6023

Broadly true, but the actual amount of energy in the noise itself (i.e. acoustic energy) is small. The loudness of the noise does give some indication of the energy in the exhaust steam (hence the very quiet exhausts of French compounds) but is influenced by other factors as well.

 

According to a report in the autumn issue of the Great Western Echo, the Great Western Society are hoping to send 6023 to the West Somerset Railway in Spring 2017 to allow the new blastpipe to be fully proven ready for main line service. The boiler certificate expires in 2020.

 

I've nothing against the WSR, but wouldn't it be better sent somewhere that is permitted to do 60mph testing?

 

Probably more important to see whether it will steam or not whilst hill climbing to start with.

 

I think it's more a question of sending it somewhere with a good long run that involves a hill or two. IIRC the GC was mooted a while back, but 1 in 170 o.n.o isn't quite the challenge of the climb from Bishops Lydeard to Crowcombe (or Willton to Crowcombe) with a decent load (10?) behind it.

 

I heard somewhere that the BL to N Fitz was passed for 50mph. Don't know if it's true though.

 

Can i ask the obvious if the boiler has only 3-4 years left why bother to main line it? as it will only see about 3 years, before it has to be withdrawn, Might it be better to not go through the registration until it has had a further 10 year ticket, the fact that hopefully it hasnt seen many steaming circles may mean a retube may be all thats needed?

 

Bearing in mind a fair few don't make their full 7 years before they need boiler work, I'd still reckon if they can get a good three years out of it, its worth making at least some use of that set of tubes. Its unlikely to get heavily flogged anyway as it will depend on support crew availability so the overhaul when it comes still shouldn't be a heavy one given the amount of rebuilding that went into bringing her back from the dead! Plus if they wait a few more years while they retube it etc, 6024 will be back out meaning that there is competition for King haulage.

 

No noise is boring, compare a 37 to a 66...

 

A Pannier to a Taffy tank? Why?

 

Exactly, best to test it on a hill on a proper load , all very well moving up the demo line on a couple coach, hardly a proper test for it,

 

At the WSR you can test on hills do 60mph from BL to Norton and have the safty of a preserved line should anything go wrong !
Also its one of the few King gauge friendly mainline routes in and out of there!

 

that is another issue, what routes will the king now fit with in NR's somewhat restictive gauging ?

 

I think she is down to work the GB railtour from Falmouth next May.

 

are you sure your not getting confused with 66023

 

Is it this years 46100?

 

Rightly or wrongly, its been down to work pretty much any train a kings gauged to run on, for at least the past 3 years or so,
Question is,
Is it the promotor jumping the gun trying to put bums on seats, opening another can of worms when it doesn't run,
Or is it down to the loco owning group, who have told said promoter, yeah we can do the run, In full knowledge it doesn't stand a chance of making said deadline.
Its a tricky one,

With 3 years left on the ticket wouldnt it be worth a light overhaul/retube then come back with a full boiler ticket and ready to tackle the mainline after a period of running in,

 

In answer to your first question I strongly suspect its the former, merely as a member of the GWS they have always been very straight in their musings that it will be ready when its ready and not before?

In terms of the boiler, no idea, she has had a relatively quiet time so it may be the case that they get her certified and mainline proven, then do a boiler overhaul which will in turn give a new ticket?

 

The main issue here is that when the loco was modified to be within the 'mainline' gauge steaming issues arose. A unique - for Kings - solution has been developed and installed and it is now necessary to prove this solution in conditions as near as is possible to its future mainline operations. The WSR from Minehead to Norton is ideal for this purpose. This boiler ticket or the next ticket is irrelevant at this stage.