6023

Any news on further plans for testing 6023 yet ? It needs testing somewhere with decent gradients and loads requiring reasonably high steaming rates.

 

A trip to Gloucester from Didcot then maybe

 

I think the plan is to do some more preserved line running in before undergoing mainline test running

 

6023 was undergoing her annual insurance "in steam" exam.
Work is still continuing fitting spark guards to the ash pan and spark arrester to the smoke box as well as the fitting and accreditation of AWS, TPWS & OTMR.
Both 6023 & 3650 will be taking part in the up coming BBC "Train Spotting Live" program in a couple of weeks time (BBC4).

 

Late change to the Didcot loco roster, the King is on the Demo line both days this weekend 16/17th July.

 

6023 on roster on several days in August:
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/events/loco_roster.html

 

Any idea where that is likely to be , does it have to be mainline connected with the ability to test a loco at mainline speeds, because i can think of one such line not far from Didcot, does a King have clearence from Reading to Aldershot lol ?

 

Aldershot?

 

I'm familiar with it, just didn't know it had any link to railway preservation. Maybe Martin meant Alton.

Simon

 

i did mean the whole route, i dont think there are any clearance issues between aldershot and Alton, but there might well be between Reading and Aldershot,
ok i just want to hear how loud a single chimney king is when dragging 10 behind it up the 1 in 60

 

I think there are gauge problems for Kings between Aldershot and Alton - I seem to recall 6024's visit to the MHR being cancelled in 2011 for those reasons.

 

How about the SVR? In the same sort of vein as 46100 was and you could use Kidder Bewdley for high speed testing. Ok you might need something to tow it there but you'd have all the facility's and expertise there.

 

There are gauging issues for King class loco's on the line down to Alton. When 6024 visited the MHR in 2002 I spoke to someone from the support crew about the King's gauging problems on the Network. He said that 6024 had to literally crawl through the Platforms at Aldershot as the cylinders were almost scraping the edges of the platform. So I guess that rules out 6023 coming in by rail. 6024 might fit in the future though when she has her new slimmer cylinders fitted.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

Spud 1 tried to visit in 2010?............ but was deemed too fat to fit through the tunnel - forget which one, but same tunnel prevented a Whistler & not a Growler from visiting for the recent cranks weekend!

 

Also at present the issue would be it is needed at didcot for the operation of there demonstration train for all the school holidays.
I would assume it will need more testing on a 9 or 10 coach load any railway wanting it would need to supply a suitable replacement to didcot I would guess 813 would do when completed.

 

I cannot remember if I made this comment on this thread previously but I have always wondered about validity of the tests for the new draughting when then loco has never been worked close to full capacity. A preserved railway with the ability to test the loco with more than 2 coaches and work the loco hard is needed to prove the draughting.

 

Be lovely to see it at the NYMR one day- I sampled a run behind 6023 at the GCR a few years ago and was mightily impressed and again at Didcot when I visited again early on this year! I was lucky enough to be able to have a really good look round whilst it was parked in the shed cold. I'd like to sample its hill climbing abilities though to Goathland as well one day too!

Regardless, fantastic machine, also looks lovely in Blue which I thought was rather a surprise, fingers crossed that Didcot can get him/her all ready for the Mainline sooner rather than later!

Chris

 

Yes, I remember that. Fortunately 4953 took 6024's place in the 2011 Gala. So it seems a King will never visit the MHR by rail again. It's a shame as 6024 was very popular when she visited in 2002. That's when I became a member of the 6024 Society as I was so impressed by Spud 1 and by the many people who were looking after him. 6024 made it look easy hauling nine carriages over the "Alps" during the Queens Jubilee Gala that was held that year.