Loco 76017

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, and go off into the land of "What if....". The simple fact is we are short of steam this year. Next year we would hope to have two, if not three, of our heavier engines back in service (4253 for the first time). Those, plus Hastings, Knowle and possibly Charwelton, would give us enough to work with.

 

This is NatPres, we deal almost exclusively in the Land Of "What if....". Martin fortunately flies a little closer to reality.

 

If I am honest, I would have expected 76017 to have ended up at Swanage, and 31806 to have moved to Southall, soon after it left the Bluebell, the underlying reason being that 76017 isn't passed for mainline operation, whereas 31806 is, and could have been an option to have been used on some of the southern based steam routes, where it would have been an option, especially on the dover runs, and the Sussex belle

 

But 31806 is under a long term agreement with the Swanage, whereas 76017 isn't.

 

Martin, you love conspiracy theories so much, that in the absence of any about a particular subject; you just make up some new ones!

 

76017 was out and about on our Sunday lunch service yesterday. Really looked the part strolling around with the Pullmans.

 

Would that loco, or anything of similar size, ever have hauled Pullmans in regular service?

 

Now, I wonder what pulled the Harrogate Sunday Pullman between Harrogate and Leeds Central? An ex-LNER pacific took the train onwards to Kings Cross.

 

Well as the U seems to be unable to leave Swanage as it is out of gauge in so many places, not sure anywhere else on the Southern is going to be any better from a mainline perspective. Plus of course there is a contract in place for 3 locos that Mr B may be quite happy with.

 

Maunsell Moguls ( U/U1, not sure about N) occasionally, particularly Summer Saturdays,
hauled the Kentish ( formerly Thanet ) Belle Pullman twixt Ramsgate and Victoria
during the mid to late 1950s.

I think N 2-6-0s on occasion handled the Plymouth section of the Devon Belle from
Exeter during the short period it operated.

Michael Rowe.

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere at one point that GNR N1s would sometimes take it that short portion of the journey, but I may be imagining things!

 

Correct. B1s as well. There's a photo on Flickr of a Jubilee with a BG and two Pullmans on a Harrogate - Leeds portion too.

 

Bradford portion of the west riding usually a B1, could be a fairburn Tank.