6233 Duchess of Sutherland

Does anyone know what the current status of 6233 is? Is there any chance of seeing it out on the main line this year?

 

I was told recently that its unlikely to be out again this year.

 

One of the mags quoted a source from the Trust indicating that what was thought to be a standard list of maintenence jobs has snowballed into a full overhaul. This has coincided with personnel changes at the society too.
There is a full commitment to return the loco to the mainline however asap, along with a fresh look at the standard tanks too.

 

Feel for them. That is tough.

 

Certainly looks like a while away, but what stable of 8p's we might have in a couple of years time, A1, A2, A4, P2, BR 8p, and hopefully this one.

Speaking of locomotive stables, Birmingham CC are so desperate for funds that they are considering selling off some 'Artifacts' allegedly. They do have a particularly large 'Artifact' that a certain wealthy individual might like to add to their 'collection'...

 

Been awhile since I've heard anything on Duchess of Sutherland. Does anyone know any news on when she'll hopefully be back in steam?

 

Suppose it's a stupid question, but would the other one ever turn a wheel under steam again

 

The one in Birmingham or the one in York?

I feel like Hamilton would be a big draw in its current form - pure retro-futurism.

 

Leave the Brun one alone. Much as I love a Duchess, the fact that its compeltely unmolestesd by preservation makes it unique

 

This is the only official Facebook post from the last year that I can see, posted a couple of weeks back.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CSnTd5uvo/

"We’ve recently finished grinding the horn guides on 6233. They are now flat, square and parallel, to each other. Which now allows us to measure both the horns and axle journals and start refurbishing the axle boxes."

Wasn't it initially withdrawn nearly 3 years ago for new tyres and axlebox repairs? Tyres got replaced fairly quickly, but the rest didn't get done. As @acorb stated last year, it's now requires a full overhaul but they don't have the funds for it.

 

Would she fit anywhere with the casing on?

 

AFAIK when the casing was re-fitted, it was done to be gauge friendly. No idea if it’s still gauge friendly today though.

 

The streamlined Duchess may not have the public pulling power of Scotsman or command the hire fees that it does but I suspect that it would be a reasonable second runner. It's something quite different and visually striking, probably more so than Gresley/Mallard.

 

Easily fixed by removing the ‘orrible bathtub

 

Didn't the finished article get moved by rail from Tysley to York? I seem to remember some excitement about it at Barrowhill, when I was working there.

Sawdust.

 

Yes it did, seen here arriving behing Tyseley's Brush Type 4 in 2009.

It has also been towed to Shildon and back on a couple of occasions.

Peter

 

Yes it did. And I believe Bob Meanley said the bathtub was adjusted to be ‘in gauge’. I’d still take it off ‘just in case’ tho

 

It did and I think it was taken by rail to Shildon and back to York when it had a brief stint on loan there.

I'd love to see it on the mainline like that, but then I'll be happy to see 6233 back, it was the last loco I travelled behind on the mainline nearly 3 years ago now.