35005 Canadian Pacific

Very nice video! Will have to look into that run heard about it a few times off several people

 

She ran some impressive trips while based at the Birmingham Railway Museum, where she proved to be a powerful and also extremely economical. I remember she was famous for running the 102 miles from Crewe to Holyhead (or reverse?) without a water stop, one of very few locos to have achieved this. I cabbed it in Tyseley back then and remember reading a sign detailing this, can anyone confirm this achievement? I managed a trip with to her to Blackpool, on the return a late departure spurred on a very spirited return run which included 82mph through Wigan. I still have a very clear memory of this run (despite being a mere teenager and rooky enthusiast back then) particularly the noise of it being opened up at speed. A log of this trip can be found on this excellent website http://locoperformance.tripod.com/edition17/35005bpl1999.htm. I for one loved her in blue, I remember seeing her at Worcester shortly after her return to the mainline and she gained many admiring glances. Her short spell on the mainline, particularly up north and from the Midlands, gained many fans and showed what a MN could do. Sadly, Clan Line doesn't venture far these days and certainly not on trips suited to my budget! I look forward to CanPac's return.

 

For such a short mainline career she has left a lasting impact. I have never seen that website before so will have a good old play in a minute but the average speeds on that run are pretty impressive tho surprised they have releved speeds of 75+mph. I for one hope she does return to the mainline once she gets restored as she will travel to far more places then Clan Line does. Plus I might get a free trip out of it which would be lovely

 

I was on her first main line run under Marcus Robertson's ownership - the Cathedrals Express to Salisbury on 16th August 2001 and a most impressive performance it was I would guess not quite up to the standard of the VT run mentioned earlier, but still exhilarating. We really flew on the racing stretch between Basingstoke and Brookwood on the return trip. I think I read somewhere that the pass-to-pass average for this section was 74.5mph

 

What is the stance now as regards mainline running? previously the MHR were not even going to concider it, which is a shame, being as they under the daylight railtours banner did some very good trips, anyone remember 73096 on Whiteball with the green train?

 

There was another impressive run (Birmingham to Kingswear) that absolutely tore past a MHR Daylight Railtour to the WSR at Norton Fitzwarren on 9th September 2000. The Daylight Railtour had just come off the WSR being hauled by a Class 37 IIRC and we were waiting for a road back onto the ML. As we sat at the signal the quietness of the Somerset Countryside was broken by the enthusiastic use of a Bulleid whistle followed by the roar of 35005 thrashing past us at some speed, whistle blasting again. An impressive sight that I have never forgotten. A shame that 34016 was not at the head of the Daylight Railtour at this point (she came back on at Yeovil IIRC). Still, we saw three Bulleids in action that day with haulage from two West Country Pacifics; 34016 on the ML and 34027 with 3205 over the WSR from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard.

Thanks for posting the overhaul updates siquelme. I finally got around to sending a donation to the 35005 appeal recently as she is my favourite Bulleid loco and I look forward to seeing her return to steam in the near future. Any chance she can come back in Blue again? This livery really suited her.

 

Chances of her coming back in Blue are slim to none I have jokily suggested we put her in BR black that way we can save time cleaning her but it wasnt taken that seriously unsurprisingly. Tho you might be happy to learn that her cab is currently about 1/8 BR Express Blue as quite of bit of the Green paint which was painted on top has flaked off.

Mainline running is still in the air I would like to think she might be in the future but at the same time I wouldnt be surprised if she isnt. We saw with Clan Lines visit to the MHR that a Merchant Navy is a crowd drawer so they might decide to not mainline her but seen her on visits to other railways to earn her keep.

Thanks for the donation Green Five I know it would be greatifully appreicated and would be well spent. From my own experince I can safiely say they dont spend the money on tea or biscuits!

 

Mainline running was firmly ruled out at the last MHR AGM I attended. I don't see the benefit to the MHR in going main line again. All the extra costs in going main line would be better invested in to the home fleet.

 

I was on that particular Daylight Railtour, BUT at that moment I was looking out of the wrong side of the train! Although I heard it obviously. Yes, it was a 37, also I think 34016 came back on at Westbury (or Taunton).

 

I loved the Express Blue she was painted in. Don't think I saw her like that myself but always thought it suited her. Especially when matched with the green carriages on the MHR.

 

I saw her briefly in Blue when she arrived at the MHR, but she was withdrawn beofre I could take any pictures. My son has a Hornby model of CP in blue, the box being signed by Andrew Naish 9he used to work on the Watercress Belle as a Tea Towel Technician next to me in the kitchen) I am not convinced by the mix of blue loco and green coaches though! (See recent visit to MHR by Tornado)
Glad to hear my money sent to the CanPac fund doesn't go on tea and biscuits although it is important to keep the workforce happy, don't want any "Friday afternoon" locos do we!

 

Thanks again for your donations Hampshire Unit Our project leader provides the tea I believe .... leadership rule 1 is good tea happy workforce.

 

For those asking about updates on the beast, the reason I havent written anything in 2 months is because there is nothing to write about. We have stripped her down as much as we can at the moment and now are waiting until we can move her under one of the cranes to get the cab and a few other bits off. We are very lucky to be allowed to work on her in the Alrington Yards so cant complain that they have lots of commerical work which is rightly taking priority.

Carl Watson who works in the yard and does alot of photos of the comings and goings in Eastleigh has posted another great photo of her which you can see all the work that has been done an you can see between my last photo and this one not much has changed.



Thanks for reading.

 

I still appreciated the update even though there isn't much to say. After standing in the cab of 35006 at Toddington yesterday, my appetite for more MN action has been rather whetted. 35028 is a fantastic engine but there's plenty of scope for a second (or third, or fourth....) MN in working order. All the best with this project. It doesn't look like you'll have Can Pac steaming before 35006 takes to the rails, but who knows? 35005 might be next ahead of 35018 and 35027.

 

If I am being honest I'd be suprised if CanPac is finished before Port Line as I have heard rumours she is futher ahead of her restoration then people think. I think it will be around early 2017 we will see CanPac back in traffic as you always find something that causes delays. I am just hoping we secure funding soon so we can actually start restoring stuff.

I do hope one day we get 05 and 06 together somewhere as that will one great sight.

 

Perhaps for the Broadway opening

 

So in the 'Merchant Navy' stakes we have three runners vying for pole position after 35006... 35005, 35018 and 35027. My money's on 35018, as a rumour here in the north suggests that they are starting work on the boiler and work is in hand on the replacement set of rods and valve gear- however, as with anything surrounding the Kremlin, the proof in the pudding regarding this rumour will be when it emerges from Carnforth. But it would be nice to see 35027 sooner rather than later. Once these are done, that would be it for a fairly long while, as I can't see 35009 or 35022 running this decade, whilst 35010, 35011 and 35025 really do have a long way to go...

 

Mine is on which-ever comes out of the works first! For me I can't see my poor ole girl 35005 coming back out for another couple of years! All has gone quiet on 35027, 35010, 35011 and 35025. Okay I know the website and owning company for 35011 and 35025 went down some time ago, but surely someone has the answers to where they are and what has and is being done?
for 35010; it doesn't look very bright for the future of this one? No updates, no work.....
As for 35009 and 35022 and 35018, if the rumours are true that they are up at Rileys, then he has his hands full! Time to get multiple castings etc made and knock em' all out at the same time! - Well that is what I would do...

 

I need a lottery win ! Buy a couple of the un restored - 35009 and 35010 - get Riley to restore them and partner with mnlps, 3 merchants to choose from on the Pullman the so they can float around a bit!! Oh abs pay for 05s overhaul!

 

There was an appeal a while ago for, I thik, a cracked cylinder. Not much on the owning group's website for ages:- http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/besps/Blue Star.htm but I recall an article in Steam Railway a while ago where the group said they are working on their other engine (45293) first, so I wouldn't say thet the future doesn't look bright for 35010, but rather, we are probably in for a very long wait.

35018 has moved to Carnforth (See posts above). I don't think much is happening on 35009 or 35022 at the moment but am open to correction here, as I'm not in the know with the latest at Riley's.

35011 and 35025 are at Sellinge, Kent. 35011 was subject to an appeal to un-rebuild it, but I think this has fallen by the wayside (again, I'm open to correction) There is a website for the 35025 group, but it doesn't seem to have been updated for a while:- https://sites.google.com/site/35025brocklebankline/email-to/home-page-1/recent-developments I think as far as 35025 is concerned, it's another case of they will get there in the end but not for a good few years yet. The owning group did suffer a big setback at Loughborough when there was major theft of parts, which hasn't helped.