Great Britain XVII - 26/04 to 4/05/25

Ah Thankyou! I’d been wondering for days why they weren’t included! Silly me

 

The lineup will depend on CDL. I would expect 35028, 60163 and 60103 all to be involved along with 34067. That would mean that the amount of the tour that is hauled by a Riley 5 will probably be less compared to this year; all of course subject to availability. Day 1 seems nailed on for 35028 with the potential for 60163 and 60103 to feature later on subject to 60163 being WCRC registered and 60103 getting up and running again. There is also a new enforced limit of 300 miles per day for 60103. 6233 and 6201 sadly don’t look likely to be available any time soon. Of course if WCRC resolve their CDL issues the reliance on Riley Black 5s outside of the sections to/from Inverness would be much less; in fact maybe nil outside of Inverness-Wick/Thurso. Jacobite should start around beginning of April with 2 train operation starting just after the Great Britain finishes as was the case this year.

 

Has the new custodian/NRM chosen a TOC for 60103?

 

No but I would be majorly surprised if it was not WCRC.

 

That’s a lot of ifs, buts, and maybes

 

The NRM also stipulated that Flying Scotsman had to be open to the public, Ie run on trips that the greater public could afford. The GB is not one of those trips. So personally I would be very surprised if it featured.

Placing reliance on the Merchant doing a leg, is perhaps not the wisest. It might well have a Pullman around that time and also it’s not been renown for its GB use.

 

Hmm. I know I say this every year when GB routes are announced, but ... could this be the year a Spamcan goes over the Highland mainline? It would be a fine sight

 

Scotsman has been on the GB before

 

I didn’t say it hadn’t. But part of the new contract is to make it accessible to all, etc. I can’t remember which of the magazines I read it in, but the tours had to be priced for all to afford.

 

You’re going to be majorly surprised then.

 

This is probably the best itinerary so far for the GB. Steam on the Far North Line, I can see I will be piling a lot of miles onto the car’’s o odometer next year!