34028 and going Main Line

I'm getting concerning echoes of what happened with Tornado's short lived WCRC contract, and the suggestions that WCRC were demanding more than the A1SLT were able to provide. As an SLL shareholder, that's not a comforting feeling.

 

I see your worries, but 12 tours over the next 6 months isn't too bad. That's probably about the maximum they'd want to run to allow for support crews, maintenance, etc. There doesn't appear to be lots of lengthy light engine moves either which seemed to be the case with 60163, moving between different bases all the time. The majority start in the south, with only Bristol and Norwich being non-London starters and the loco will move with the ECS anyway.

 

Two tours a month, the vast majority based out of Southall, is what SLL has been operating on, so that works out. Don't know if she'll return to Southall between GB legs this month, or up to Carnforth for the week.

 

Based on the announced plans, I agree - and I hope that there is no attempt to stretch further

 

Not the kind of update any mainline steam operator or loco owning group wants to have to provide, but SLL have confirmed that Eddystone was involved in the incident at Hanwell station in West London this morning that sadly led to a fatality.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink....sc16CYXD4AmujEKvaP4bopCP8l&id=100070026408675

Text for those who don't use Facebook:

 

As a result of this sad incident, does this mean it won't be hauling the "Christmas White Rose" from King's Cross to York next Saturday?

 

44871 now

 

I think that 44871 has been down for this job for some while. As I understand it, Bulleid tenders do not have the coal capacity to safely cover the distance involved.

Peter

 

The ECS after the White Rose on 21/11 stables at Welwyn Garden City for 24 hours due to engineering works all over West London on 22/11.
34028 would have needed coal at WGC sidings, to either keep the fire alight, or relight it.
Apparently, it’s impossible to coal a loco using a grab lorry at WGC sidings.

 

Somebody ought to tell Railway Herald to update its rail tour pages, in that case:

 

My thoughts and sympathies go to the footplate crew as well as the victim's friends and family, a terrible tragic news to hear at the time. Just awful.

A small of me feels sorry for the SLL as a whole too for their loco having a new note in it's history no one would want to have...

Asking this as sensitively as possible, is this the first fatality caused by a steam engine of the preservation era in the UK?

 

Bob Lund unfortunately lost his life due to a shunting accident on the NYMR. Although it wasn’t the loco that actually hit him it was largely caused by it unexpectedly changing direction due to the reverser coming out of the locking catch. A sad day for all those involved and those who knew him.

 

Not the first fatality involving a steam engine as there have unfortunately been fatalities on preserved railways, but it probably is the first fatality involving a steam engine on the mainline in the preservation era.

So it's definitely not the kind of note SLL would want on the history of the loco!

 

A person committed suicide by laying on the track in front of a Thomas (yes a suicide during a family event) at Swanage Railway many years ago.
This was reported in newspapers and railway magazines at the time.