NYMR Loco news

I can't see why the one I'm thinking of couldn't go to Whitby. It wouldn't be the first of its type to go there.

 

What are you thinking of? 45305, 777, 70013?

 

Well, 777 is towards the end of it's 10 year stint and 70013 is currently out of traffic, so not those two...

 

I think personalities may be a problem with that one, but it seems silly that it is sitting idle when it could be out earning. Maybe it has alternatives in the pipeline.

 

It's not sitting idle. It's just not getting as much use as it could. Personalities? No knowledge of that myself, so can't really comment. Maybe they just want it where they can keep an eye on it. But if you have a motive power crisis up on the Moors and people won't hire their entirely suitable engines to you, you have to wonder why that is. I used this one as an example but I bet there are others.

 

Might it be more about the route and wokload locos used on the Moors typically endure? The income may be good in the short term but if the wear and tear side of the equation doesn't stack up for an owner then they will politely decline perhaps.

 

Taking fires out at night not a standard that wins favour with many owners these days. Much preferred to leave them in at the end of the day and allow the loco to cool slowly, against emptying everything over the ashpit before then moving to where the overnight berth is (drawing all that cold air into what was/is a still warm machine).

 

But if you have a motive power crisis up on the Moors and people won't hire their entirely suitable engines to you, you have to wonder why that is. I used this one as an example but I bet there are others.

Might it be more about the route and workload locos used on the Moors typically endure? The income may be good in the short term but if the wear and tear side of the equation doesn't stack up for an owner then they will politely decline perhaps.

Taking fires out at night not a standard that wins favour with many owners these days. Much preferred to leave them in at the end of the day and allow the loco to cool slowly, against emptying everything over the ashpit before then moving to where the overnight berth is (drawing all that cold air into what was/is a still warm machine).

All of these are valid comments and you could also add the fact that Grosmont is quite remote and some owners may find it hard to support their engines there for any length of time, and also the fact that there is quite a narrow range of suitable machines and fierce competition for them. But there are owners who have seemingly adapted quite happily to life on the Moors and keep coming back, so it can't be a total tale of woe!

Although there is this year to get through, there are signs that the situation will be improved for 2017 when the need for hired-in engines will hopefully be greatly reduced.

 

I guess it also depends on the terms of the contract on offer. If it is for six months and guarantees £50k, it starts to look interesting. If it is £500 a steaming with no guaranteed minimum, then probably easier to reject.

 

I don't think there is any worry about a hired engine not getting enough mileage/turns!

 

My question is whether tomorrow will ever come. Unfortunately, the spring motive power crisis, reinforcements on the horizon for next year has become almost a ritual.

I've yet to read my copy of Moors Line, but am not sure what is different this time from the previous few years.

 

The Moors Biggest public attraction i.e. it's twisty, turny and steep undulating route is it's undoing. Which makes engines work, and is in turn it's greatest drawback for locomotive owners. As the route does tend to highlight any short comings in the mechanical conditon of said visiting loco, making owners reluctant to visit no matter what the "management" of Moors offer finance wise to visit. Granted certain problems are ultimately outside the Moors direct control, but can to a degree be curcumvented. I.e. last years water quality problems at the Pickering end of the line. Which not only affected last years' autumn gala visitor 31806, but also the home fleet too on and off over the season as a whole.........

 

80136, 44806, 30926 and 61264 are all expected back in traffic at some point this year and therefore likely to be there for some or all of 2017, bolstering the current home fleet of 45428, 76079 and 63395 which are all anticipated to be running next year. On top of that there's both 80135 and 34101, where the frames are more or less finished and the boilers are expected to be finished in 2017. In addition, there are three wild cards that may or may not be available : 29, 30825 and 65894.

As for this year, both 45212 and S160 6046 are expected to be visiting for the peak season.

The arrival of 80136 on a long term agreement shows that not all owners are afraid of how their loco will fare at the NYMR, whilst others such as 45407, 44871 and 80072 keep returning for spells of running so perhaps we may yet see other engines move there.

 

Indeed. I've lost track, but for at least three years we've had the excuses and all will be fine tomorrow. Then each year seems a bigger problem to the one before.

I plan to spend much of the season on NYMR, but so far this year I have been once - to find D7628 on 12:00 Pickering (that duty is normally always steam even if all else is box). Watching currently the situation is fair, with the 25 just doing the Grosmont - Whitby duty, but I have a busy diary and I dare say time I can get north again, one or two of the steam locos will be washout/repair and it will be a box-fest once more.

David

 

As I said, changes in personnel and a GM who is also an engineer are likely to make a big difference, as will modifications to the timetable to make it more realistic and possible changes in where work is carried out. The changes are starting to have some effect but the railway has been unlucky as well - the unforeseen loss of 75029 and the long-running B1 wheel repair saga hasn't helped. I'm sure that if there are any owners of suitable locos interested in bringing their their machines to the NYMR for the summer they would be welcomed with open arms.

 

For many years, I seem to have read comments or news saying (1) NYMR is short of working steam locos and (2) it should be better next year.

Perhaps they need to consider a scaled-down steam commitment which takes the pressure off everyone?

 

I think you'll find that coming next year as well. It would probably have started this year, but this years timetable was more or less in place before the new GM started and he (not unreasonably) wanted a season to get to grips with the railway before making significant changes. He's on record as saying that he believes the NYMR runs too many trains.

 

It will be interesting to see how that works through in the timetables. When taking the kids for walks, the basic hourly service is quite important as a way of giving confidence about timings, especially given how full the Whitby turns are. When we've hit gaps in the service, the groans from wide and kids have been audible at the other end of the line.

 

i would think some of the moans are your wife being called "wide"

 

Blasted text recognition on this phone!

Let's just say, that would be more than my life is worth.