LE Movements, ECS and Test Runs 2015

When will they ever learn








Sands club patrons like this

 

I'm not sure what the last three posts are trying to say, but I've been told that she was found to be running hot at Warrington. Since she has been off her wheels for several months and can't really have done much running in at the Heritage Centre, it's perhaps not entirely surprising.

 

The last 2 posts are reinforcing your last 5 words

 

In the present climate it is extremely brave of the TOC to accept a loco as FTR having had little chance to get mileage accumulated that would have proved all was OK.
Some of the apologists will rage against such doom mongering but it will not be in the least surprising if ORR take note of this episode. A gamble that didn't come off.

 

It would make more sense for a loco to be dragged to a mainline connected Heritage Line, a la Britannia on the MHR (OK she was dumped there by road, but it illustrates the point), with dispensations for high speed running, so shake down runs can take place, seems plain daft to assume everything will A OK after being taken to various bits & put back together again - better than it sitting down on the mainline...........

 

Its a surprise that ultra cautious approach wasn't adopted simply because of the prevailing scrutiny. Greater minds than ours doubtless considered but thought it unnecessary. As said, a gamble that unfortunately doesn't seem to have worked out on this occasion.

 

Ever get the feeling it will become a stipulation if mainline steam is to continue "unhindered"?......

Makes a lot of sense to prove a loco is FTR , OK you have to factor in the extra cost into the maintenance, never mind finding a line to give (at a cost?...) the room & facilities to carry out the work......... and after the proving runs on said line, the final tick in the box is the LE run home to base........

 

The onus is on the engineering managers for loco and TOC to acheive assurance. There is no list that says if x job is carried out y amount of miles must be undertaken before return to the network. In the old days it was much more prescriptive IIRC as the equivalent of today's VAB inspectors required proof of 1000 miles plus on a heritage line as part of the acceptance process. That doesn't seem to be a stipulation anymore as we know some locos have been successfully taking rail tours a matter of hours after being reassembled from a heavy general. It requires a leap of faith, often entirely justified but occasionally misplaced.

 

Well, after today's embarrassment, it would make sense for loco's to undergo X amount of shake down miles............. but as you say, some work straight "out of the box", others, well......... If I was involved with a VAB, I'd insist on shake down runs - would save a lot of grief on the mainline & on here!

 

A VAB inspector can only judge by what he can see and what he is told which may be at stages during a repair or only upon completion of it. The rules these days stipulate what standard or specification has to be achieved but not how it must be done which is left to the responsible engineer to decide and demonstrate to the interested parties whether VAB or TOC.
In the old days it was basically Brian Penney and Sam Foster who "suggested" what the situation demanded. Having said that, a few of the old guard locos rarely visited heritage lines for running in in the 80s 4472, 4498, 4771, 5407, 850, all mostly ventured out without apparently doing much running in after overhaul. The running line at 10A was a little longer in those days mind you and maybe there was a little covert testing that few knew about? The network was less busy too I suppose.

 

Any idea what the issue is? I know it's wheel related


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I would have thought it possible to run late from Crewe to Chester and back. Not too far and unless anything drastic happens it would be possible to limp to Chester with warm bearings.

 

Sensible suggestion without knowing what pathing is like. Clearly it either wasn't possible on this occasion or simply deemed unnecessary. As with choices we all make, if we could have the time again a different decision may be reached. Obviously time was against those preparing 60009 and commendably didn't want to disappoint Hadrian customers knowing the A4 was the only potential steamer for the job. Despite all those facts I think WCRC would have been best advised to set an earlier deadline for the LE move that was clearly intended to double as the proving run. They don't need the added complication of a loco fresh from works sitting down right now and the questions it will inevitably bring about how steam traction is tested before operation on the network. Its a brave engineer that can be absolutely confident complicated mechanical repairs will be perfect from the word go.

 

We're going to be in the same position next week by the look of it as Tornado will seemingly only be trundling up and down the sidings at Shildon over the weekend and early next week before moving to Millerhill on the 17th. Anyone heard if there is a standby loco? 60009 was expected to be and if thr report that it has to be moved back to Crewe by low loader....

 

60163 has roller bearings though - less risk than plain ones, I would have thought, even though we do know that 60163 has had some changed during her overhaul.

 

Ouch.....

 

In some ways being made to undertake proving mileage away from the main line makes better sence than risking a hot bearing on a main line somewhere, what is the nearest Mainline conncted preserved railway to Crewe that could be used if it does become necessary to carry ot proving runs before getting a mainline ticket .
70000 was lucky in that the owner has a very good relationship with the MHR, and that it has the added attraction of a 60 mph testing line limit and would expose any faults i for one would hope that 34046 finds its way to Ropley for testing and running in, before it returns to Southall than run a hot box somewhere,
Will we one day see a list of " Approved preserved railways" that can test potensial mainline engines at speeds of up to 60 mph as part of the requirement to gain mainline acceptance with a LE /POB run to their mainline depot as the final step prior to a loaded test run .