Two exiled A4s to return from North America for two years - official

Any chance when 60010 comes over of hollowing out the tender and stowing away No 54 Waddon ??

 

deleted.

 

I don't get what all the fuss is about. There are already 4 of them here 3 of which are regular runners. Once you've seen one A4 you've seen them all. Seems like a lot of effort just for a few photos.

Tim

 

Must say I agree with you, as it won't bring any of them any nearer working order. I suppose it's a bit like an old school reunion, and a chance for a few more granddads to claim that they drove them all when they were a lad.

Richard

 

Fantastic..

This is a great PR opportunity for the industry in all 3 countries... I'd say let the Americans do the publicity of the moves / story.. they are the best at it, and therefore best efforts for generating the revenue ! We in the UK have the TLC job and organising the events.

no matter who says what about which locomotives and how money should be spent.. the fact is this is a once in a lifetime event, we should lap it up for what it's worth... as it's an all round win win.

Maybe by return 6229 could be restored and do a re-run of it's tour of the US, and include Canada in it's 80th trip anniversary in 2018 in streamlined form?

 

At least the LNER had different classes, with the GWR once you have seen one 4-6-0 you've seen the lot!

I am in total agreement with Spamcan81, lets lend them all the GWR locos in preservation on a 999 year lease!eep:eep:



On a serious note, however, I think this may have been suggested before , but would the History/Discovery channel be interested in producing one of it's Monster Moves programmes on the move?

 

That's mostly because the obsession with standardisation lead to the scrapping of all the interesting good looking engines they used to have.

Tim

 

Re: A4 line up

This is great news to see them all lined up hope we get the the arrivals and movements and the NRM are going to get them shipshape so to speak .Pity no one overseas had couple of LMS 2ps or the compounds

 

One in grey and one in apple green, one in garter blue and one in wartime black, one in B R Blue and one in Brunswick Green - purrlease!!!!

And yes - with all these copper thieves about much safer to send all that Swindon stuff out of their reach for safety!

 

Absolutely brilliant! Saves me a trip to America (although I may still go to Canada to see Waddon). Will definitely try to see them at some point over the next two years, and will try my best to attend an event (even if it does cost a bit too much, it is an historic occasion).

 

I second that !.. whilst a few greens ones together would look nice.. it would be nice to see a few livery variations..maybe Bittern could return as Silver Link again ?

 

It's quite amusing re-reading some of the comments from the original thread last summer!

http://railways.national-preservati...streamlined-pacifics-line-up-york-2013-a.html

Theres no sound so sweet as that of a crashing ego or hats being eaten LOL

 

Well, well, who 'a thought it? Great work by the NRM and their North American cousins. And nice to see that the loans will be for 2 years, so there will be a chance for a few more guest appearances than just the big York get-together in 2013. I like Frank's suggestion of a mix of liveries. I do like the silver-grey and regret not seeing Bittern when she sported that livery in the '80s. A Discovery-Channel style documentary is almost a certainty, I'd say, especially given the reported impediments to Dwight D Eisenhower leaving her present home. Still a long way to go before either locomotive arrives in Blighty, of course.

How long could NYMR spare No. 7 during the summer? Might this have an influence on the timing of the "big event" in York? May, early June or September should be OK, but perhaps not July and August?

Time for another game of Fantasy Railtours, methinks. How will the 3 working members of the class get to York? For maximum effect, they should all arrive on the same day, perhaps the weekend before the big event.
* For Bittern/DoNZ, the obvious thing would be straight down the ECML from Kings Cross, perhaps with the VSOE Pullman train for something a little out of the ordinary. The return could be hauled by Tornado, Ollie, or any loco needing to re-locate to London (saving at least part of a light-engine move).
* Guy Carr and his pals could bring 60007 from the NYMR. For instance, the train could start from Newcastle, diesel-hauled to somewhere as close as possible to Whitby that can accommodate a commercial-length train (not Battersby, I think?). 60007 could haul it to Newcastle via the lesser-used lines of Co Durham (gauging permitting), followed by a glorious blast up the ECML. Finally, steam-hauled back to Newcastle by A. N. Other loco. At the end of the York show, the same programme could be run in reverse.
* With 60009 being based at Thornton, Edinburgh would be the natural starting point. She could just glide up the ECML (perhaps passing, and/or being passed by 60007 en route), but given recent discussion of LNER pacifics working over the Waverley route, how about running via Beattock, Ais Gill and Leeds? Not quite the same, I know, but should capture the spirit. The return might have to be electric-hauled down the ECML to allow passengers a decent time in York and still get home before pumpkin-time!

During the the big event itself, there's probably a market for a few steam-hauled tours from other parts of the country. Birmingham (Vintage Trains), London, Newcastle (using the loco that returned No.7's tour) and the North-West are obvious starting points. Imagine Duchess Of Sutherland, Earl Of Mount Edgcumbe, Tornado, Tangmere and Duke Of Gloucester arriving in York on the same day. The "engineers' triangle" would certainly get some use! Actually, maybe that's too much of a good thing, and would lead to over-crowding in the NRM. Better perhaps to limit it to 2 tours per day...

After the big event, No. 7 will probably have to hurry home, but the other two could perhaps work some of the regular York-based tours: Scarborough Spa Express; The Waverley; Shildon shuttles, etc. That might be a way that they could stay around the visitors yet still pay for their keep.

 

There doesn't seem to be much input from the naysayers from the GWR who were pouring cold water over this suggestion last year - Well - when it comes to class - Six A4s beats two kings

:bolt:​

 

you mean it TAKES 6 A4 s to beat two Kings...

 

All this tribalism should have ended sixty or more yeras ago. All too silly!

P.H.

 

How many Kings? Haven't you missed one?

 

Re: A4 line up

:mmph: I've seen it, his name is in "the book" ready for when we take over, he's near the top of the list for "re-education" :mmph:
As for Mr.Cross's remark, I tought it was a bit negative. Everything, action, plan, etc. is expensive but a lot of people want the A4 reunion to happen, the cost, and yes, I agree ,, will be steep, but I'm sure Steve Davis and all parties concerned will have discussed the matter in great detail. If everybody threw their hands up an said "no, no, too expensive" we'd never get anything done. Think HS2, hugely expensive but the decision was made and now it will go ahead.

 

Nah, one Y7 beats two Kings. A4s are Premier League, Kings are Conference. :behindsofa: