45699 Galatea

the recent video of galatea being shunted about minus other major parts dosent mean that the parts arent ready to be fitted and she could be closer than we think .

 

True, but WCRC dont have an unlimited workforce and so they will no doubt prioritise what they work on - with 44932, Tangmere, Scots Guardsman and the 8F all being potentially available for the 2010 summer season, unlike Galatea, it seems pretty likely her overhaul has been on the back burner for sometime.

Chris

 

Yes Brian oliver saved leander the first time round, but he did not save galatea from barry. 5699 was saved as spares for leander by the second owner of 5690 in preservation.

 

..... but was not Brian Oliver involved in the attempt to restore 45699 at Tyseley?

 

He was. It fact it was Brian who put together the consortium who purchased the loco from the Severn valley railway.
I belive alot of progress was made early on in the project (including the manufacture of a new pattern driving wheel - see steam railway letters page) however the project stalled when Brian was taken ill and sadly passed away.

People who knew Brian, especially from his involvment at Peak Rail will know what a dynamic bloke he was. He really had the ability to "Get things done" I'm sure if he was still with us Galatea would be steaming away !!

 

I'm just watching this thread as a Jubilee on the main line is on my list for run or two behind.

My only other such run was on 19th August 1967. Behind 45562 on the famous 10.17 Leeds - Carlisle train. Which by then had a customer base largely of gricers!

 

Agreed, Jubilees are a great steam loco, I would love to take a ride behind one and I would also love to be lineside somewhere where I could see them powering down the mainline, up a long incline, etc....

 

TBirdFrank mentions George Davies as one of the driving force behind Dinting. I knew him from my involvement with Dinting in the happy days. Quite the nicest bank manager you could ever wish to meet was George. He ran the Williams & Glynn's Railway Society in Manchester.
Reading the introduction to David Shepherd's book "A Brush With Steam" I suspect that George might even have been the provider of finance to David Shepherd to buy 92203 and 75029, but that is conjecture on my part!

I stand corrected, but I think George Davies' ashes were scattered at Dinting. RIP George......

 

You mean like this Steve
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZS5Udg4jkk

 

Indeed I do. I hope Galatea gets to have a run like that soon, and indeed all the others.

 

Mentioned before I know, but remember Terry Essery's description of 45699 lifting a night mail of no less than fourteen coaches up the Lickey unassisted after the bankers failed halfway up.
Terry recalls his "spirited" driver having a go instead of stopping for the bankers to catch up. He said the engine was in full foreward gear and with a fully open regulator.

 

Didn't 'Midland Record' carry a story about the late Tom King & Galatea too? Apologies, can't check as my copies are at home & I'm working away at present...

 

Not sure. On the "Lickey" run it was Tommy Charles as driver.

 

I'm sure you are right about it being Tommy Charles with Terry Essery.

Some interesting stuff about 5699 here: http://www.em89.demon.co.uk/rail.htm

Lordy

 

Any news on how she's coming along......look forward to seeing another Jub restored

 

After Leander's recent withdrawal, I'm sure were all looking forward to seeing any Jubilee running again (certainly speaking for myself, as I have never had the pleasure of a ride behind one; in fact the only one I've ever seen is Bahamas, and that was in the shed at Haworth. I'm sure my geography has suffered for it!).

 

Ah, then you've missed a treat! There's something very distinctive about a Jubilee's "roar". I'll never forget standing in a field near Bromsgrove, with hundreds of others, to video Leander climbing the Lickey Bank in March 2006. It was a still evening and we could hear her approaching for miles. Magic! It still brings a tingle to my scalp to think of it...

 

Absolutely right, nothing like a roaring Jube! A quote from John Powell's Living With London Midland Locomotives

"All my instincts told me that the crisp bark of a Class 5 was more attuned to the need of the Midland route to Carlisle than the throaty roar of a Jubilee but often doubts crept in after you had seen Jubilees on such hard climbing jobs. You had only to hear the distant sounds that floated up to the Derbyshire hills as a down Manchester express opened up after the 45mph slack on Rowsley curve: there was none of that jazzy beat of a Gresley engine, but a lovely even purr that told of a front end in good fettle. And a Jubilee could chop her beats off short and sharp when she was nicely warmed up."

Nice!

Dave