SVR Loco Newsy News / discussions

4150 has reached Kidderminster on its first loaded test run.

 

I tend to avoid the railways in the warmer Months and go to steam rallies but did pop out to see 4150 on loaded test runs this afternoon....

 

75069 out this afternoon in place of 4930.

 

Test run to ensure all is well for its use at the weekend.

 

Western Afternoon:

 

Another couple from todays testing....

 

No steam tomorrow due to loco failures: 20048, D8568 and the 101 in use.

 

Not quite true. 813 hauls S2 return trip from BH-KR

 

LMS Stanier Mogul No. 13268 to return to the main line under an agreement with Vintage Trains - first charter provisionally planned to be the "Worcester Shakespeare Express" on 8th November.

https://svr.co.uk/news/svr-resident...-return-to-the-main-line-with-vintage-trains/

 

It's been a long wait!

 

Wow, I did not have that on my bingo card for 2026! Very exciting news. I look forward to seeing and hopefully travelling behind the mighty mogul on the mainline again.

 

Don't remind me! I was the Fund's Secretary at the time and was the leader in the attempted return to the main line. It still haunts me, usually around 3.0 a.m. on a bad night.

 

Blimey!

 

Just when you think the dust has settled in preservation, something leftfield kicks it up. Congratulations to the Stanier Mogul Fund and more power to them!

 

What will be the capabilities of this loco on the mainline will it be similar to black 5 can't remember this on mainline, remember it at kwvr 20 years ago but can't remember how it got there ?

 

It wasn't nicknamed the 'Mighty Mogul' for nothing! It did quite a lot of mainline work in the late 90s, mainly with Past Time Rail & built up a reputation as a gusty performer, especially in the northern fells. During that time it covered quite a bit of the country. PSOV filmed quite a few of its trips, worth digging out.
To be fair, the VT loads of 8 to 10 carriages will suit it perfectly, anything more would probably be overloading it.

 

I didn’t know there was any intention to do it. With all the work involved it must be a tight timetable to get it ready by November.

 

Well if that's the case let's hope vintage trains organise something special on the settle and Carlisle railway next march

 

As I said in #3353 I was involved in trying for a main line return in 2003 so it's been twenty-three years.

As to capabilities, she's stronger than a Black Five (as were the Horwich Crabs). 'The Chester Chuffer' on 3 December 1997 loaded to eleven bogies without the slightest problem. The only problems in fact were with 'The Welsh Dragon' of 18 October 1997 over Sugar Loaf. An over-enthusiastic crew ran the boiler water right down - twice - causing enforced stops to refill it. The load was nine bogies including the generator coach at 365 gross tons against a load limit of seven LMS coaches for 240 gross tons in BR days, so a fifty percent overload. She twice restarted this train against the 1 in 8o gradient, the second time with Alun Rees at the regulator and reached the summit unaided. There was a lot of criticism of Railtrack over this for allowing the train to run so overloaded. The engine was not blamed and the following day she lifted a 395 ton train out of Holyhead up the 1 in 75 gradient. See the PSOV video from 36.59 although the whole video is worth a look!