34046 Braunton

Anyone know what the standby loco is for 34046's trains in May? The latest issue of the Railway Magazine says that 34046 might be ready for railtour work by the end of May/early June after some planned test runs in May. Also it says that the loco's nameplates were swapped to those of Ottery St Mary..............

 

The nameplates have been swapped, yes, although i Thought this was more a running joke than an operational plan, as they were fitted to 35009's frames for a spell in 2010

 

Don't ask. If anyone told the truth of what's been going on in recent years at Williton, they'd get censured big time.

 

Also pencilled in for Cathedrals Express from London Victoria to Swanage on Thursday 14th June.

 

A further update to the Steam Dreams site now lists the Alresford to Ely run as 34046's first run with The Cathedrals Express.

 

Hi everyone,

Has anyone heard any updates about 34046 recently? The last news I (over)heard was that the work was progressing well and that 34046 would be on the main line by now. I heard that on the 10th March 2012 at Hemerdon from a chap who sounded like he was "in the know". Let's hope it isn't too long before she can turn a wheel on the main line!

James at SVN

 

On another forum it has been reported that 34046 will be ready for service by Mid-August. So what's taking her place on her rostered work up to then I wonder?

 

Thanks for the reply. Ok, hope everything goes to plan until then. I presume any of 35028 (I can hope!), 70000 or 4464 if the stock is DBS owned, or 34067 or 70000 again if WCRC? Time will tell no doubt.

James at SVN

 

4464 has been given the Cathedrals Express Alresford-Ely turn and Britannia the Swanage run a week later. Shame about the delay.

 

For an overhauled engine 34046 has done remarkably little work.

 

Not so, it has run a substantial distance on the the WSR !

David

 

How many spells out of traffic has it had though? It seems to have been promised on the mainline for years now too.

 

Thanks for the info John. I was hoping for 35028 on the Ely run but 4464 isn't too bad a replacement!

 

where is Braunton now and when will she be ready for mainline work?

 

Presume 34046 is still at Bury?

 

A recent posting on Ian Riley's forum (The Works) suggests mid-August, though it's not from a Bury insider and not confirmed by any of the staff, so not sure how acurate the source is.

 

Mid August would mean 34046 would not make the booked Weymouths from Bristol. With Nunney Castle out of service as new tyres are fiitted these tours look to be in need of locos!

 

It makes you wonder though, whats delaying the engine? have Riley's found problems with fitting the main line equipment or is it that they are just snowed under with other work ? When you thing just how little space there is on a rebuild to fit this equipment and as more is added it must get more difficault to find space for it all

With things becoming more and more complex how long before you reach a stage where you just cant fit all the black boxes and signal equipment on a loco what then? i cant see why some stuff cant be possisitioned in a support coach with just a pick up device on the engine either via radio signalling or flexible cabling to the actual unit

 

Good idea, but I think it has to be attached to the actual prime mover, ie the engine.