35018 British India Line

Crackin shots

 

Is York to Carlisle a short leg?

 

Comparatively, yes. compared to a Fellsman or CME tour where the loco is out for anything up to 20 hours, Carlisle York only takes 5 hours. I assume she will be at the NRM the night before

Edit: even if it doesn’t stable at York, that would give a 10 hour day, which is the same as she did yesterday

 

These days .... thankfully .... yes! (Says one who remembers the odd steam loco sneaking onto the big railway here and there during the infamous 'Steam Ban' in the wake of 1968).

 

Cheers Steve, just keeping your spot at Starricks warm for you!

 

It would be nice if "someone in the know" could confirm this - from a discussion I had many moons ago with the shed foreman (I think that was his title?) @ Loughborough it is a well known "problem area" and I was shown at close quarters Canadian Pacific (see it was a long time ago) the arrangement - his analysis was it was due to the lack of sliding support to the valve spindle, I can easily see how he came to that conclusion (this was on the fireman's side too - not that it should make any difference), although the current leak is somewhat more than most I've seen on other MN locos.

 

Showing that Southerns can leak steam!https://flic.kr/p/DVfCXn

 

They most certainly do when a couple of gland packings are failing to perform as advertised. On the other hand, taken just a few hundred yards earlier
34081-20071020a by KING COBRA 92, on Flickr

 

Although the arrangement on a unrebuilt one is a tad different?

 

Great picture. The steam hides the fact it is a rebuild....

 

That'll come as a surprise to the owners.

 

Not only the owners, I think it would be a surprise to most steam loco enthusiasts!

 

Like this?

 

Can't imagine why...

 

One thing any lover of Southern Engines can agree on is just how imposing a Merchant Navy , even in rebuilt form looks , the picture of BIL at Helifield in the goods loop shows how handsome the engines actually are, a bit like a semi standard, when matched with the later form of tender, wern't these also a later BR design of tender tank? the only thing that lets it down, the 10a shed plate, but saying that, could the 30 strong class had steam lasted longer had eventually been migrated northwards ? its an interesting question and another what may have been,

 

Oh dear....you really are being very pedantic there Martin. To say the plate lets her down is rather silly IMO...she is shedded at 10A so it's completely authentic for 2018.

 

That's actually a very nice touch, and reflects the locomotive's new life.

 

i forgot to add a smiley after my comment

 

My video from Wednesday’s loaded test run.

James

 

Literally the only thing about that clip I didn't like was that the hedgerows had merely been butchered rather than being properly 'layed'. Bit of a hobby-horse of mine, is that ..... sorry!

BIL looks (and sounds) absolutely wonderful, it's certainly going to be a superb addition to the mainline fleet and is a real credit to the restoration team.

Given we've got 35028 to fly the flag down south (roll on 21C11!), count me among those couldn't give a fig that 35018 will spend most of it's time on 'foreign' metals (to me 'the north' starts at Tinsley Green Junction anyway!) though seeing both of 'em together at Salisbury .... or Victoria - I'm not fussy .... would be quite a sight to behold, even if it were only to happen the once.