6024

Nice pictures StaemHawk. One observation. Your picture showing "drivers eye view" is actually "fireman's eye view" driver is on the right on a GWR machine.
anyway, important thing is she is back in steam and looking great! Roll on Torbay Express!

 

Thank you for your correction, Stu in Torbay, it is appreciated. My adrenalin was still getting the better of me when captioning photographs #-o .
I agree great, KEI back on the Torbays on the 16th.August. Another thing I am looking forward too, is a possible reunion of KEI and nearly restored blue livery KEII, some pics they will be \/ .

Best regards SteamHawk216.

 

Does anyone know whether 6024 will go straight onto Torbay Express duties or whether there will be some kind of test run first? The E+C run to Bristol will be a test of sorts, but would it be worth taking the Torbay coaches to somewhere like Westbury, Gloucester or Newport (where there are triangles), to make sure that everything is steam-tight and well lubricated under a decent load?

BTW, is there still a triangle at Hereford? A quick blast over Llanfihangle would blow out the cobwebs!

 

According to UK Steam the next move for KE1 is Bishops Lydeard to Barton Hill August 9th, so that looks like the only run thus far. Coaching stock will be at BH so who knows if there will be a loaded test run.

 

A Pic of 6024 at Castle Hill on 2nd August[attachment=0:38esu7uc]DSC_0785_1024x680.jpg[/attachment:38esu7uc]

 

Perhaps cost is a factor? If the VAB don't require a loaded run, then it saves money not doing one. It must cost a bit to do one with no fare-paying punters on board, perhaps its a case of weighing up the risk of a failure on a 'real' train vs cost of a loaded test?

As for triangle at Hereford. Long gone - looking at Google Maps.

 

Any news of 6024 following last week's disappointment?

I gather the problems were down to a leak in the air brake pipes, rather than a fault with the pump (hence why they couldn't just couple the 67 behind the king).

 

I would guess it was annoyingly easy to mend, I say annoyingly as it was probably mendable in time for the run, if the FTR was not required, but it was, so it was no go. As I say, I am guessing this was the case.
A comment in Railway Herald from the driver on the Bernard Staite Salopian trip said 6024 felt better than ever, so she must be like a new pin. Heres hoping for some super performances from the GWR's finest!