60103 KX-YORK 25/2/2016

"Vot is it?".............."Don't tell him John!"

 

Ssshhhhh..... Don't mention the "I "word, I did once but I think I got away with it.

And what if there are problems with operating the single line working today and there are spaces on board todays CME, allowing the local passenger to make a journey behind FS on the main line for just a few pounds.

 

Surely a key aim of this day is to get maximum positive media coverage so attention to detail is important. Using something that can be peddled as 'special' to the media for the return journey will surely help in this respect. If the return has to be a diesel then a 'Deltic' has to be the first choice. Actually use of a 91 would be clever as they are the present day ECML flagship locomotives - very doubtful if one would be available though.

Remember the debut of King George V out of Paddington in March 1979. Following its failure at Didcot strenuous efforts were made to ensure that the trains arrival back in Paddington was not behind any diesel but a very special one.

 

Checked with Steam Dreams this morning about possible additional seats for this trip - told only 12 remained unsold, with eight days to go. Looks like £450 was a well-chosen price point.

So all we need now within the next eight days is the wheels and motion back, paint dry, any test runs, then a run down to London.

Oh and some decent weather on the day please!

Peter in a wet Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/f731739511

 

Take a look on Heritage Painting facebook page, cabside numbers being painted, evidence of lining being or having been applied, difficult to tell on image, colour looks bang on though, all in all, everything looks very promising...

 

If it's anything like the job HP did on 60008 it is going to be superb

 

Looking at the picture they are having another press day ,if anything goes wrong the press will turn on them.

 

Heritage painting or the NRM ?

 

Yes

 

However since these test runs and subsequent run on the CME (all WCRC resourced) the motion has been off and (i believe) a wheel set dropped to remedy a warm bearing, be interesting to see if another test run is squeezed in between now and the 25/2 to ensure that there is no danger of failure on the big day. Thinking about it she will need to get down to KX for the big day (any ideas of dates anyone?), perhaps that will be the test run? - I assume that DBS will be resourcing this move and will satisfy themselves of her fitness at the same time otherwise I would not be surprised to see a jaunt to Scarborough in the next few days?

 

I imagine IR will want a running in turn before the big day. Light trip to Scarborough, perhaps? DBS crew familiarisation as well?

 

Deleted!

 

Beginning to get a bit close though, looking at the Heritage Painting pics from today the wheelset is still not where it should be, and even after a test run she will still need to be got down to London (and I suspect polished to within an inch of her life). How good are DBS at resourcing crews at very short notice?

 

Just seen some filming on BBC News Channel of Flying Scotsman having its 60103 number hand painted. Good footage. Not yet on the BBC website.

 

If last year's WCR's suspension is anything to go by...

 

I wasn't aware that DBS failed to cover any work that they were contracted to do following lat year's suspension of WCRC?

 

My ticket has arrived this morning! So it's all systems go for the inaugural run

Peter on a Manchester morning, only pale grey
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/f731739511

 

Errr, not quite, all you have, at the moment, is a piece of paper.

 

Crew familiarisation?

................That sets the cut off, keep it at 40%.

That is the throttle. There is the roof. Keep the two as close to each other as possible all the time.

Brake? Oh yes. There is one somewhere...*

Oooh, oops, just woken up. Was dreaming about Ed Saunders, Gordon Porter and Co on the 17.30 ex Waterloo etc in early 1965. Merchant Navy on 12 etc. Came back to 2016 rather suddenly there, I'll doze off again now. . . . .

*

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50657/2016/02/23/advanced

Tuesday move from the NRM