Bluebell Motive Power

I suppose that makes the 1960's scrapping of 'Ben Alder' okay then. An early attempt at balancing the collection.

 

Aaaaargh! Sorry, makes me groan every time I think about it. Lovely locos, even with a Caley boiler. So near and yet so far.

 

I don't recall making that point...

 

Is there any news on Stowe or 80151?

 

The boiler overhaul of 80151 is continuing, but it is a big job. Mechanically, things are going back together now: last time I checked, the plan was that the chassis would be rewheeked by about now - if that happens, it is easier to move it to free up space for next weekend's model railway weekend.

Stowe's boiler overhaul is also continuing in the workshop and the frames outside, there should be an update in Bluebell News reasonably imminently.

Tom

 

Thanks Tom

 

The 01 at SP by John Sandys, on Flickr

(Not my photo...)

Model Railway weekend this weekend, which seems a perfect opportunity to see her up close and personal. 541, 263, 323 and 3 are the rostered service locos.

Tom

 

That O1 looks superb!

 

What a stunner!

 

The 01 looks amazing, interesting that it is three 0-6-0 tender locos (564, 828 being the others) that are currently carrying (in my opinion) the nicest liveries of any operational locos!

 

Don't forget 263 carries the same livery (hiding behind in John's photo) and also 178 (currently hiding 'oop north...)

Tom

 

They do indeed, and look lovely- but I think the 01 and the 'C's proportions just suit the livery perfectly (and of course the 'D'......).

Chris

 

Latest update on the 84030 project.

http://www.rasalmon.co.uk/bluebell/download/locos/TheBluebellStandard23a.pdf

Tom

 

Latest Loco Roster showing that No. 65 is due to be in revenue traffic on 15/16 July; and then daily from 22 July. (Also that 34092 is due in traffic at weekends through July on the B train (11:10 departure ex-SP).

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/loco_roster.html

All subject to usual caveats about availability.

Also, just as a warning / note for anyone wanting to ride behind No. 65: assuming that I have read my notices correctly, on Sundays in which there is also a Golden Arrow lunchtime train (GL on the loco roster), the first A train of the day (10am from Sheffield Park) will be hauled by the GL engine, with the A engine coming on to haul the 12;15 and 2:45 services ex-SP. On Saturdays and midweek, the A engine hauls all three A trains.

Tom

 

Isn't it rather odd to bring down a loco that worked the Golden Arrow in the 1950s and to use 73082 on all the Pullman trains in July apart from the coming weekend?

 

I guess using 34092 on the service trains increases the number of people who can get to ride behind her. If you swapped the 73082 and 34092 diagrams at the weekend, there would be almost no opportunity for the public to ride behind her on ordinary trains, and therefore less incentive to visit, particularly for enthusiasts.

Tom

 

Indeed, Tom, but if 34092's last regular train is 4PM ex-SP and 5PM return form EG, that still leaves almost two hours to shunt the stock from the service train, top up the water on the engine, put the GA regalia on and move the Pullmans into the station in readiness for the diners to board. I agree that if it's either/or, then the travelling public must be the priority, but surely it can be both the engine working the B diagram and the loco for the GA in the evening - or am I missing something?

It just seems such a shame - a Bulleid at the head of a Pullman train with the GA regalia really looks the part!

 

The constraints are limited time at SP to do all the shunting; the need to get the Pullman into the platform as early as possible; and the need to service the B engine if it is going to take the evening Pullman. Essentially the B engine gets back at 5:59PM. You've got to run round, shunt the B carriages into the Newick siding; get the Pullman's out of the carriage shed, get them into platform 1 (via the single line) as early as possible to allow the catering staff time to prepare the train; then (because the B engine has run 66 miles so far that day), get on shed, clean the fire, take on more coal, get back out, take water and onto the front of the Pullmans, and achieve all that before the A service arrives back at 6:53PM and blocks the other platform. Even if the WR engine does the Pullman shunt, that's quite a lot to do, and effectively less than an hour to do it in, not nearly two.

Tom

 

Thanks for the explanation, Tom. Life is often more complicate than it appears at first glance!

 

Is anybody interested in the Craven 2-4-0 proposal going to be at Kidderminster on July 29th?

There is a heave to finish the new build Bloomer and Michael Whitehouse from Tyseley is going to speak at the
London & North Western Railway Society Open Day.

The two locomotives are surprisingly comparable:

Craven 2-4-0, batches 1861 to 1867 McConnell 2-2-2, last batch 1861 to 1862

Tractive Effort 8,460* v 8,550 lbs*
Adhesive Weight 20tons 14cwt v 18tons 15cwt
Grate Area 15 v 18.75 sq ft

*Original boiler pressures

Not identical of course - wheel arrangement, frames - but one might inform the other.