Planet at GCR

MOSI L&M locomotive Planet is to visit the GCR over the May Bank Holiday Weekend 28th -31st. Planet is to be giving rides in its Liverpool and Manchester 2nd class carriages (rep). Along with Planet will be Rocket from the NRM plus Furness 20 and the Beattie well tank. Plaese come along for your chanch to ride some distance behind theses locomotives (not just rides up in a yard). See GCR web site for details.

 

Yes as 504 says- this is looking to be a fantastic gala, and the MOSI footplate crews are really looking forward to letting "Planet" perform as she would have in the 1830s. The GCR will be a superb location to see the replica "Rocket" and "Planet" pass at speed on a double track mainline, just as they would have 180 years ago! Speaking of which, its the first time that a "Rocket" class and "Planet" class loco will have run side by side since around 1835 so a sight not seen for many generations!

Also visiting will be Furness 20, Beattie Well Tank 30585, and resident ROD 63601 and N2 1744 providing motive power for larger full line trains. Golden Oldies is an apt name- with the "Rocket" design dating from 1829 to the N2 from 1921, the event will see locos in steam that represent 92 years of British Locomotive development.

MOSI are proud to be invited to this historic and unique gala- visit to see is there but dont forget your top hat....!

 

Im curious how they plan to operate Rocket in particular over more than a short distance, on demo lines, it usually propels in one direction and can't see this being practical over a larger distance, yet Rocket doesn't have any front drawgear in the normal sense so can't really see how it could run round, any thoughts ?.

 

Possibly top and tailed? however i thought there was some front drawgear for it that can be tepmorarily attached

 

Unless it's running full line (water capacity issues?) it wouldn't be able to run round anyway - no facilities to allow for this at Quorn or Rothley...

 

both are propelling ECS.
Planet and Rocket do not have air pipes on the front end , plus buffer beam not built to take much weight. On the L&M most locomotives were turned so they were also faceing the right way.

 

"Planet" will be facing smokebox towards Loughborough so will carry passengers from Quorn to Loughborough and propel empty coaching stock back. "Rocket" will be facing Leicester so will carry passengers from Loughborough to Quorn and propel empty coaches back.

This way passengers can be carried on the 1830s trains both ways, and get to pass the opposite loco "smokebox to smokebox" whilst on the move.

I imagine "Rocket" is operated in a similar way at York, but "Planet" has no front brake connections (1. for asthetic reasons, 2. theres nowhere to fit them!) because the loco and stock is operated as a semi- fixed unit. While the coaches can be swapped round if needed, whilst at Liverpool Road, the loco faces West and the brake compartments in the coaches face East. That way, the Guard is always at the rearmost end (whether running with one or both coaches) and the loco at the front. Whilst not impossible, some quite drastic changes would have to be made to the loco and coach brake pipe runs, plus turning one coach round 180 degrees before we could run "Planet" round and couple up at either end...!

 

I know I will be biased in my view but having been down there today it certainly is worth seeing (if only just to get a platform ticket and see the arrivals and departures)

The GCR has put up a video of Planet and Rocket....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Rblq7TcEE

Regards

Duncan

 

That video was good, certainly better than the 'advert' produced (although that isn't hard!) I wish I could have gone to the GCR, for that is the only event that will probably ever really interest me as I'm something of a nerd of early steam.

 

To echo the above, although I was highly critical of the "advert"; credit where credit's due, it's impressive to have a video of the Friday of an event up by the Friday evening! Might have brought a few more people in too.

 

Fantastic event guys! Had a really enjoyable day today! Stuff to follow...

 

if you missed it Planet did make a full line trip.