Steam locos available for hire

Who specified main line?

 

53809 ?

 

I thought 44422 was supposed to be Churnet-based?

 

So was 80136 during its restoration.

But is it definatey Churnet Valley that is asking?

 

they fell out after something broke on the loco and blame each other for it. so it left. shame as it was a lovely loco

 

It is definitely the CVR asking. They want a 2nd loco for 2011 to work alongside 5199, as leaving her to go the full season alone is not giving much time for any maintenance she may require during the year though as she fairly fresh from overhaul I doubt they'll be anything too major. She did hold the fort in 2009 and only failed to complete 1 day's service, but best to play it safe and have a back up plan.

 

Neil Scott's posts were about how a Hall or Grange might (or might not) perform on a Scottish main line, so I ask again, what relevance has a reference couple of short industrial lines got to that?

 

The reference was to their hill climbing abilities. Care to show me a hall, grange, black 5 or anything else of comparable size that regularly worked a 1in19, or indeed 1in13, gradient? Merely an aside to the thread, I might add, and I wasn't suggesting Churnet hire in B2842 for the year (nice as that would be).

 

Certainly would be interesting to see something like that at work. I'm sure George meant in jest, as did I with my comments about GW 4-6-0s.

 

It struck me, and still does, as a needlessly fatuous comment. Next time there's an industrial thread about how great such and such a loco was on the Foxfield bank, perhaps I'll hijack it with something along the lines of "ah, but show me an industrial 0-6-0st that can work a 300 ton train at 70mph for 50 miles....." Of course, poor example, there will be those who claim that it was done with coal trains using austerities.....

 

It was merely in jest, intended as a light-hearted one-off, as opposed to inadvertently hijacking the thread; this 'our banks are steeper than yours' point being taken to its logical extreme (anyone from Snowdon wish to comment? ) - if we all stuck to reporting facts without the odd tongue-in-cheek moment, the forum would become very quiet very quickly... In fact, I fail to see why my bringing industrial gradients into the conversation is any less relevant than a discussion about the hill-climbing capabilities of GWR or LMS locos - I'm sure Churnet wouldn't be looking to hire in anything which is going to be worked to its limits on a regular basis, so we shall assume anything hired in will have a fair amount in reserve. If anything, my comment demonstrates aptly the point made elsewhere, that (on the whole at least - insert derogatory comment about west countries here) each of the locomotives in question were best suited to the role for which they were designed. A black 5 would be expected to out-perform a hall on home territory, and visa versa. Likewise, you wouldn't expect an austerity to deputise on the Royal Scot... Although I'm sure any of the three locos would be quite at home on Churnet's normal services.

 

4 pages of discussion and practically nothing about the original topic. Great!

 

We aren't going back to this GWR can't climb hills nonsense again are we?

I have a Castle in the shed that seems to be a bit good at going up hills! (latest SR if you don't believe me!)


If they are willing to pay, there are some Black 5's that might be looking for work. Maybe a few bigger toys as well. Not cheap, but might be interesting.

 

so so far we have gwr 280 from south devon. 7f possible. a couple of black 5s. was there any others.

 

Sir Lamiel might have a few weeks spare later on in the year?

 

The usual suspects would seem to be:

1)Various from Llangollen-5643,80072?
2)6619-but Wensleydale in Summer?
3)SDR-3803
4)GWR-with Hall,8f,9f,2807 and 5542.
5)Super D.
6)Swanage with 6695,80104,53 and two or three Bulleids

 

The original post asked for details of class 4 and above tender locos that might be available, which rules out quite a few of the tank engines that have been suggested. 53809 has been mentioned but as far as I am aware is committed to the NYMR. I have also heard it suggested that it will not be available this season due to maintenance. 49395 might be open to offers, but is apparently expensive to hire. I'd have said the SDR 2-8-0 is the best suggestion yet, along with perhaps a Swanage Bulleid. The fact is that there doesn't seem to be a very big pool of engines available to hire at this time - most owners havealready committed.

 

You would be surprised what could be available for a railway of the CVR's power. I would have suspected that most owners of the type of engine they are after would have already sorted out contracts for the 2011 season already. Ben mentioned a few Black 5s knocking around looking for work but I find that quite surprising considering the demand on the mainline and on some preserved railways for such engines that they wouldn't already be booked up to work. To be honest, how many railways would love to be able to hire in a Class 4 tender engine at the drop of a hat? Many I suspect.

 

Trying to actually be both practical and helpful, I would back up what Neil has said - any owner needing a long contract will want to have made sure they are sorted by now! Hence, Churnet Valley's probably more likely to be able to achieve a number of short term hires, which could be fine to cover washouts and planned maintenance but won't provide a standby in case of failure and will prove expensive in terms of haulage. The only up side is that haulage may be capable of being offset by extra business for a short term guest. and the Churnet Valley does quite well with photo charters and the type biut, hey, who am I to be trying to tell them their own busienss!

Steven