CLAN LINE TEST RUN THIS EVENING 30.7.2010

Thinking about this Saturday's VSOE run to Oxford, what are the likely replacement locos? 60019 will be on Southall shed, having worked the Up leg of Wednesday's Dorset Coast Express. 71000 is covering the Torbay Express on Sun 8th, so perhaps 6024 could be available, though it would mean an extra light engine move? Both are 75 mph class 8 locos with air brakes. 6024 would need to go via Kensington Olympia to get to the GWR main line, and would have to return to Paddington or perhaps Waterloo, instead of Victoria. IIRC Bittern has worked via Staines in recent years and fits Victoria's arrival platforms.

 

Bryan, you are always too self-deprecating. Surely you can take the top off a biro and put it back on again without having a part left over? There, your own statement disproved!

I think Bert Hooker described one of his drivers as a 'superb engineman' yet he used to leave the defect booking to Bert as he knew little about the actual 'mechanicals' of the locos. So all is not lost for you yet.

Injectors: I would not presume to speculate as I am sure the MNLPS have access to a great fund of expertise. Though even the legendary Peter Townend of Kings Cross had some head scratching with injectors. In his book 'Top Shed' he described a puzzling problem they experienced with both injectors failing simultaneously on Peppercorn A1s. They traced it to the effect of the strumboxes on the A1 tenders; these had the effect of lowering substantially the water head on the inlet to the injectors.

I too wish the MNLPS every success in their search for the solution.

 

It would make sense to hire in Bittern if Clan Line is still not available.

I don't think she has worked the Vosey before, Victoria should be o.k. No.9

has departed and arrived previously without any problems.

Mike M. ( 70c )

 

You are too kind!

Incidentally, whilst out photting 44932 locally at West Malling a few days ago, I bumped into an older guy who once new Bert Hooker very well. He must have lived a long life after retirement as he died as recently as 1995. In Dartford, local to me in Kent. He was not one of the drivers I got to know well. Amazingly I timed very few runs behind him. There is a lovely tribute to him here

Not directly on topic for 35028. Except there can be no doubt Bert would have driven that loco a good few times in his career at Nine Elms Depot.

 

Bert Hooker was giving talks to railway societies in the 1990s. I went to two that he did in Bedford and particularly remember his stories of the 1948 locomotive exchanges.

 

You're not wrong in your suggestion. A restriction in the delivery pipework/clackbox could be a potential cause of an injector not working. I don't know enough about the symptoms of 35028's injector problems or the design features to really comment but, if 35027's have also been tried without success, it adds to the intrigue!
I hope the cause is quickly found and the loco is back in traffic soon.