4953 Pitchford Hall - Great Central

Looking forward to having a go on Friday with her. Shame 5952's plates haven't arrived yet lol

 

You on her with JFK on Friday? She is a beautiful engine, looks good, steams well and not to heavy on coal, a good engine all round, Me and the guys at Loughborough gave her a good clean top to bottom and is gleaming!

 

JFK supposed to be afternoon shift, I'm on in the morning. Changeover 13:45 IIRC.
Sounds good, definately looking forward to friday and the double-header with 3717

 

Just thought I'd let you know once the WSR steam gala is over, Pitchford Hall will return to the Great Central Railway.

I would like to say this is the most successful year for 4953 since she returned to steam in 2004, from the group's point of view that she is getting regular steamings. We would like to say thankyou to the Great Central Railway, Llangollen Railway, Tyseley Locomotive Works for their gala and the West Somerset Railway for giving us the opportunity to run our locomotive regularly and reliably.

 

During prep work at Bishops Lydiard I thought 4953 had been very well turned out. A question, what era was the unlined green livery with G - (twin shield) - W on the tender? Well done chaps.

 

She ran very well and sounded excellent on the runs I managed behind her on the WSR Gala. Looked really good as well in lovely early morning light at Crowcombe on the 0800 Bishops Lydeard departure to Minehead - why did I leave the camera behind when I walked the dogs??

 

Thanks to all those on the WSR for the excellent gala. The sound of 4953 storming up Washford bank will live with me for a long time.

Top stuff.

 

For the 1940's weekend only at the GCR on the 11/12 June, 4953 Pitchford Hall will run without her BR Smokebox Number. Loco's expexted to run at the 1940's weekend are 4953, 1744, 8624

 

A shot by my friend Pete Hackney has taken this shot of Pitchford Hall with a repainted smokebox and buffer beam, of note are original ex GCR lamposts from London Marylebone, which will be fitted around the turntable at Quorn

http://www.flickr.com/photos/loose_grip_99/5801071910/in/pool-greatcentralrailway

Michael

 

Although the brackets are still on the door... surely they would of been taken off before repainting the smokebox door if they aren't going to put the number back on?

 

The smokebox number will be put back on the door hence why the brackets are still attached. I have decided to remove the BR smokebox number for one weekend only which is Wartime Weekens. I thought it would give the public/photographer's a different view of Pitchford Hall. The owner is only to happy to let me do this. Also, the loco needed attention to it's smokebox for a long time, and in places on the firemans side inparticular, however i wanted it looking smart for a reason that i lost two family member's in February. They were brought up near Banbury station in the 1940's, and they remember Great Western locomotives running through Banbury Station and enjoyed going to the GC's war weekend for many years. This will be the first year without them, and on two trips over the weekend, I have had two headboards made with their names on. This is how I want to remember them and will be a special weekend to me and my family who help look and I want to thank John Kennedy for allowing me to remove the smokebox number for one weekend and to run the boards on his engine. I would like to stress she will return into her transitional guise with the BR number on her smokebox after this weekend.
Michael

 

Just thought I'd post a couple of picture's which photographer's have uploaded onto the internet. Looking good, though her Br smokebox number will be reapplied shortly.

http://evergreen.zenfolio.com/p672395869#h66dfde4

http://evergreen.zenfolio.com/p672395869#h7a9214e

http://www.flickr.com/photos/loose_grip_99/5819198676/in/photostream