Streamlined Duchess, past and future

The experience that your average non-enthusiast railtour user is paying for is, I would suggest, quite different from what you or I would want from a railtour. They want the romance of steam, picturesque landscapes, the odd wisp of white steam winding its way past the window, a clean 'olde' carriage like what they travelled on in the good old rose-tinted days. They don't want clag, smuts, another 1/2mph up Stoke/Copy Pit/Dainton/Weymouth bank than last time, or an extra 50IHP. I would assert that they probably wouldn't be too bothered if they didn't hear the engine that much.

 

If some of the enthusiasts you say should stick to the lineside where they belong did so then there wouldn't be any steam on the mainline.
Remember the great majority of the people who look after the loco's and steward the trains are enthusiasts who only do it because they enjoy what they do.

 

quite so, apologies, i really must get an emoticon that shows tongue in cheek when thats where it is...

 

How about a battle of the Coronations Services for the 21st Century. Who makes it first to their destination first. 6229 or 60019 (as 4492). 6229 starting from Euston and 60019 starting from Kings Cross. With all the flotsom and jettsom from modern day services it would be quite interesting to see.

However its more on the dream side

 

Wasn't some of the streamliner stock on the East Coast pressure ventilated, though? No sliding windows there, iirc.

Can't see articulation mods on the Mark 3s going down too well with the 'powers that be' though!

 

When will work start on her?

 

I think its a bit early to say, but i imagine we'll find out more of the NRM's plans once 4472 is back.

 

Well well well well well! In 2009 when I started this thread, the idea got a lukewarm reception from some NP members to say the least. Okay so it won't happen by anything like 2012 as I suggested then, but it's very gratifying to have NRM people proposing the exact same idea of loco + appropriate rake, and musing on what a dream ride it would be for high-end visitors to the UK.
I'm neither self-important nor self-indulgent enough to believe that someone at the NRM read this thread and thought "Hmmm!!", but it's pleasing to know that you're not the only non-engineer marketing-oriented steam nut on the planet, and above all, that where there's a will, there is indeed a way.

 

But I would not presume to believe that Anthony tabled my idea to start this ball rolling.

(Although if he did...) Anthony, do reserve me a seat!

Or at least let me help put some go-faster stripes on one of the coaches - if I'm still alive when the time comes. ray2:

 

Sorry to dig up a very old thread!

Saw Hamilton a few weeks ago, looks lovely (My girlfriend who is an artist loved it as well and spent about 40 mins admiring the paint finish!)- Its a credit to the NRM and the team involved in re-streamlining it!
Just wondering if anyone has any pictures or details of the process involved in restreamlining- I have seen the pictures with the 'semi' smokebox but was wondering what else was involved? Eg, is the 'original' cladding still on underneath the streamlining, and how much of an extra skin had to be added to the loco such as on the tender etc?
Did the 'bathtub' go on using largely original attachements or have to be altered?

I would be really grateful for any info! I got some really strange looks when I was knealt down poking my head under the front end and under the lower part of the casing at the sides!

Thanks

Chris

 

When we made and re-fitted the streamline casing to 6229 here at Tyseley Loco Works between 2006 and 2009, it was all made strictly in accordance with the original LMS drawings which are held in the NRM library. I have literally hundreds of photos taken during the job, and hopefully before much longer we can get down to producing a book on how it was done using those photos. In the meantime you can find most of the detail which you seek on how the casing is fixed, in the drawings which are included in the Wild Swan/LMS society locomotive Profile Number 11 on the Coronation class pacifics.

Regards
Bob

 

Hi Bob,

Thank you very much- I will look forward to seeing the book when it appears, in the meantime I will look up the Locomotive profile you suggest!

Many thanks

Chris

 

Have the finishing touches been applied yet? I recall reading that to get her up to York in time a very few parts, such as the top lamp bracket, were omitted by Tyseley with the aim of fitting them later. Has this occurred yet?

 

Chris86: Unless you can borrow that Wild Swan loco profile from your library, it is rather expensive to buy. (around £25 on Amazon). A volume on the LMS Pacifics by JWP Rowledge ( David & Charles, 1987) can be bought secondhand for a few pence (plus p&p!) and does have some brief info and a photograph on page 60 that might help. But dont just buy the book for that in isolation!
There are also a few images of the steamlined locos being built in "The Power of the Duchesses" by David Jenkinson, (OPC 1979/1985). There is a larger version of the image that appears in the above book, showing a partly clad 6220, together with a couple more showing the progressive addition of the streamline casing to the same loco. But again, dont buy the book just for that. Both books offer much more insight.

 

Funnily enough I was just having a browse around on Amazon and ABE books and thinking that!

Top Tip 46118- Thanks for taking the time to post- will have a look and see about the alternatives, Im sure either will make good bedtime reading in addition to the information I was specifically looking for!

Chris