 people, including some first class accommodation, up gradients steepening to 1 in 68. Can't see the GWR railmotor, acknowledged as the best of its breed, equalling that performance.

Of course self-propelled units were to triumph ultimately in the internal combustion era.

PH

 

I reckon a Class 117 dmu could beat the Terrier... so yah boo sucks.

 

Can't see what that has got to do with it. The G.W.R. came to the same conclusion about 100 years ago i.e. that a competent small locomotive has a greater earning power per ton of fuel burned than a good railmotor apart from being more versatile. It was interesting to experience this recently and witness W8 accelerating her train up 1 in 68 under a light rein. Easy work for her on a fuel consumption, so I was told, of around 1 ton per day.

PH

 

Yep and then they started replacing the small steam loco with diesel railcars and but for WW2 would have developed them into something very like a Class 117, driven by one man instead of two and with about three times the availability and a lot less servicing.

 

If the underground can run the Chesham set and Met No. 1 (L44) from Hammersmith to Moorgate on a busy Saturday maybe its time for W8 & six 4 wheelers to run round the South London line. I'm sure it would keep to time.

PS - well done to the GWS for getting the railmotor and trailer onto the national network.

Nick

 

Four of us booked on the Sunday. Not quite the scenic delights of the Looe branch though.

 

Already an air braked train so that's one obstacle overcome (or risk assessment that doesn't need to be done!)....having just seen the new portable GSMR kit, it is small enough to go in the cab of a Terrier

 

Oh if only, but if the computor sayes no, how about a bit closer to home no low loaders needed just a little matter of slewing the track , a rail replacement bus service and a whole day's fun

 

I seem to remember reading that special dispensation was needed to allow the wooden-bodied railmotor and trailer to carry passengers on NR, and only with no other trains running on the same route -- whereas the wooden-bodied Metropolitan coaches are allowed to run on the Underground amongst the service trains. This implies that the restrictions on NR are at NR's behest, not the regulator's.

 

And with some creative thinking - a video camera should manage the OTMR requirement.

 

maybe next up they should think about W22W..the GW railcar ?

 

If your hell bent on loco hauled, why go to the expense of fitting poxy little Terrier when there's 2 NR registered Panniers at 84E

 

A touch of football supporter's tribalism perhaps? A good machine is a good machine, whatever the origin.

PH

 

Yes but they get homesick if they're more than 20 miles from Tyseley.

 

I think that you ran into some of your famous "Light Thought" there Paul.

Cheers

Alan

 

IIRC the railway group standards which apply to mainline rolling stock, such as those regarding crashworthiness, and the body who oversee them (the RSSB) do not apply to London Underground which is how they operate vehicles not compliant with the relevant mainline standards.

Chris

 

Good luck spotting them outside a BH post code, they have shopping trolley style magnets attached to the wheels.