6023

Mighty useful as they are, i think it might be stretching things to call Halls an express loco, and 5029 is out of traffic until new tyres can be fitted.

 

The fact that it's sat outside does not mean it's not being worked on! In reality a great deal of work has been done on the firebox whilst it's been in the location in which you have seen it.

 

That is as maybe, but why do people have to work on it outside, and especially in winter? Can't believe that they are that short of undercover accommodation at Didcot.

 

Weren't they Hoping to do the work with no boiler lift? If so then that boilersmith coming from the gcr has been climbing in and out of the firebox door quite a bit!
matt

 

I think definitions like express loco are hard to define as certain pacifics from the southern were build as mixed traffic.
I do wonder how it seems that the number of larger operation great western loco seems to be dropping are they hard to restore or maintain

 

In the case of 5029, what has happened could happen to any loco, it is just one of those things.

 

I believe that during the war the then government would not allow express passenger locos to be built, so Bulleid called them mixed traffic locos and therefore got permission to build them.

 

I think it's a number of factors, Halls & Manors are difficult to gauge in places theses days and have a 60 upper limit making them unsuitable for certain turns, which is why i suspect only 3 (4936, 4965 & 5972) are registered these days, out of 3 Kings, 2 Are theoretically availible to overhaul/use, one is coming to the end of its stint with at least 2 years out likely while the other is undergoing repairs no one is too sure how long they will take.

That leaves us with the Castles one (5043) is availible, another (5029) will be availible once new tyres are sourced, another two (4079 & 7029) are due in the next few years while two (5080 & 5051) are likely to be static exhibits for at least the next 5 years, 4073 as a National Collection example is unlikely to see steam again and 7027 is unrestored.

Other companies in my opinion have a larger range of classes of class 5 or higher that are availible to work, with GWR designs you are really limited to Halls, Castles & Kings that are suitable for Mainline work whereas the LMS for example can call on Coronations, Princess Royals, Royal Scots, Jubilee's, Black Fives, 8F's etc.

The GWR might have more preserved loco's than anyone else, but how many of these are Heavy Freight or Tank loco's ?.

 

It's interesting that you've included LMS 8F as suitable for mainline work whilst dismissing GWR heavy freight locos. I would have said that there is little difference between the 8F and the GWR 28XX/2884 classes which would make one suitable and the other not. It's only that we see 48151 regularly on the main line and have seen 48773 out in the past, whereas the only time that a GWR 2-8-0 has been on the mainline was 2857's trip to Newport with a freight train as part of GWR 150 in 1985. I'm sure that, were a group prepared to do it and managed to get the same 50 mph exemption that 48151 has, a GWR 2-8-0 would be no less suitable than an 8F.

Of course a GWR freight loco would suffer from the same gauging issues that Halls and Manors do, so it's unlikely that anyone would make the attempt.

 

I think the 28xx and the 2884's lose out greatly to the Stanier 8F's in that both of those 8F's have been pushed well beyond 50 when the need has arisen.
Before we get started on a witch hunt about speed, in all probability Network Rail might well have required it as BR did at times.
This would show the Stanier engines superior performance at higher speeds also they are balanced for higher speeds.
When we had the two SVR moguls on the main line speed was kept to reasonable levels in deference to the crews on the 73xx.
Apparrently is could be quite hairy on the footplate at speed.

Here's hoping that the guys on 6023 have a bit of goodf luck for a change they deserve it.
I am looking forward to see how well this one goes, I was surprised by the colour chosen but it does look different.
I like it.

Cheers Dave

 

Is the balancing on the Moguls not up to much ?, I would of thought it would be indentical to that found on the Grange/Manor.

Martin summed up the reason why I included 8F's, I doubt there a great deal of difference between a 28XX and an 8F on their intended duties, but the 8F is a better choice for Mainline work at speed.

 

I Would like to wish peter Gransden a speedy recovery after his accident at didcot railway centre on wednesday he ramains in I.T.U. at john radcliffe hospital and in a serious condition so not upto visit at the moment ;get well soon peter mate xx

all the best
Ron & jane;

 

When I talked to the Betton Grange people they said the mogul wheels they getting for use on 6880 will need rebalancing. I guesss maybe casue the 'Grange' differs from a 'mogul' in weight maybe?

 

Isn't it also affected by things such as tyre thickness - amount cylinders and pistons have peen bored out etc?

 

I think to be fair you have a 30" throw and only a pony truck to control it hence the lively performance if pushed too far but 7325 is a very fine engine and it would be nice to see it back in steam.

On the day in question BR had managed to break six diesels coming up from London to Worcester and then we had to go to Hereford and it seems that the bobbies at Malvern West and Ledbury were over cautious about the time we would take over the two single line sections.
Returning on the South Wales main line the crews were really pushing to regain time.

Cheers Dave

 

The Railway mag had a feature on GWR moguls last year - to mark their centenary, I think. One run on the Paddington-Birmingham route saw a mogul hit 77mph. From some of the above comments, that must have been quite an interesting experience for the footplate crew.

 

I have a footplate experience book (can't remember which one it is) where the up Inter-City failed at Leamington Spa and the only available engine was a mogul. It ran through to Paddington without loosing any more time on the schedule.
It would be nice to see something like this again but I fear it cannot be:

PSOV Rarest & Finest 7325 on the main line - YouTube

 

2857 was supposedly once used on a leg of the Up Cornish Riviera when shedded at Laira in Plymouth. The booked loco failed at Plymouth (presumably a King?) and the 28 was the only available motive power capable of taking the load over the south devon banks unassisted. That must have been an interesting turn for the crew!