Under restoration/Never steamed in preservation

Are we still not allowed to mention the squirrel-proof tunnel from Hayling to Bembridge then?

....... Oops!

 

Tom’s right as usual about loco performance.

I drove 80151 early this year with a five coach train. I ran to section times easily and never got the engine out of 1st valve. Depending on other factors I might even time a six coach train that way, although a touch of 2nd valve gets you to line speed quicker.

I fired and drove Port Line and it is surprising what a difference the bigger firebox makes to your work out put. The light pacifics and 9F are close in grate area and I found them quite easy to fire.

I tend to think of Kingscote to West Hoathly as our ‘level’ bit and once you have accelerated into the dip, maintaining line speed takes very little effort.

Once you get to Class 5 and above, costs go up a lot with little to show for it in the shape of a moving train.

Oh and the big stuff is a literally (for once!) a pain in the neck to drive backwards.

What heritage lines really need is efficient low speed sloggers. There’s some being talked about on another thread...

 

Wot? Webb compound 0-8-0s?

 

GWR 2800's

 

Slow speed sloggers, S15, any 2-8-0 , or how about an large urie tank

 

Or even an 0 - 8 - 0 especially if it's NER

 

Whilst it is a truism that virtually all heritage lines with their 25mph speed restriction and limited platform lengths can run happily and economically with anything between a class 2 to class 5 locomotive, it is the bigger, more impressive locomotives that provide the "Wow" factor that gets more paying customers through the gates.....

 

These are great suggestions for the IOWSR. They can get to the IOWSR via

The NER and GWR locos will be perfect for the re-instituted freight services on the IOW and Hayling Island.

This is all part of the post Covid 19 planning and will be run by Pete Waterman. Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock are big fans of the Reynolds Girls and Sonia and know Pete is the man to deliver on his promises of creating hundreds of new apprenticeships and training.

 

WTF? Are you struggling with the isolation?

 

Update on 7202 https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/product.php/78/going-loco