Tornado

Just checking the A1 site for the 2009 and 2010 trips - aside from the outage which has obviously hampered last year, and the start of this year, she seems to have done about the same number of trips from York as out of King's Cross in 2009, and more in the North East in 2010 - if this is just based on the known booked trains this year, then - as with every year - that's subject to change?

If you feel that strongly about it, email the trust and ask if one is being planned.

Haven't the trust got enough to worry about and work on at the moment without having their schedule of planned trains scrutinized in this way?

 

Like Guycarr said above. Steam Dreams only run out of London generally, and I'd assume that's on account of there being a larger, more affluent pool of punters down there.

 

Fair enough, thank you for your prompt reply.

 

However its 2011 we are talking about.

Its not just me who notices it, but a great number of colleagues who are covenantors as well. We wont stop supporting, it just feels as if it is being taken away, after a great deal of local support and £££'s were contributed. And i say again, a senior figure from the A1 trust stated that excursions from the NE of england would be a regular occurance in the future, when we signed up.

As for sending an email to the trust, dont even go their, read the whole thread and you will find out why.

 

I am left utterly perplexed. Surely I am not the only one to have sent emails to the Trust recently? It doesn't matter which member of the trust I email - I'll refrain from naming names - all they have ever been is polite, kind and helpful in their responses.

I don't think its by any means being "taken away" - I do think 2011 is going to be a tough year for all, including the trust, and its understandable they need to maximize their revenue with so many trips and bookings lost. I don't know the ins and outs of the railtour business, but it seems logical to run profitable trains as much as possible?

I'd happily sign up for a north of England railtour if one was made available, I might add, even driving up to join the train somewhere and return. You never know when one might be announced, after all...

 

On another site there is a update on Tornado with a picture of the fully lined finished tender in Brunswick Green. The boiler must be getting somewhere near for return by now surely?

 

Due back in a few weeks... (April 8th)

 

Taken from the newest Tornado Telegraph delivered today, and dont shoot the messenger, just keeping you informed!!!!

Winter Maintenance

– DB Meiningen has made substantial progress on the boiler repair to the
extent that dates for the hydraulic test and return to the National Railway
Museum at York have been set. Barring unforeseen problems, the boiler should
leave Meiningen on 6th April. This is a significant achievement as a large amount
of work has been completed in a short time and without the benefit of pre
planning. The work by DB Meiningen has been monitored by our insurance
company inspector and by David Elliott and Graeme Bunker and will culminate in
a hydraulic test on the 31st March. Back at York and Darlington the C (annual)
exam has been largely completed and a number of minor modifications
incorporated whilst the boiler is off the frames. The most significant of these
is modification of the ash pan, damper door and ashpan spark arrestor screen
to increase area of the air intake such that with the mandatory spark arrestor
screen, the airflow is as good as the original design without the spark arrestor.
This is part of a programme of minor modifications aimed at reducing the risk
of a recurrence of the recent firebox problems. Other modifications include
fitting Class 66 freight locomotive sanders to improve reliability, fitting improved
LED lighting between the frames to aid preparation and maintenance, LED strip
lighting over the tender buffer beam to aid coupling to trains in the dark and
installation of the conduits and wiring in preparation for fitting the new GSMR radio
system which all main line trains will be required to have fitted in the near future.
Repair work has included overhaul of one air pump, renewal of the white metal on
all the outside connecting and coupling rod bearings and one crosshead. The
cylinders are being re-bored and pistons built up and new rings fitted throughout.
The opportunity has been taken to overhaul all the cab steam valves. This
work is scheduled to be complete before the boiler returns to ensure that all the
volunteer and paid labour can concentrate on rapid reassembly and re-commissioning.
In the meantime the repaint continues around the maintenance work.

 

Is this the first time a Class 66 design has been used on a steam engine?!

 

Is it the April issue?!

That engine is beginning to look like the Blackpool illuminations. If they're taking the sanders off a Class 66, why not put its diesel engine in a second tender too while they're at it. Would save putting a 'box' on the back of railtours.

Richard

 

There's nothing unusual about reusing components from diesel loco's - for example the WHR have recovered sanders from 08's for at least some of their Garratts, and of course there's the various bits of air brake equipment that have also been reused on a lot of mainline steam loco's. Im sure there's many more example out there.

CHris

 

Absolutely.. how many ex Barry locomotives have tenders rolling around on old Class 33,47,45 or 40 wheelsets ?

 

For that matter, how many locomotives with electric lighting in preservation have re-used components from scrapped class 08s/09s/12s?

Using class 66 components is unusual in that its a locomotive closer to the modern day than the end of steam, I'll grant you, but if it works, then use it.

Thinking about it, I seem to recall Steam Railway reporting that when being streamlined, Duchess of Hamilton's front end steps came off a class 08 as they were in fact the same type used, or extremely similar.

Sorry for the vagueness, but I can't remember when, only that it was before DoH was revealed in her crimson lake livery.

 

I think most good railwaymen are quite capable of coupling up in the dark without the need for strip lighting. Most of us can do it with our eyes closed.

Silly idea.

 

Not silly at all. Nowt wrong with making a job that bit easier.

 

Useful if you've stopped in the middle of Rannoch Moor though...

 

One of those cutdown cab class 08s might fit in there!:twitch: Not sure how much help it would be though only having a top speed of 20 mph!:rofl:

 

ive a better idea use an HST power car instead permently attached to the train and painted up to look like a beavertail coach

 

I am surprised that nobody as commented on the article in Steam Railway page 88 .
Mark Allatt mentions the stays will be tube rather than drilled bar this is to help alleviate hot spots and prevent cracking