North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

I understand 37688 is also back in traffic. That tots up to 31128, 31466, 37264, 37688 & 47077 which makes the diesel side quite healthy. If only the same could be said about the steam side, even if the weather isn't really suitable for their use.

 

At least the service can be covered but I agree about the steam. There still isn't a steam ban (44806 finished at Pickering on Weds I believe) but you can bet your bottom dollar at the time there is will be the same time engines start becoming available.

 

I suppose, if there are very few services operated by steam currently, the chances of a large fire are much reduced!

Also, when 44806 needs a washout, can they take the parts off that and use them to get Eric going for 28 days?

 

According to the roster published on the website, 44806 goes right through to Whitby on the 09.20. However, when it gets back to Grosmont it comes off and the rest of the day is all diesel. I’m guessing that this is because the washout has become due.

 

I did see more headlines about the 'Nationwide Steam Ban' last night but you would of thought if that were the reason it would be published on the nymr website. So I can only summise you are correct. I see disapointed customers on the horizon....

 

Believe that steam ban only applies to mainline services? An official reason will be given which definitely won't be generally poor vegetation clearance across the national network and upkeep of the lineside.

Most sources citing the Harry Potter train being responsible for the heavy delays last weekend - 44871 now being the Harry Potter train. The muggles never fail to amaze.

Back onto the NYMR 60163 will visit next week but you need to book on specific services and can only travel on those services. I do hope that this will not be the only available steam service.

 

Define "main line", though. I think Grosmont to Whitby would be classed as "main line" by NR, but maybe it isn't currently as dry as other parts of the country and they are prepared to take the risk.

 

Apologies I'd overlooked that - yes, the Whitby to Grosmont section would technically fall under the ban.

 

44806 due washout ..Reptile expected to appear next week .

 

Is there a plan B if the NR steam ban is still in place next weekend to get the loco to the NYMR?

 

OK thanks. Without wishing to be ignorant how long does a washout generally take? As long as a piece of string?

 

As you say, as long as a piece of string. A couple of days to cool down, a day to prepare for the washout, removing washout plugs, mudholes, etc, a day to do the actual washout followed by another day boxing up. Then there's the boiler to fill and a steam test to carry out. However, it's also usual to carry out any defwerred repairs; some of which can be done concurrently but others may extend the down time significantly. In an ideal world there isn't a rush to do all this as the loco is not urgently required back in traffic so it effectively has to be ready for service when the next loco comes out of service.

 

Predictably three diesels and the NER railcar today.

I may have missed it in an earlier post - what's happened to 2253?

 

I suspect lack of trained crew. I'd hope it appears tomorrow though it's still only done odd days while bedding in rather than anything continuous.

 

Nothing that I'm aware of; it's simply a crewing problem, if problem is the right word. There are something like 150 drivers and firemen that all require to be trained up and that is never going to be a five minute job when you are talking about volunteers. There are those that might regularly do one or two days a week, others that come for longer periods of up to two weeks but perhaps only once or twice a year and others that might only come half a dozen times a year. It's a very mixed bag. Whilst most of the training will be on the job there is classroom training to go through to cover all the unexpected's that might happen but are unlikely to during a normal days service. It's also the summer when people want holidays and that includes those few who are already passed to operate it. I also believe that 2253 can't start its day at Pickering as things currently are. As someone who has looked after the NYMR footplate roster in the past, I can fully appreciate the logisitcal problems that will have to be overcome to get to a state where it can be a regular traffic loco. In the great scheme of things I believe training was always planned to start in August.

 

Would there be an oil driver "ticket" or would it be by type as it is with diesels, so if you have more than one oil burner could that make rostering even more difficult?

 

That’s a question that probably won’t be answered until there is a second oil fired loco. My view is that, if the burner and controls are essentially the same it wouldn’t be a separate ticket but that’s only a personal opinion.

 

I suspect that it will be a long time before the NYMR has two oil fired locos. I can't see 3672 being finished before 2253 is due to be withdrawn for overhaul. The only hope might be if the owners of 34101 could be persuaded to add it to the list, there are no other steel firebox engines on the NYMR, if one accepts that engines with copper fireboxes are not suitable candidates and, afaik, there are no other S160s in working order that could be acquired and converted - and I can't think of any other suitable types.

 

Would be interesting to know whether it would be seen as a driving, or a firing, competence, or both.

I suspect you could set things up in your competence management system (and therefore in HOPS) to be one element which could be added to the standard driver and / or firemen competencies, such that - for example - you could roster anyone without the element for steam turns on coal-fired locos, but only those with the element on an oil burner. So essentially you have e.g. “fireman” and “fireman +”. Doing it that way would mean that if someone’s competence on the oil burner lapsed (which would be quite likely if you only have one and it doesn’t run all the time), then that person would still remain in ticket for coal-fired locos provided all their other elements were in date. Otherwise, with one loco and a hundred staff, you’ve got a real problem ensuring people get regular days on it. Even if the loco did 100 days per year, a lot of people could easily go an entire year without getting on it. What you want to avoid is someone’s competence for steam lapsing because they haven’t had a recent turn on the oil burner, which would be a distinct possibility if you made it a core competence element - nor, in the future, being unable to pass someone out at all because the loco has been withdrawn and it is the only one on which a candidate can demonstrate a core competence.

Tom

 

Diesels again today - no news on the website officially but expected to be diesels for the entire week by all accounts with the railway on firecon.