850 Lord Nelson

Correct me if im wrong, but wasnt a (very substantial) amount of HLF money made available on the proviso she'd be running mainline trains in the south?

Chris

 

30777 Sir Lamiel??

 

Well i've just flicked through UKsteam and failed to find a single mainline tour for 30777 in 2009 :-k

Would be a real shame to see 850 restricted to preserved lines, but then maybe the NRM have picked up on the current economic climate and don't want to risk having to many engines available and not enough work out there on the mainline 8-[

 

Dont worry chappies, its still early stages yet but things will get announced when viable and no, I dont know anything lol! These things take time.

 

I expect the "nightmares" with gauging her now on the network are putting them off trying to run her on the ML. It will be very sad if she doesn't run on the ML again.

 

Also, Sir Lamiel is operated by the same team that looks after 70013 Oliver Cromwell, so if Olly is busy on the mainline it might be that 777 will stay at home for a few months.

As for Lord Nelson, I was at the ERPS AGM last night. (Nice to see Romsey and Shoddy 125 there, amongst others.) I don't think anything that was said is confidential or embargoed pending a press release, so let me pass on a couple of things of general interest.

The membership were overwhelmingly(*) in favour, in principle, of the partnership with NRM and MHR, and detailed negotiations will resume in the next few weeks. The proposals include mainline trips and visits to other preserved lines and special events. For instance, it is hoped that 850 will be at the Eastleigh open days at the end of May (it would be more surprising if she wasn't). As always, the devil will be in the detail, and nothing is certain until the negotiations are complete, but the mood of the meeting was very positive.

The fly in the ointment at the moment is mainline certification. It was stated a couple of times that 850 needs a test run before her "ticket" is renewed, but NR say she's out-of-gauge for the Carnforth - Hellifield line. However, nothing was said about whether she can be tested on one of the other routes from Carnforth (towards Barrow, perhaps?), or whether she will move somewhere else (how?) for testing to be completed. We must wait and see.

BTW, I see that the MHR web site is carrying a note from Colin Chambers listing 850 as one of the locos appearing at the Gala in March, which is another positive indication.

(* i.e. not quite unanimous)

 

Thanks for the positive info.

 

could the load test be done down the south once she is at the MHR
shouldnt be any gauging issues on the ex sw main line as she ran down here before without hitting anything

 

I did wonder about this but the line from Guildford to Aldershot and Alton poses problems for some locos. 6024 just managed it through some of the station platforms, 5029 was allowed one way only (Alton-Guildford) and 4936 wasn't allowed after gauging was done on the route again. Lets hope 850 fits. [-o<

 

Sorry if I've missed something, but what's changed since March 07 when Nelson did a test run on the Carnforth-Hellifield-Preston route? Is it the curse of track maintenance strikes again?

 

Nothing has changed so far as I am aware. I am not aware of any track maintenance being done on the Carnforth - Hellifield line [hardly any traffic uses it ] that needed to be so substantial as to render 850 or any other loco out of guage. Nelson has travelled this route many times.

 

Sometimes gauging problems can arise because the track moves (sideways) over the course of time under the action of passing trains, as opposed to new maintenance work. This was the problem at the bridge at at Oborne near Sherborne.

David

 

If you recall, 850 was supposed to run a tour from Carnforth to Scarborough last November, but 46115 was substituted at the very last minute (i.e. on Friday evening!) because NR had found that 850 was out-of-guage for one of the tunnels on the route. Wennington comes to mind, but I could be wrong. Apparently, that tour would have counted as a loaded test run (though I don't remember it being advertised as such). IIRC, it was touch-and-go whether 850 would be ready, since there were several small but important things to be fettled after the move from York. By working overtime and calling up the reserves, everything was done and inspected in time, and the stand-by loco was stood down, when the guaging news came through. James Shuttleworth posted the full story on here the following week.

I think Nellie is narrower over the cylinders than the GW 4-6-0s (and Sir Lamiel) so unless her overhangs are larger than normal, the platform edges shouldn't be a worry. As GWR4090 hints, it's more likely to be bridge-holes. Maybe she's a bit wide in the firebox or cab roof for Wennington? Maybe something in the roof of Wennington tunnel has shifted recently? Mind you, if any two classes of loco are going to be similar in gauge, you'd have thought it would be a "Nelson" and a "Scot", since they share the same basic design. Obviously, fractions of inches can make a big difference.

 

Another sign that Lord Nelson is likely to be working on the MHR in the very near future is the latest MHR Loco Roster. "LN" makes a number of appearences from the March gala onwards. I'd expect things to change around the late spring bank holiday (23 - 25 May) though, because I hope Nellie will be at the Eastleigh exhibition.

 

Nellie is supposed to be arriving/entering service at MHR on the 20th February according to the MHR duty rosters......... :-k

 

could she not be tested Carnforth - Preston - Lostock triangle - Preston - Carnforth.
I cant see gauging causing too many problems there

 

Probably more to do with pathing in that case, with it being on the WCML.

 

fair point, but paths have been found for scots guardsman on test and various other LE steam movements, so It shouldnt be a problem imho

 

i cant wait till it comes to us (mhr), that should sort the fireman from the wannabes!! i reckon im gonna look a clot if i have a go.

 

Oh I dunno, why change the habits of a lifetime.

Regards
Chris Willis