48624

The plan is for 8624 to enter service over the weekend 23-25 May, subject to satisfactory completion of testing. It will work passenger services along with WD150 on the Saturday, once it has hauled a 48624 Society members train for all those who have done all the hard work on it on the Saturday morning. On Sunday and Monday it will haul all the passenger services on the railway, whilst WD150 will work a demonstration freight train (not for public use) on the second train path. I am sure more information will appear at www.peakrail.co.uk over the next couple of weeks.

 

Final boiler inspection tomorrow, so fingers crossed everything will be on shedule for the 23rd May.
I suppose we really should explain about the livery:

Our original intention was not to do it in this colour. Our painter was using maroon undercoat as it has a good colour and finish to help sight any blemishes on the paintwork. But when speculation started on this thread we gave our mischievous painter free rein to start a bit of a wind up, which ended up collecting quite a following! Until very recently we still intended to finish the engine in black for its May debut. But the complements and generally positive comments about the livery (both here and at Rowsley) started to flow in and, in fact, most of the working members started to take a shine to it , so we decided to try and appease both red and black camps, especially as it wasn't going to cost us anything. We felt the only fair way forward was to carry on with the red, lined livery (for a limited time only). So if you want to see it in red, you'd better get down this year because we'll be converting it to its authentic, early British Rail livery in the not too distant future.

 

Sorry chaps, we've gone off-topic, but I have to say that I am pleased to learn that 60163 has an authentic Darlington tender ... even 'though I still like loads of rivets (a la Doncaster!!)
Back on topic once more, I am equally pleased to learn of the very latest news concerning 48624 and its livery!

 

I really like it in its lms red =P~ Looks very nice

 

She looks stunning in LMS red. :-D I hope she visits East Lancs and Keighley & Worth Valley sometime in the future.

 

Thanks for filling in the gaps in the story. It makes very good sense and has won you much more publicity than just painting it black from day one would have done - and you'll get a second bite of the cherry when you repaint her in an "authentic" livery. Next time I'm in the district, I'll certainly make a detour to admire the "Red Eight".

 

I should think there are a few red faces on here to go with it!

 

Plus increase the interest at Rowsley as those who want to see it red need to hurry up, those who want it black will want to see it outshopped next time. One engine, two unveilings, double the publicity. Who was it who said there's no such thing as bad publicity? =D>

 

I'll be the one driving past to Crich where they understand what "museum quality" restoration means

 

Are you doubting the quality of the restoration? It's a coat of paint for goodness sake. We know the reasons now behind it and the BR black rivet counters won't have long to wait to have their way. We know you disagree with the colour scheme, we know you won't be visiting so why post the pathetic and childish comment above? It is a smack in the face for all those who have sweat blood and tears to get another wreck into steam and unfortunately there others who are no longer with us to see it. Either put up with it for a year or shut up...

 

Good luck for the 23rd. Always a big day when you turn your "baby" loose on the public for the first time. Whilst the red livery will have some rarity value I must admit that BR black appeals more.

 

No! I'm saying nothing about the quality of the restoration, or even the colour, but please do not say that people don't have a right of free speech on a public forum. You may or may not agree with the opinion expressed, that's your right too, but if people cannot express a view, right or wrong, what is the point of this forum?

 

I wasn't keen until I saw it in the flesh so to speak, now I like it and regard it as a "might have been" livery. Looking forward to riding on the shareholders' special on the 23rd - now I've swopped my work shifts around, and to the eventual black finish.

Dave

 

The question is, just because you have the right to an opinion, does this mean that you should always express it? Or to put it another way - it's not what you say, but how you say it. And on here, some people clearly don't know how to say it.

I think this thread has been quite a bad reflection on this forum, and on perhaps 'rail enthusiasts' in general, not so much for what's been said, but because it's been said over such a trivial matter.

Anyhow, good luck with the launch. I believe the plan with 6023 is also to have 2 launches, ie one in blue and one in green, so the idea would seem to have its benefits.

 

I agree entirely with you that there are some extremely nasty comments made on here, and I've been close to deleting the link to this forum more than once. There are ways that opinions can be expressed without being hurtful; it would help if some people learned this.

But once you restrict what people can say, you're heading into very troubled waters. However distasteful, you have to take the bad with the good. No-one should try to restrict posts to only those which agree with their own views.

 

Oh no, you're quite right. It's just a shame people can't restrict themselves more (not that I'm always a saint myself.)

 

There will be a lot of people to remember when 48624 enters traffic, Gerald, Vince, Reg, Les, John the Vicar, Johnny P, Hughie, among others. They all slaved on it or alongside it for 28 years. I hope a lot of the surviving old stagers will be able to get over for the event

Tim

 

I echo what Tim has said.

Andy - will WD150 be in steam on Saturday, Sunday and Monday?

 

Thank God for that!

CW.

 

I am not advocating for one minute censorship, that would be not in the spirit of forum. I totally agree that this thread done nothing to improve railway enthusiast's image and any outsiders looking in would probably walk in the opposite direction straight away. Spiteful comments should probably be ignored and I am slighty annoyed with myself for taking Tbird's bait, however, when 20 odd years of hard work and toil is dismissed as a poor quality restoration because of a paint colour...well I feel the blood starting to boil again already. It makes me embarrassed to be an enthusiast. I should probably crawl back underneath my rock and await the flack :-#