6023 King Edward 11

It will indeed, but MNR first.

 

That is correct, air pipe only.

 

1 in 140ish.

 

Fair enough. It will look excellent and authentic with the carmine and creams on the SVR. I just think it might look rather...interesting...on the MNR's blue set.

 

My Father and I both had an excellent day on Saturday! We got there by train at around 10.15 and the queue for the ticket office was already going under the subway of the station. An impressive turnout which was boosted further by the railtour. It certainly must have been a good run going by the state of 5043's front end (filthy, splattered smokebox) when she came in to the railway centre with 4965. Attempts at getting clear shots of the lineup were abandoned as the crowds swarmed around 6023 and the Tyseley visitors. And I can finally say I've seen and heard a single chimney King in action. There were some vigorous runs near the end of the day. What a sight and sound! Here are some videos I took including one of the last runs of the day:

Moving off the turntable and breaking the ribbon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Qbm6aCvNw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urP_KfZyYn4
A noisy run on the demo line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOz-RTWqNEQ

(PS Apologies for my Youtube user name. It was the only one that was free after 30 or so other names I tried!)

 

I think I agree. One wonders if the livery had lasted and proliferated might we have seen blue stock to match?

 

Well, we did eventually - OK with grey, but not before sheds were in charge. Wonder what she would look like on the rail blue Mk3's !!

 

Superb job done on a "mission impossible" ex-Barry engine. Congratulations to all concerned.

I wonder what the engineers who restored the King thought about the "high energy" starts with an engine arguably not even run in yet?

 

Pictures from the launch day:

http://upmain.zenfolio.com/p636465135/h17c10e99#h17c10e99

http://upmain.zenfolio.com/p636465135/h17c10e99#h2f64849

http://upmain.zenfolio.com/p636465135/h17c10e99#h1d063129

 

Have to agree there, 5051 is sadly missed, pity there is no immediate prospect of a return, it looked really good lined up on Saturday. As for 6023, I think it will give 5051 a run for its money when settled down, especially on the mainline or up the WSR banks!

 

Thanks for that - wasn't in any way suggesting there was anything wrong with 6024's vac pump, just that it sounds different and always has done in my memory.

 

I think the main difference for me was that the vac pump on 6023 clicked like any other GWR loco does where as the vac pump on 6024 has like a whistling squeek - in the time i've known 6024 in service (and that is probably not far off its entire preservation life) this has always been the case. So I thought there was a difference in the type of vac pump being used

 

I seem to remember this back in BR steam days. Most GWR 4 cyl locos, particularly Castles, had the "6024 sound" although some had the normal "spit spit" sound like virtually all the GWR 2 cylinder classes. Obviously we had the same differences back then.

 

6023 was in the metro today. Didn't read the article as I only caught a glimpse from someone elses on the train.

 

Two pictures of 'The Blue King' Didcot 02nd April 1957.

Great Western.

 

Don't worry about it! It wasn't 100% fit at the end of 2010, hence the attention over the winter.

 

Finally got round to getting the pictures off the camera and sorted from the relaunch event. A selection of my shots can be found here:
http://steamtube.ning.com/photo/albums/6023-king-edward-ii-relaunch

 

Wow, I'm glad that some people are enjoying my videos