Rolling Stock Movements

Er, no I don't. There is no suggestion that these coaches are going to be used to replace the vintage stock, is there? I'd have thought that the Bluebell is in need of more coaches with the EG extension open and these Mk 1s will allow time for more vintage stock to be worked on, to be brought in at a later date. The alternative would be to work the existing vintage stock harder, and I'm not convinced that would be a good thing unless the resources are there to maintain them.

I'm all for vintage coaching stock, I've spent the last 30 years restoring LNER examples, but the one thing I've learnt is that if more are suddenly needed, they can't be done overnight. It makes me understand why people restore wagons,: they offer the gratification of seeing something ompleted every few months, coach restorers only enjoy the same feeling every few years!). Given that limitation, it's better to use Mk 1s that someone else has rather generously paid for than have no coaches at all in the face of suddenly increased demand.

 

Two additional BR Mk1 coaches arrived by road at the West Somerset Railway in April 2013. They are
FO no 3131 ex Riviera Trains (formerly in the OC91 mainline railtour set)
BSK no 35408 ex Balfour Beatty mess coach with generator 977165.
Both coaches are on Commonwealth bogies. They are due to be overhauled at Williton for use in the Quantock Belle dining train.
The generator in the BSK will be retained for powering fridges etc.

David

 

Created a thread for this discussion

http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/bluebell-rolling-stock.120231/

 

The suggestion isn't they're being bought into replace vintage stock, but nor are they being bought in to replace other Mark 1's too. But what it does mean is more time working to keep these vehicles going. Further to that, why does the railway need more of them for the EG extension? You can fit 36 more people into a Hundred Seater than a high capacity Mk1 TSO, and it's a lighter vehicle. Surely if we want higher capacity we should be thinking of getting 971 running again.

 

Speaking personally Tom, and this is NOT intended as any criticism, I would prefer to be in a mk1 than the Hundred seater. I like to be able to move about/go to a window/get something to drink/nip to the loo, rather than be stuck in one place. I think it's not just a case of carrying more people, but carrying them with the creature comforts they expect.

 

Ican see what Tom is coming from, if getting customers from a to b in large numbers is your bottom line, then the facts stack up, 100 as oppossed to 64, lighter tare weights, so you can either use a smaller engine, or if platform lenght allows run a longer rake, if the jouney time is less than 30 mins, then as long as you have good public amenities at each station then you can get away with having toilets on the train, i dont like having to use train toilets anyway, they are often left dirty by the last occupier, and won't have been cleaned until later or the following day, creating nasty smells, what is more important to me is that the windows are clean, that the interior is looked after and regularly cleaned.

 

Reminds me of a story involving (I think) a Naval officer's hat in 'Roald Dahl's book of Railway Safety'...now who remembers that booklet for schools!

 

LMS brake van 731833 left the GCR last week (Thursday, I think) bound for Chinnor where it is intended to be restored. This one has been decaying at the back of Swithland Sidings for about 20 years I think, after initially arriving "on loan" from Northampton & Lamport, in more-or-less working order, for what was supposed to be a short stay. Good luck to the owner, he has a big job on his hands.

 

NER FO 2118 has today left the GCR bound for a private site in North Yorkshire for eventual restoration.

 

I saw what appeared from the very short view I had of it, a Blood & Custard Mark1 coach, on a lowloader at Junction 17 of the M25 at 17:30 tonight. It was parked up alongside the roundabout under the motorway, and it was seen as I joined the M25 northbound. There was to much traffic to abort joining the motorway and southbound stationary traffic stopped me getting off at junction 16 and going back for a proper look, as I once did when I saw an A4 at the same spot.

 

While doing some of the RRS journeys East Grinstead to Gatwick over the holidays, one of those, you couldn't script it moments occurred. Howling wind, pouring rain, passengers wet, though not that grumpy. On the way down the A22, lots of flashing yellows in the distance, heading south, turns out to be two low loaders, carrying what looked like two halves of a 60s DMU.

"Blimey even the trains are being taken by road " to general laughter and smiling...........................

 

That would be the DMU heading for the Bluebell.

 

Hello,
GWR 95353 from the Rutland Railway Museum will be moving soon to Kidderminster, SVR. Purchased by the GWR 813 Fund.
Also GWR 2501 will be moving to the SVR as a runner for GWR 446 hand crane. The present runner BR ADB 707261 will be sold ; not date set.
Many thanks

NIck
GWR 813 Fund

 

What would 95353 be?
Hopper, Van, Bogie Bolster, coach or what.

 

Listed on the VCT as a mink A goods van here

 

Thanks

 

Hello

Applogies for lack of info:

GWR 95353 Mink A Covered Goods Van built 1916.
In need of some TLC.

http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=6402



GWR 2501 Milk Tank carring Wagon. Built 1932.
http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=4547


Nick
http://www.gwr813.org/

 

Any one have any info on a mk1 southern green TSO on the M11 this afternoon, moving from? To?

 

The following items of rolling stock have left recently the Glos-Warks Railway or will be leaving shortly. I don't know where they are moving to.

• GWR brake van 68995
• LMS BG 31244

However shunter D4095 has now reappeared at Toddington, returning from Midsomer Norton.