Buxton Spa Express 7th May: now 17th September

What are the realistic options, assuming the loading is for a 7P? On another thread I read that under ORRs new guidelines towing a rear gunner exceeds the loading.

 

Well, what about an 8f, I notice the 'Heart of Wales' has been postponed from 7/5 to 14/5, I wonder if we will inherit the motive power ?

 

Depends on whether the schedule can allow for 50mph running. It would be fine in the Manchester area, as that's usually pretty slow, as is Sheffield. Interesting proposition. Last and only time I had it was on Shap.

 

Haha SNAP, me too, at least it'll be noisy...

 

......and what about the 8F?

 

Dunno (avoids potential euphemism). Ended up having to walk from Shap to Carlisle, it was so slow...

 

Whatever's up front I just hope it runs, I was booked on it last year but WCR ended up on the naughty step. Keeping everything crossed.

Dave

 

Well considering 46100 has run without a box in recent weeks, I'd say 11 coaches could be the limit.

 

Well UK Steam now has 70013 deleted and replaced by TBA. 46100 would be a nice alternative and has been a strong performer in recent weeks.

 

Would be a good alternative. Let's see what happens, as the main focus is probably on GBIX at the moment.

 

8F now listed as an option on UKSteam.

 

So no chance of some spirited running then. A day of plodding around. Hardly a credible replacement for 70013.

 

If I'm booking to go on the Buxton Spa Express, it's not for the wanting of some fast running ! It's not that kind of tour. The 8F will be well suited to the tough terrain of the scheduled route.

 

Oh, how we miss the availability of the 9Fs!

 

We'll have very different interpretations of the word spirited. I am now abandoning RTC and WCRC.

 

I believe in this instance Ralph is interpreting spirited as the amount of noise that would come out of the chimney of the 8F when taking on the stiff grades of the LNW route to Buxton. Apart from a double header, in my opinion the 8F is the perfect locomotive for this tour and in an effort to convince you of this, permit me to educate you on the nature of the route it will be taking. The first climb is 3 1/2 miles from Hazel Grove to Disley which is a constant 1 in 60. The second climb is 6 1/2 miles from Whaley Bridge to the summit just beyond Dove Holes of which 4 miles are at 1 in 58 & 2 miles are at 1 in 60, the only respites being 2 short sections of 1 in 150 through Chapel-en-le-Frith and Dove Holes stations.

Consider this too; would any of your 'credible replacements' actually fit up the Buxton Line and would they actually get up those grades unassisted.

 

What you talking about? I'd love to see an engine doing 75mph past Peak Forest SB

 

That's your prerogative. Quite happy with the potential outcome myself; it being a more credible replacement for 70013 due to its power on the grade- it reduces the likelihood of DL assistance. It is also a fairly rare locomotive on the mainline, hence why I've only had one run behind it, and have only seen it once before at Port Talbot Parkway.

Regardless of what I said in an earlier post, 65 per cent of the route is not conducive to fast running. Furthermore, I think the last time 48151 did the route was in 1987 or 1988, so it'll be a bit of a change. Finally, the poignancy of an 8F heading through Chapel-en-le-Frith nearly 60 years after the disaster shouldn't be lost on people, either.