35018 British India Line

Doncaster? Goods engines?

I thought all decent Eastern region goods engines came from Darlington?

 

He wont know what a sparkler is - so cant see him getting past the test...

 

So as 46115 is about to drift off into the sunset (hopefully not for long), do we have any further intelligence about the probable successor?

 

I would expect that the first anyone will know is when it backs on to its first revenue earning Tour, then there will be another 50 pages of the livery ,performance etc
it may have ran its loaded test successfully, but there are still jobs to be done on it i dare say, its interesting that the nameplate mountings were not fitted,

 

Worth starting a rumour that it's going to be numbered 35031 and named Washing Line. Shouldn't really be giving Mr Smith any more daft ideas I know.

 

Your knowledge of LNER goods motive power is clearly lacking young man.

 

Nope... I really don't think it is!

 

Given your age, I think it must be - or do you own a time machine? It isn't possible to come up with a rational judgement just on reading books.

 

Then you think wrong, especially as you don't seem to rate the Gresley O2 and Robinson O4 2-8-0 classes. The O4 in particular as the government adopted them as the prime freight mover in WW1.

 

Oh dear. What will we do if it turns out in authentic livery? How will some fill the void in their lives that such an occurrence would create?

 

The same way that some fill the void in their lives when a trip runs exactly as advertised with no failures?

 

Oh those I celebrate!

 

I don't think wrong and I do rate the Robinson O4. Its nice, its ok - but its not as good as a Q6. The Gresley O2 looks dated, doesn't have the cab roof and cover for crew, and isn't drawn as well as the Robinson O4 or the Q6. Yes the former was adopted for WWI and it was capable of doing whats needed. But that doesn't mean its the best design so my choice as a result, is that I'm staying with the much better designed Raven machine.

I can concede some ground here as I'm obviously too young to have seen a Gresley O2 myself, but I also look back and see a bigger picture. The designs are something that can be viewed, and again its my views on appearance, power, ability, design. I think Ravens Q6 is a masterpiece in attention to detail and incorporates many features that make it better. Steam reversers, the better cab, and wheel layout giving better grip. Not to mention internal motion to the valves too.

I also look at the general duties and lines they needed to work. North Eastern systems ran with heavy loads over lines with tougher grades and loads and I think the service was more intense. The dates of the classes withdrawal also show Q6 to have been kept longest and altered less. A testament to design and build quality when others needed replacement, or were replaced with newer traction.

Its all academic, but interesting to hear others views. I have considered the merits as much as I can but believe my opinion to have merit and be sound. Otherwise I can get my time machine. Its outside the front door of Earls Court Tube Station...

Meanwhile (in an effort to shift this back towards 35018) I wonder how all the lining and finishing touches are going on at Carnforth. If its true that Scots Guardsman's ticket is expiring now, then British India Lines acceptance into traffic has been perfect in timing. Credit to Carnforth on that one for a job well done.

 

If the O4 wasn't as good as the Q6, why did the GCR design get the nod over the NER design for adoption as wartime standard?
Their performance in preservation is no guide as to their relative merits. Withdrawal dates are also not a lot to go by as that was mostly to do with BR policy region by region. Black 5s later longer than Q6s so does that make them a better design?

 

...meanwhile, back at 10A, it's all gone very quiet!

 

Hopefully 97018 is in the paint shop to reappear, as 35018, in BR express passenger green like a beautiful butterfly emerging from its black cocoon .

 

Id say its because the O4 got there first. Built in 1911, its been around and a tested design for a couple of years. The Raven Q6 is new in 1913 which is roughly if not less than a year before WWI started. Given the nature you would need a tested design and that makes O4 the logical choice.

Id say withdrawal dates do matter as even if region by region, classes that were worn or unable to due the work demanded as train lengths increased, were replaced by other engines. If a class can hold its own even with newer traction arriving then its a testament to its ability to still do the job, and to the design and build quality for it lasting that long. It would be wrong to compare these engines whether they be O2, O4 or Q6 with a black 5, when the successor would be something like the Austerity WD 2-8-0.

Performance today does matter. You only have to see how people form an opinion of a Castle by the way that 5043 has put in fine performance after fine performance. It elevates what people think by what they see themselves.

So as much as I like the debate, I'm not wanting to detract from the overall message here of 35018. Many might hope that 35018 might put in some fine performances after its return to traffic but I guess we wont have long to wait to find out.

 

Unconfirmed reports suggest a little more fine tuning and testing may be needed before it is fully launched.

 

Surely 98818?

 

I would say this is most likely. It looked there were a few issues after the last test run so another one or two to make she is fully ready. I guess its also possible that she is getting a repaint or at least a touch up on its current look.