35018 British India Line

Ray Churchill was a man of many talents. Besides his skill with Bulleids, he certainly knew how to get the best out of a Castle, as I discovered on 5043's epic "Cheltenham Flyer" a few years back. Sad he decided to retire. He will be missed.

 

34004 and 34006 both flattened any inclines that they faced during the '48 exchanges. Bulleid Pacifics faced Honiton on a daily basis without much drama, likewise the steep gradients on the Ilfracombe line.

 

Unless there is evidence to support this which I have missed, I don't really see how anything has been 'solved'?

Doesn't Galatea entirely disprove the theory anyway?

 

I'm all for temporary liveries for running in but frankly Galateas livery plus the plain black which is increasingly looking more permanent bothers me.

Paintwork was the preserve of extremely talented and hard working people on the railways, particularly pre grouping and grouping.

Why spoil the ship for a harpoth of tar?

 

Here we go again...

 

Every cloud has a silver (other schemes are available) lining, not having more class 8's has meant more outings for a pair of fives...Speaking of which wasn't there a standard'5 being sorted out at Carnforth ?

 

What's wrong with a pair of Black 5s. The problem as far as Carnforth are concerned is thta they tend to spend the summer in Scotland

 

Nothing at all - a couple of words missed out completely changed the gist of what I meant to say - and it was edited before your post arrived...

 

Rumoured that a lady of influence has the final say on that one even though the green paint and Alberta plates were already got.
Also rumoured that 46115 ahead of 34016 in overhaul queue, again a touch of sentiment involved. All in all I think it is a more plausible and palatable hypothesis than a cantankerous Yorkshireman wanting to spite a handful of folk he does not know by painting a loco in a livery they would regard as false.

 

Fair point.

 

Where do you think up all these rumours?

Note to Mr Smith (if somebody would show it to him)............Ey oop Mr Smith, you're a 'cantankerous Yorkshireman'.
Nothing new there then..................we all are...........(Do you remember Walton Pit in Wakefield David?)

 

But, is he a Yorkshire man with a sense of humour? Sending out engines with bogus identities incorrect liveries that he knows will get some peoples blood pressure racing, like so many safety valves lifting

 

I certainly did not start the rumour that the purpose of the paint job was to upset some purist photographers. If that is the case does it not betray a certain cantakerability? Is he a Yorkshireman?
The red jub being a preference of his good lady has also been reported elsewhere, the Alberta stuff was supposed to recognise the parts donor as well as a nostalgic recreation of a famous Leeds Holbeck based loco. Mr Smith gave an interview to SR a few years back where he talked of seeing LMS locos passing by the school he attended.
The foregoing reasons also apply as to why 46115 will be prioritised, just as 48151 has been, being a favoured pet for sentimental reasons. No such sentiment is applicable to 35018 hence it gets a more functional treatment. I prefer to believe that than the other version of "why black".

 

I don't think there are any Standard Fives at Carnforth afaik. Assume it's 73096 you're thinking of?

 

Perhaps you need to be a Yorkie to appreciate such "humour"

 

Any man who puts a Thomas style face on one of his locos for a main line run and wave his orange vest out of a cab window at photographers is capable of doing anything to upset them.
He was a regular customer in a restaurant run by a friend of mine who got to know him reasonably well. "He hates enthusiasts" was the conclusion my mate came to.