North Norfolk Railway General Discussion

Like today.

 

Good April Fool...... well done.

 

That' s going to be quite a fleet for the NNR
4277, 13809, 80080, 90775, HE3844, HE3809, Wissington, Newstead, and 1744 due back this year.

 

Some good variety in that fleet, so hopefully be something for everyone! That's also going to be supplemented by visits of 6880 and 70000.

 

And in the future the return of the B12 and 76084 (which will look great double heading with 80080)

And even further in the future the return (hopefully) of Black Prince…

 

Also not forgetting the Y14/J15 and Ring Haw (which could be fun double heading with Newstead! - as the two Austerities did last year!)

 

Presumably some of these will be going off hire to make room for 80080? Doesn’t make sense to have a fleet that large for such a short line and max 5 coach trains.

 

This was my thought. I assume the 5-year period is to allow the breathing space to get some of the home fleet back into service?

 

7F goes out of ticket in the summer I believe, so that list will very quickly start to get smaller.

 

As someone else stated, 7F coming out of traffic this year. Also 90775 coming out of traffic in 2027, not sure how much longer 3809 is staying on the line and Wissington isn’t powerful enough for the 5 coaches plus van standard service.

 

Turntable that was at Holt moved to Helston last week

 

Surprised Helston, being a mile long and operated by industrials has a need for it, but good luck to them

 

The railway has ambitions to extend back towards Helston itself and to build a new station on the outskirts of the town at Water-ma-Trout, perhaps they see the turntable as an interesting feature for the new terminus.
A lot of railways value a turntable for turning carriages rather more than locos.

 

Or a replica St Blazey Roundhouse?

 

The turntable was acquired at a time when nobody would have predicted things like Covid and the massive increase in coal prices. Makes me wonder if Black Prince has a future on the line with more economical locomotives like 80080 and the austerities arriving on the NNR.

 

I suspect that it was what was available at the time

 

Certainly not criticising it’s acquisition. I was very happy at the time to find out that it had been acquired by the NNR as it is a magnificent locomotive. I’m just wondering how secure its future is on the line with the massive changes that have taken place over the years.

 

I think you could make the same argument for the WD 2-10-0, both are greatly overpowered for the line and that situation is unlikely to change. A sensible approach would be to offer a swap with the NYMR for either the WD or the 9F, both of which would be better suited to the NYMR - perhaps the WD if the oil firing of 3672 is successful, but the 9f could rotate its tender with 92134 - for 76079. A win-win swap?

 

Given that the NNR has gradients of up to 1 in 80 there's a case to be made that having a large locomotive that is comfortably capable of taking even the heaviest of summer holiday trains up those gradients is actually desirable - it will wear the locos out less than some of the smaller locos like the Y14 and Ring Haw / Newstead, and thus, in theory, will require less work when the 10 year overhaul comes round. Locos with a larger cab are also better suited to things like footplate experiences which can be an important earner for railways

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I can’t see the NYMR ever wanting to part with 76079. Standard 4s seem to be highly sort after and the NNR has done well to get 80080 and 76084.

I think there is a case for the NNR to have one or two large locomotives on the line, as previously stated there is a decent gradient. But if the opportunity came to acquire another class 2, 3 or 4, would the NNR/M&GN Society look to dispose of one of the 2-10-0s? Especially as the 7F seems to have a long term future on the line.