The Lune Rivers Trust Special; 30/09/17

Somebody should have told Mr. Jarvis all those years ago.

 

I'd stick to timing trains if I were you.

 

Before anyone starts to make comments about the standard of workmanship of Carnforth, or anywhere else, remember that in many cases the staff are doing 100 and 1 jobs, all at the same time, They may be working on more than one engine, having to do exams, having to in some cases drive locomotives they don't just overhaul locomotives, Engines are by their very nature un reliable, they will throw a fault when your already up to your neck in work they will be as gutted as we are, even more so because now someone has now inspect the engine and possibly take down the middle connecting rod thats not a job you take lightly its bloody heavy in a confined space and most likely done out in the open its not a pleasant job .

 

The gland packing has been a problem I believe on a few of it’s test runs plus if I am correct 35018 had to stop near Clapham on one test run with the inner big end running hot .

 

Don't waste your time/effort/knowledge on a cheap shot post (#51) that was clearly designed (IMO) to stir the pot.

 

Stuff happens. You go and have a quick cry/scream/tot of whisky in a quiet corner, and then pick yourself up and move on whilst cursing the law of Sod that always puts in an appearance at the least opportune moment. Clearly whatever caused this wasn't present on the other test runs, and BIL wouldn't be the first loco to have inside big end problems. All things considered, in the bigger scheme of things, this will hopefully prove to be an annoying little blip on the next 7 years mainline running of a loco that has had a lot of expert work carried out on it. Looks stunning, clearly runs well, and today's blip shouldn't be allowed to undermine the whole of an impressive restoration.

 

So something doesn’t work straight out the box first time. It’s not an XBOX! Personally, I think we should be grateful to Mr Smith (& WCRC) for putting his hand in his pocket and getting three ‘no-hopers’ back on the mainline – in the past 10 years. But some people just can’t see the wood etc.

 

Cue the next phase of the majority of railtour threads: a good, healthy, 40 pages of Carnforth bashing by persons who really should know better.

 

At Bentham, approaching Hellifield and then Bell Busk this morning:

The problem with the big end is a little disappointing but hopefully soon remedied.

 

Agreed.

 

No doubt they'll get it right in time. Bit of patience needed. It is after all a Barry Rescue Engine not one bought in working order from BR.

 

What certain people seem to be forgetting or conveniently ignoring is the train arrives at its destination 5E and WCRC had a contingency in place so the passengers got steam on the way home one way or the other.

 

The fact Galatea was available and in steam at York is probably no coincidence for BIL being put on this tour. She failed, but nothing was delayed or inconvenienced and passengers still had steam both ways. She's also at a location that is undercover, has engineering facilities and with whom West Coast have a good relationship having had a loco based there all summer. Seems a good contingency plan to me for a loco that still isn't quite there.
Sure it's a set back, but not insurmountable. The more she runs the better she will get. I still doubt she has a 1000 miles on the clock, which is considered a benchmark running in period.

 

Quite. It's not as though it failed in section and blocked the line for ages.

 

A disappointing and clearly provocative comment from someone who writes so well each month and who also clearly relies on West Coast services regularly in order to produce the column. Really should know better. Respect takes a long time to earn, yet can be lost very quickly.

 

The passengers have had a good deal here, whilst when I was on a lot of railtours in the 80's two locomotives on differing legs was competitively common do you get it on anything these days bar the GB.

 

It could have been far worse, THE TOUR RAN AS ADVERTISED, with steam on both legs, ok a 5xp on 13 is going to cough a bit,
York has a wheel drop , an inspection pit so if the rod or wheel set has to come down, its somewhere it can and the engines hopefully going to be undercover, so if you like MN's yourk has a special deal, 2 for he price of one whilst BIL is being repaired, York is a major railtour hub, so hopefully any running in can be done from there, plus maybe a christmas Scarborough or 2, if she is still there? and the Gresley guys might be able to offer advice on why the steam leak and valve setting is not quite there.

 

Very much concur with that assessment.

 

Excellent sequences, thanks for sharing.