Flying Scotsman

It's good to hear that there is still the intention to take the locomotive to the widest audience possible, so consider my 'fear' allayed.

 

Here here. Any visits to the South East will be most welcome

 

I'll second that - please, please, please, if it comes down via the Dartford loop line to be shedded at Hither Green, can we have prior warning? I'd love to take my godson to see it steam through Sidcup Station

 

Same only the Brighton Line through Haywards Heath. The last time that happened was in 1966. My Dad was only about 3 months old then and my mum wasn't born until 3 years later.

Be great to see 4472 back. I saw her in 2000 but sadly haven't ridden beind her (same goes for Tornado though I've seen her 3 times.

 

I have never seen her in steam, or all together for that matter. Seen her in 2004 and 2009 at the NRM in bits, so hopefully once the work at Rileys is done, she will have many more happy years out and about where i can see her on one of my trips across the pond.

Gnashing of teeth about livery and accuracy and anything else, she's still a famous locomotive, and one that i would like to tick a ride behind rather than just seeing her in bits.

 

If it comes south 4472 is unlikely to venture onto the South Eastern section because of the loading gauge. Shedded @ Southall for Victoria - Surrey Hills circle no Problem, but as to venturing onto the South Eastern section, even to be stabled @ ,Hither Green next to no chance. Before anyone asks, Tornado was built with reduced hight boiler mounts, chimney, dome, cab roof etc. to allow it to operate over as much of the Network as possible.

 

We've had a few of the black fives down Sidcup way - are they really that much shorter than the A3 in overall height? Not questioning your statement, mind, just wondering as to where exactly on the Sidcup line there would be a problem (bridges?)

 

Isn't there a width issue down the south east somewhere? IIRC some of the spam cams were narrower across the cab to work these lines? Does this still apply and if so what loco's are passed for these routes? (I think it relates to tunnels in particular, so unlikey to have changed - but I could easily be wrong!)

 

As an example, when 4472 took over from Clan Line on the VOSE trains a few years ago, during Clan Lines Overhauls, the VSOE Lunch Trains had to switch from the Kent Circle to the Guildford Circle as the clearance between the cab roof at the corners and the Bridge at Bromley south was 2cm.

Ex LNER loco. cabs then to be quite high at the sides with a gentle parabolic curve of the roof. This is why Bullied Pacifics and standard pacifics and black 5s have no problem. Their cab side sheets are lower and the curve of the roof is greater. The overall hight may be similar but it is hight in crucial places (or the kinetic envelope) which is the determining factor.

As an aside the cab on Tornado as finished is the second attempt. The first cab was too high for the very reasons I have mentioned here and the A1 trust built a replacement with modifications to allow the Locomotive to run on the South Eastern section.

 

Thanks Oakfield - you learn something new every day! I knew the cab was a different profile to the original style roof, I didn't know it was as much as making a whole new second cab!

That must be where the quick release grabs for the cab come in handy!

 

Well that's really cheered me up. All of a sudden I feel very old. <BJ>

 

Is scotsman retaining the (nearly) 20 inch cylinders and enlarged superheater pipework that was put in during the Marchington/kennington Era ?

 

I visited the National Railway Museum today (mainly to see 60163 in her new coat of Brunswick Green), and managed to capture this image of 'Scotsman's' tender in NE black. Thought some people might find it interesting. Cheers.

 

Looks very nice. When is the rest of 4472 due back at York. Must be sometime soon as the unveiling is in 2 weeks.

Can't wait to see her back.

 

You might be surprised at this question, but does that mean that if Hengist is built to the drawings then it will not have a problem in the south east?
Logically, the answer has to be yes, after all the 242 order was for the southern region.
Yet another reason for building the loco. it will not have been adapted for particular use, it will be as BR intended.

Well, apart from tweaks to suit modern engineering etc.

 

Not sure if this was the reason some Bulleids had narrow cabs, but it is the reason why the Schools had tapered cabs, the Hastings line demu's had narrow bodies & some class 33's also had narrow bodies (33/2's).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_Line

 

Weren't the Schools specifically built for that line.

 

it does seem odd that an austerity colour scheme still went for the shadowed / 3D lettering rather like pre war freight livery!

 

Perhaps they had them 'on the shelf ' ? and the L and the R we're missing... ?
Now, who votes for 'British railways' on the tender with 60103 and apple green on the loco....

 

I heard that there was a width problem on the Kent coastline which stopped 4472 hauling VSOE's around it. I'm not sure of the difference in width between an A4 and A1 but we've had Bittern haul quite a few tours (with another with her as 4492 in July) on the Brighton Line. Not sure of any width or height restrictions (don't think there are any height problems as most tunnels and bridges on both the Brighton and Quarry lines on the route so hopefully a visit of 4472 or 60163 isn't ruled out. Not likely though sadly.