Dartmouth Steam Railway General Discusssion

It's a term of endearment

 

I don't doubt that there are some bad drivers (and firemen) out there but my point about not being able to thrash a steam loco simply by opening the regulator wide still stands (as long as the adhesion conditions alow it, that is.) The loco is designed to have full pressure in the cylinders in full gear. If rail conditions don't allow this, it is an entirely different matter and that is where you start to separate drivers into good and bad, along with a host of other criteria.

 

Wot!! No Silent Blow Off??

Having said that I once hit it by mistake, squeaky bottom time........................

 

Because they've had to hire locos every summer for years now.

 

Indeed, but there have been some quite interesting visitors.

 

Which is nice for enthusiasts, but not so good for the bottom line, which is the only thing the DSR particularly are interested in.

 

I assume the arrangement with the USATC loco and 4277, made with a Staffordshire railway, was mutually advantageous. Reciprocal arrangements might be a sensible way forward for many lines. Of course the DSR is not ham strung with factions, although there was a time when it was, but they went elsewhere many moons ago.

 

Did they head north up the M5?

Tom

 

If they did, they didn't get as far as Gloucestershire or Warwickshire.

 

I think they may have preferred the A38.

 

Maybe they went West.

 

Not the bit of A38 I had in mind...


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I was thinking of the A39

 

Change of manager maybe?

 

Yes that is what I meant, but it doesn't get away from the fact that I am seeing to many drivers more interested in showing off, than the well being of the engine.
When one driver can operate the railway without any fuss using minimum coal and water and the next is all about noise and bad braking using an tender full of coal and water, and causing undue wear and tear to the engine in the process, they might have been designed for one thing but we are supposed to be about preserving them for now and the future!

 

With Andrew Pooley gone there may more major changes in the future

 

4110 arrived at Churston early this morning.

 

Any pics?


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Sorry no. She is parked under the road bridge

 

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