48624

Chris, there are words to sum up our frustration, but are not suitable for a public forum !
It is utterly soul destroying after all these years, and after so much pressure from Peak Rail to have her ready for the spring bank weekend last year, hearing the words "You've done a magnificent job" and "You should be so proud" from people, Even after the warm big end experience, people were gobsmacked at the speed which we put her back into traffic, Even one Mr Grice !
Something has got to change, we as a group have already helped out with numerous projects and have offered our services to the Railway to help out with any projects they would like us to, but such is the Stagnation, no communication has occurred, we feel utterly fed up with the 'status quo' and yet have no one to talk to or communicate with about anything.......................
Simon.

 

The other thing to add is that, in the 12 months since that historic occasion captured on video 8624 has had Approximately 16 steamings ! only approx cos I don't have he records to hand. And has covered less than 700 miles ! to me, She is not yet run in. And any faults we find cannot be tested when you have 5 months between each use !
Your fear of not having a railway to volunteer at Chris is pretty much guaranteed if something does not change SOON !

Simon.

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your Footplate experience ! Not so long ago I suggested that 8624 could substitute pioneer on 'pay and play' duties . with no extra cost to the Customer ie. Yourself. Can you just re imagine that day, seeing 8624 simmering away, then someone saying "Oh by the way you'll be driving that today" To this day , No one from Management has considered this.............................................

 

They'll probably be talking to you very differently when you return from Churnet to a railway desperately trying to market 31270 to tourists!

 

Something tells me 48624 won't be back on Peak Rail metals for a long time. Some other railways are interested in hiring her I believe. I also don't know if 31270 is operational right now - it hasn't run for a good few months and needed cylinder head work. I recall when I first visited Peak Rail and D8 was hauling everything owing to failure of steam engine - but there was no marketing, no spreading the news: "Hey Sulzer cranks - come and get your miles up!" D8 is quite a rateable machine and almost unique but as Peak Rail asked a few years ago, "What's a Deltic and is it worth having one?" The management has no idea how to market to enthusiasts.

 

Just to stimulate this debate a bit further, and i am being devil's advocate on this and there are things for and against. Should the company or any heritage railway company be run by people with business acumen and who are able to identify business opportunities or ones who have no experience of running a business? This will be true of any company i suppose.
I was an active member at PR and was involved with the 8F when she first arrived at Darley Dale - now i drive past, there is nothing to go down for. If was in a position of decision making i would have been fighting tooth and nail to keep the 8F at Darley Dale; i would have suggested that the plc run - drive 48624 (which the income derived from this would got to meeting the steaming cost - thus you could have less punters during the day) - some kind of "Hogwarts" event (or something in the same theme) the average Muggle would associate 48624 (in her red livery) with the "Hogwarts Express". There are so many opportunities (and money) that could be made from this and are now just consigned to the cupboard.

 

How ironic that Peak Rail has re-launched the website and on the front page there is 48624!

 

As a volunteer on both the 8f,and the PR loco dept.,we were all under the impression that the return of the 8f would herald an oppertunity to give 'Pioneer' a rest,at least to provide a few weeks maintanance window.Instead,the loco was stripped and put back together for a new ashpan in less than 3 weeks in a rush to get in back in service,and not another window available until the summer.This is how it has been for the last 6 years,and it's a credit to the loco and engineering team that it survives,but it can't be a healthy way to run a loco.

 

I've just been for a lovely bike ride down to Consall Forge, Had a couple of jars in the Black Lion and watched a nicely restored DMU set running in tandem with a Great Western prarie hauled train.Having spent/wasted too much of my life on Peak Rail it made a pleasant change to see a proper railway running as it should.I look forward to the end of May when 8624 is free of it's bindings and we will be able to see our loco in this spectacular setting,but more importantly just being used!

 

Very much looking forward to spending a summers afternoon at the Black Lion watching 8624 do her stuff

 

Sounds like a cracking idea to me ! Maybe try to get the whole group together for that celebratory drink we never got to have last year ?????

Simon.

 

Roll on June when i get to drive the beast its been a long time since we had an 8f at Churnet Valley and everyone is looking forward to its arrival and i can say it will get alot of use. I hope everyone will come and see it running with us

Steve

 

We could all stop over in your caravan!

 

I'll definitely be up to see her - nice little railway they've got there, and a great pub!

 

You're not the only one looking forward to that!

 

You best promise to be a good little boy then Steven!

 

I had thought we could all doss down in the servants quarters of your mansion !!!!

Or I'll pitch up in your grounds !!!

Love It....

Simon.

 

do we have a date when it is arriving???

 

Leaves here on June 3rd I beleive?
Spent the day bulling her up a bit,looks spanking and would sit very well in the NRM!
Roll on May 1st.

 

Good Good. Im part of the p-way on the churnet valley, and on wednesday we were talkin about her and we all cant wait to see her steam up and down. 5199 needs a break haha.