Britannia Banker 29th may - 70013 +9466

" ... at speed ... " Surely 45mph limit tender-first?

 

anyone of this forum from vintage trains give us an idea of whats beening said as a replacement, surely 6201 is the favourite as other members have said? would be too expensive to hire another loco not within the tyseley works by the time youve paid for the ECS movement etc. ? Also what are ther provisional timings for this tour?

 

As the only person who comes on here with links to VT/TLW please understand that I'm prohibited from talking about operational matters. So please none of the vitriol that happened in other threads.
All I can say about this tour is that it will go ahead and that a replacement engine is in the pipeline. Given 70013's unlikely appearance that can be taken as read (hmm, could there be a spelling mistake there?)
As for timings I'm afraid that I'm as much in the dark as the rest of you until I go in to work next week.

 

As normal, the tour operator's web site and UKsteam.info are the best sources of information.

When a loco is changed, the operator normally contacts its customers first, then updates the website and informs people like GWR5090 and sometimes this forum directly. I can imagine that negotiations for a replacement loco take a few days to sort out: Is the loco in gauge? Do the water stops need to be changed? Is there a support crew available? - and so on. For instance, if Lizzie were to deputise (seems to be agreed that she's a possibility), would she fit on the GWS turntable (remember the extension fitted to the P&DSR tt?), and if not, can a path be found to turn her on the Didcot triangle? It's things like this that can take a while to sort out.

Until the final times are released by Network Rail, the operator's site will only have the requested times, which may, of course, be fairly different from the final ones. Given the various uncertainties on this trip, the times might not be finalised until late next week. Again, once they are confirmed, the operator will contact its passengers ASAP and then pass on details to the rest of us, if they have the time (& inclination).

Sorry Stephen, you'll just have to be patient, like the rest of us ;-)

 

Chill. I don't care what goes up the lickey as long as it's got a firebox. I think it would be an idea to do a rain dance though. It's getting very dry out there.

 

70013 minus tender is now at the Great Central Railway where it will recieve an inspection of the firebox by the boiler inspector prior to repairs.

 

Just updated on UK steam that 46201 will replace 70013

graham

 

Sweet. I suppose as well the railtour name itself will have to change, maybe call it the 'Lizzie Banker'?

 

Or "The Princess and the Pannier" has a nice ring to it, or maybe "Pannier Pushing a Princess"? :behindsofa:

 

Brilliant! What a loco to take on the challenge, I will definitely get out and about for this one. Depends on the timings whether I can get on the train or not, waiting eagerly to see......

 

I couldn't possibly comment.....Bob Meanley comes on here!!!!

 

That does sound quite good.Think I'll be calling it that on Saturday!

 

are timings available? we have 4 days to go, surely these have been finialized?

 

I gather that the NR TRUST computer system is having problems at the moment, and that pathing of this weeks railtours has been delayed.

David

 

ok cheers. just trying to work out what time i need to be in bromsgrove as ive got to travel from nottingham.

im guessing that the steam headed tour will come through betwenn 5-7?

this is usuallly the timings of the tours that come through here on the return, with GB 3 as an exception.

could i have some timings PM to me if they come available?

 

Just speculating, but I'd imagine the times would be similar to THE GREAT WESTERN INCURSION though obviously up the Lickey rather than via Kiddy.

 

You won't be a million miles out at guessing at 5ish from experience.

 

Our train naming manager, Mr Neil Stevens (graduate of the BJ Staite school of train naming) has in this instance failed to come up with an alternative name for this train, although the title "Princess Pusher has been mentioned.

It reminds me of my last encounter with 6201 and the Lickey some 38 years ago, whilst moving 6201 to a Tyseley open day. We left Ashchurch pushing the class 25 diesel which had been sent to drag us in "light steam" because the saltley driver swore and averred that there was something wrong with his diesel. On reaching Bromsgrove, 6201 plus our Stove R brake (yes we really did have a 6 wheel support coach), were judged to be over the 160 ton load limit for an unassisted class 25 so the use of a Hymek banker was decreed. "I'll have a word with the driver" said the Saltley man. Eventually we got the road and off we set, but for some reason the Hymek developed problems after passing under the bridge at the foot of the Lickey and fell away from the train. This left 6201 with no option but to push the 25 and drag the stove R to the top, as it was obviously not the done thing to stop with the banker now limping some way some way behind. Great run up the bank only enlivened by the enraged photographers half way up whose view was thwarted by a passing coal train. Nothing changes but who would turn out on the bank nowadays to watch a loose coupled coal train going down there behind a Peak?

Regards
Bob