Will we see LMS 5690 in 2014?

I agree, once you've seen a castle you've seen 'em all... Joking aside what 5043's done has been amazing and it's worked straight out the box, how many Barry wrecks have such great reliabilty as this? As one of mates says '4965 looks like a toy with that little tender and fussy lining out out, 5043, well thats a beast just needs a red line along the side, its a chuffing GTi' Anyhow we've digressed, is there any gen on a test run for Leander yet?

 

Allegedly (4)5593 will occupy the workshop space once 7029 vacates it, be handy for destinations out of gauge to Swindon loco's.

 

Joined by 46100 and 46115... and what better occasion would it be if it were to be the unveiling of 45551.

 

A better question might be whether they all manage to see out their boiler tickets on the main line. I know people regularly predict the end of steam on the main line but I do wonder how much longer it can go on for.

 

People have been wondering that since 1962.
I wonder how much longer people will keep wondering about it for.

The US was always a good example.. and 10 years ahead of our curve.. yet recently, despite the youngest being approaching 80 to have reasonably remembered mainline US steam... it seems there's a bit of a resurgence going on right now.

 

Well, in the latest SR there are predictions of drastic reductions after 2018, but I seem to remember they predicted
the end of mainline steam by 1985!

 

I guess it was wrong since the first issue.. That talked about a strategic reserve and no one ever found that pot of gold either.

 

Big reductions? Very likey, but not the end. More likely a return to a more limited set of approved routes with diesel or electric haulage from population centres.

 

Just like the 80's.........

 

Whilst there money to pay for it, there will be those who fight for it and it will continue.

 

......... but will it continue on the same scale, and will there be such a large pool of engines? And if there isn't, what will become of them? Class 6 and above are not heritage line's staple diets.

 

There's a few class 8's doing ok..

 

8Ps or 8Fs? There's a difference...

 

Ah but he didn't say that

But there's at least one 8p with a healthy bank account from preserved line running.

 

Er,.... that's one then! What are the rest going to do? If the one you are thinking of is the same one I'm thinking of, it's no coincidence that it runs on a railway where Class 8 power isn't way over the top (and it can also stretch its legs a bit more on a backwater of NR from time to time). However, i doubt whether the railway in question could give meaningful amounts of work to many more similar sized engines (although I'm sure they'd be tempted by some if offered!).

 

That's the point.... If a loco such as 71000, 6201, 46233 arrived at your preserved railway station... Would they turn it down ?

 

Who fancies paying the cost of transport for 4 jubs and 2 scots to Llan then...... only joking!! Im presuming Kolhopur has 0% chance of being ready for 2018 which is when Scots Guardsmans ticket ends. BUT if all 4 jubs can be in steam in 2023 (end of that year is Galatea's 10yrs) and Scots Guardsman back out by then there is the opportunity to have a 7 loco line up of all LMS 3 Cylinder 4-6-0s!! Not bad if you ask me!

With regards to mainline, if HS2 gets built to Brum and Manc etc then surely that would free up paths on the "old" network for steam to continue on? If of course there is still the market for mainline at that point.

 

No no, that should be WHEN HS2 gets built.