Repton

It must be said that most (if not all?) other 4-4-0 classes were painted black, even if they were essentially passenger designs. I must say it is surprising that we have not yet seen a BR black "Schools" in preservation, given the popularity of that livery...! I'm not always a fan of BR black but I do think it suited them rather well...and it would be nice to see one in wartime black with sunshine lettering too, one of the underrated liveries of railway history in my book!

 

That will depend on how well repairs to the teak train progress, I would imagine. It is unlikely that the buffet car will be running again by then and the wall lights on the Thompson TK that were smashed were specially made replicas that will take time to replace so that too may be oou so I would think the likelihood is that it will have to be supplemented by a couple of Mk 1s. I can't be sure, though, and the NYMR management may not choose to pair the locomotive and train throughout the weekend.

Repton has taken around a month to get from out of frames steam test to running in, the really interesting thing will be to see if the Grosmont Shed staff can work the same magic with a second pre-BR liveried loco in the form of 5428 Eric Treacy. It is on the cards as a real possibility, and I wouldn't bet against them!

 

That was my point Green was only applied to express passenger engines so I assume whoever, at 222 Marylebone Road, decided which locos were to be painted in which colour thought that all 4-4-0s were ordinary passenger engines.

 

Running in seems to be going well - it has already been to Pickering light engine this morning and has just departed Grosmont (15.00) double heading 61264, presumably through to Pickering again. I wouldn't be surprised to see it out solo on Monday

 

Edit: beaten to it!

 

Mixed traffic engines surely hence the lined black livery ?

 

Schools were not mixed traffic engines, originally built for Hastings Line passenger trains, hence the cab narrowing from waist level

 

Tell that to Swindon paint shop.

 

Green for expree passenger only was the situation until 1956 when the regions were given some autonomy. From that time we had everything on the Western, apart from freight engines green and certain coaching stes chocolate and cream. On the Southern coaching stock reverted to green and on the LMR we again got the splendid sight of some of Sir William's pacifics in red.

 

Appears to have been working trains today- impressive if so given how little testing it's had.

Jon

 

I agree that it seems to have been an impressive achievement, but as I 've mentioned previously they are hoping to have 5428 back for the gala at the end of September. As there are still stays and tubes to fit that too will be an equally impressive achievement if successful - and even if they don't quite make it I don't think it will be far behind and all while helping to reassemble the bottom end of 63395 following re-tyring. Grosmont is a busy place these days and with no time for resting on laurels, with 34101, 75029 and Lambton 29 waiting in the wings as the next projects.

 

Given the time of year, there are no spare paths between Goathland and Levisham. Running double headed is standard practice for running in fresh locos on the Moors, once they have pottered about Grosmont and been up and down the bank to Goathland a few times.

Sawdust.

 

Just to give everyone a taste of the BR green. Having driven this little lady of and on for the last 55 years I cannot believe a Hunt or Shire would be in the same league.

 

They really are a very handsome bit of kit, I've never seen one in action, I'll have to have a ride out to NYMR.

 

For some reason, one February Domestic Facilities Management thought the boys could do with a steam train ride. We ended up on the Mid Hants with (Stowe?) - it snowed on the way there and very impressive it was too.

So get over there

I'm surprised that nobody's gone 'main line' with one

 

It would be great to see all three together, but obviously, someone will have to foot the transport bill!
There's a narrow margin where it may be possible. Not sure when 925 comes out of traffic. My guess is about 2021. As for Stowe, I was over at the Bluebell a week or so ago. From what I was told, 928's frames have been moved into the works at Sheffield Park only in the last week or so (The boiler is already being worked on). The next loco due out is 80151, which will probably be within the next year, then comes 34059. Once the boiler comes back from the SDR, not much is needed before it can run - again, probably some time in 2018. Stowe will then be the next loco to emerge, but as we all know, announcements of projected steaming dates are fatal as things can and do slip. Even so, I would hope there would be a margin of about 12-18 months when all three Schools will be in traffic. To save anyone asking, the last time 3 or more of these fine engines were in working order was 1962.

 

There's more work on 34059 than you are giving credit for John - the firebox will come back from South Devon with the stay holes pilot drilled, but they then have to be finished and completely re-stayed to the outer firebox at Sheffield Park, so still a large amount of work to be done on the boiler.

Stowe's frames are now lifted off the wheels and in the workshop, but there is a substantial boiler overhaul to complete there as well as the mechanical work.

Tom

 

Seriously though how viable would going 'full' main line ie not just Whitby be? Be quite something to have a 4-4-0 on the main line again

 

Unfortunately, I can't find any audio clips on the internet, but I have an LP of Southern steam in action and one of the spots used by the sound recordist was the footbridge between the junction east of Tonbridge Station and Somerhill tunnel. If you can get hold of a copy of this, it will dispel any cynicism about the capabilities of this particular lass of 4-4-0 on the main line. From a standing start at Tonbridge, a Schools would regularly take 10 or 11 corridor coaches up a gradient as steep as 1 in 47 on a 90 degree curve. The Hastings line was a real challenge in steam days with its switchback profile and sharp curves. Any class which could work trains day in day out on this line, if used sensibly could easily find a niche on the main line today. That is, assuming that the NYMR would be happy for it to do so, of course.

 

That's all very well, but why would a line that has in recent years been short of motive power spend a ton of money and resource to overhaul a loco just to have it spend considerable time working elsewhere?

Tom