The Red Dragon

According to uksteam 6201 returned to Tyseley yesterday.

 

So surely 5043 [or indeed 5029 assuming that is still at Didcot and now repaired] could now be used. This option would give more time to get the painting of 6201 complete before its Birmingham NewStreet - Euston run.

 

So it looks as though 6201 will be used for this run.

From the Vintage Train website 'Red Dragon' page:

I really do think this is a bit of a farce for a run that is meant to comemorate GWR 175. Ok, so 70013's problems can't be helped but what's wrong with using 5043 or 5029?

What next... Bulleid Pacifics hauling the Royal Scot, or Castles hauling the Hook Continetal?!

 

You could argue 6201 is essentially a Castle with a wide firebox and a trailing truck, and the fact that its red will sit right with the Muggles... just stick a brass cabside no. on an it'll be fine...

 

Why not ?, Duchess over Shap or Castles to Devon happen pretty regularly, taking a loco a long way off region may entice a few who are unfamiliar with the type out, am i right in thinking Halls are passed to Mallaig as a result of 5972's exploits ?, certainly Lizzie is a rare visitor to west of Newport.

 

I for one would dearly LOVE to ride behind a Bulleid pulling the 'Royal Scot', particularly as a return favour for the fact that 46115 is now doing the Dorset Coast Express trip I'm booked on (and as I haven't seen it before, I'm pretty glad it is). It would also provide an excellent change of scene...

 

Taw Valley put in a fantastic performance when she travelled over Shap in the late 90's and who can forget City of Wells in the northern fells the decade before. Locos travelling off region provide much renewed interest and 6201 has more than enough GWR blood in it to justify it's inclusion -if Stanier hadn't gone to Crewe we no doubt would have seen something very similar to her painted green with brass tops dismissing Rattery and Dainton in railway history. She represents the GWR's contribution to other railway companies..(prepares for the attack!).

 

Interesting question and I would also be interested in knowing the answer. Am I right in thinking she had 'issues' with the platform at Banavie? Have these now been solved?

I am booked on this trip (premier dinning) but will no longer be going as I have been requested to help on another loco.

 

Perhaps VT already have a Castle pencilled in for a South Wales trip in the second half of GWR 175?
I've had three excellent, commerative runs so far this year: Great Western Incursion, Moonraker and Up Bristolian. Can't wait to see what they've got lined up for the rest of the year!

 

5972 worked trains throughout between Fort William and Mallaig in 2006. I think the platforms had already been trimmed slightly for filming purposes.

(How ironic that Halls can't now go west of Plymouth or Cardiff, apparently)

David

 

Yes, other locos have been on 'foreign' turf but the point I'm trying to make is that this train is for GWR 175. I don't have a problem with Lizzie going to Wales; it's a lovely loco and I'm sure people will love to see it in Wales... But why advertise it as a celebration of the GWR?

 

The train was originally advertised as 70013, but circumstances changed and that is unfortunate, but I'm sure most passengers would prefer steam, whatever it is. I'm sure any decision about locos will be made in the best operational interests for Tyseley et al. Unless I have missed something, no one from Tyseley has confirmed on this forum whether the loco will be 6201 or 5043 anyway.

Other tour operators might have pulled the plug or opted for diesel haulage by now, and its only because of the resources available at Tyseley that the train can still run with steam haulage. Personally I'm just grateful that it will be steam at all. Anyway, it is not entirely unrealistic, as Princesses ran on the GWR. Perhaps this is a GWR175 celebration of visiting locos to GWR metals!

 

I agree with you GWRman that with 5029(if fixed?) and 5043 available it would be more appropriate to run the trip with either of these two especially as it is a GWR175 tour. I have nothing against Lizzie but having travelled on the Doric Olympian and soon the Midlander in July I would prefer one of the Castles. However as campainr said I’m glad we have steam on it, especially after the joke May turned into.

 

So far I've been lucky in this respect, as I have done Fishguard to Paddington behind Castles over the last three years, done Carlisle to Euston behind suitable large LMS motive power over two trips in the last eight months, and have done a fair slice of Kent, Surrey and Wiltshire behind 34067 and 35028. As a result, I don't mind the fact that I've had 71000 to Milford Haven, or 70013 and 44871 to Penzance! Anyway, taking my previous trips into account behind Castles, neither of them can be construed as particularly long trips in today's demanding railtour market, comprising Newport-Fishguard and return, and Swansea-Paddington (one way, as there was no slot until late in the evening), so maybe range or operational difficulties may be playing a hand?

 

Yes I would imagine this is probably the case. It also means that the locos keep a support coach with them at all times, because I think Tyseley only has one, so either 4965 or 5043 would have gone without. It makes much more sense to use two separate crews from Tyseley and the PRCLT(?) and two separate support coaches for the two different locos.