60019 Bittern

True, and it was suggested by LSL when it was withdrawn that 46100 will be removed from Margate as soon as workshop capacity at Crewe becomes available. Another class 7 and the flagship too.

 

It has air braking capabilities but no electrical equipment for the mainline fitted

 

If my sources are correct which I’d say they are 80% reliable - 46100 and 34046 fall in to the “very well worn out” catergory. 45231 resided in the workshop in Crewe in October with minor bits removed (I had seen a photo of that), with the King which at the time was alongside it with middle wheelset out (So in 6 months they’ve put it all back together which is a good effort).

5029 has one booked mainline job this year. I believe gauging is not proving to be its best friend.

6024 has had the BR embellishments removed so I imagine it will come out in the same fairytale GW livery as 5029. But its new very slim gauging supposedly will send it wherever 34046 could go, so we will see it on the Golden Arrow jobs that LSL is the apparent suggestion.

I asked about Mayflower the other day and boiler cert, and that supposedly got a retube and other minor boiler work when it joined them so may have longer than folk think to go.

 

Strange how it was gauge friendly on a West Yorkshire branch line, but not the big railway!!

 

A big railways that’s built to modern standards and narrowing the gaps between steps, etc

 

Yes i know, it was just me thinking aloud!!
Do we know which preserved railway you mentioned it will be visiting?
Thanks

 

I didn’t mention it at all. I haven’t heard that rumour

 

Sorry it was another poster who mentioned it

 

They should have a chat with Vintage Trains who seem to have a good selection of routes they can send their Castles!

 

I'm surprised that 46100 is considered well worn- I thought she had undergone some pretty significant work quite late on in her last operating spell?

 

That's what I thought too and seem to recollect Tony Bush saying at the time they were optimistic it wouldn't be too bad but naturally wouldn't know for sure until they pulled it apart.
Didn't it even have some new wheels made due to cracks beyond repair?
Maybe the view has changed with 71000 and 60007 joining the fleet. Pity because 46100 is the flagship and Margate isn't open to the public is it?

 

This is purely an observation of course, but I wonder if a potential solution in the long run (though obviously not this year) could be to consider bringing back some of the previous Saphos Trains excursion itineraries that used to run through/to former Western Region territory, where, as brought up, Tyseley's Castles can also run seemingly with little issue gauge-wise - thus in theory such trips could provide 5029 with additional work focused on better-suited routes (in the best case scenario, of course).

Tours that spring to mind include the following -

• William Shakespeare (Crewe to Stratford-upon-Avon - one such trip operating in July this year, I wonder if this might be the trip 5029 has been allocated to?)
• Cotswold Explorer (Southall to Worcester via the Golden Valley and/or Cotswold line - unsure if Castles are out-of-gauge for the latter though?)
• Severn Valley Enterprise (Crewe to Kidderminster)
• Great Western Envoy (Crewe to Bath via Leamington Spa)
• Bristol Forty (Steam-hauled section - Bristol to Crewe via the Lickey Incline; could be an idea for a potential double-headed run with 5029 & 6024 one day, perchance? One can dream I suppose )

However, this does assume that the above itineraries would, on a case by case basis, still be practical and/or feasible in this day and age - especially given the increased capacity of services on the GWR mainline of today, amongst other factors.

(P.S. I apologise for further thread drift, by the way)