Steam Railmotor 93

Southall (it's first shed) to Hanwell, Greenford (lots of gwr semaphores still) ;-) and dare we say, down the 1train per week ruslip line to Paddington ?

 

Ooh now that is an idea! Then a blat along the mainline to Bewdley

 

What good news. Credit goes not only to the GWS but also to the regulating body for being openminded.

Somehow I suspect limitations of top speed and water capacity will limit jaunts along the mainline a bit. However one can imagine, conductor rails permitting, shuttles between Aylesbury and Quainton Road or between depot open days and the nearest mainline station. Versatility will certainly be improved by this development.

I know that the technicality of being a "renewal" rather than a "new build" has enabled Heritage Lottery money to be obtained and thus speeded things up immeasurably but this project has always struck me as an object lesson to others in the matter of getting things done.

P.H.

 

I see a rail.co.uk article has some details of the derogation - a "GSMR speed recording device (incorporating a data recorder)", video cameras at each end, GSMR phone, and can only carry passengers on self-contained single lines at 35mph with no other traffic present.

Chris

 

The NYMR's General Manager is a bit of a GW fan, so how about some Whitby-Grosmont workings?

 

Meanwhile a SR article says similar things but different, 25 mph for instance. Personally, I'll take the Rail article over SR but I'll wait and see what actually happens.

 

I recently saw a single car wooden Victorian street tram with about 50 passengers hanging from every window/door running down the Rotterdam -Den Haag mainline! Hurtling along at around 50mph or as fast as it could. with high speed traffic, including a Thalys TGV speeding past..

So is the UK is over zealous or are the Dutch Irresponsible ?

I have also seen wooden vehicles of similar size on the mainline in Germany, including Der Adler with its(live pol/Manchester railway style) open carriages running happily along side an ICE unit..
As you go further east the more interesting it gets.

So maybe all of europe is irresponsible.

You could say the UK is following the American style safety or we'll sue culture...

But then here too I've seen old boilers not lifted from frames, overhauled and put into use.. Wooden bodied trams a speed and more...

So Maybe it's just a British "must have control" thing ?

Why everyone must be seated "under control" with video cameras watching etc etc... What difference does any of this balony make to safety ? This steam unit is only as safe as the signalling system and crew that manages it... As long as it complies to the signalling system, fits the gauge, is appropriate to its journey, safely restored and the drivers are competent for the train and the route then that should be enough.. Surely ?

Maybe we should all sit on one hand and put our fingers over our lips with the other ?

If its good for a preserved one at 25, it should be good for any line at 25-35mph under the same or similar conditions, not more restrictive or onerous ones.

 

I think the Dutch probably embrace the idea that your responsible for your own actions (which seems to have been killed off in the UK), that by stepping onto the vehicle, your aware of and accept any possible implications.

 

Are there many conductor rails between Aylesbury and Quainton?

 

Are there Depot open days nowadays?

 

What about people on, say, the speeding Thalys mentioned above? It's all very well the people on the tram being responsible for their choices, but you'd be a bit miffed if, as a commuter, some rickety old tub being thrashed on the mainline derailed and consequently wiped your train out…

People talk about H&S being a reaction to litigious culture, but it's just about reducing the risk of accidents occurring. Taking reasonable precautions against potential problems, particularly in light of the abject stupidity many people demonstrate (the best example of which is people jumping level crossings), is generally a good thing.

Simon

 

Speaking of "sparks", it would be lovely to see her on the Windsor, Bourne End/Marlow and Henley branches before they are electrified...

 

Maidenhead-Bourne end to Marlow would be an excellant route for this!! The trainsehd roof at maidenhead would look perfect.

 

All the H&S legislation in the world will not eliminate stupidity of the individual. I find pursuing this hobby on the continent quite refreshing. Whilst abject stupidity isn't tolerated, many things happen - quite safely too - that wouldn't be allowed in the UK.

 

I suspect they'd all be fine with the modern crash worthyness standards modern units are built, Grayrigg showed for all the Pendo's faults, the things are built like tanks.

 

1 dead, 4 more critically injured, thousands of journeys knackered (with consequent economic impacts, let alone inconvenience), millions of pounds of damage caused… it's not like OO, where you can scoop it back off the floor and stick it back on the track.

Simon

 

Which is considerably better than the many dead had it been MK1 stock or whatever was involved at Harrow & Wealdstone, there will always be an element of risk with travel no matter how safe you try and make it, it could just as easily hit a car which shoulden't be there at 120MPH.

 

Why do some people have to nick pic! No body said it was like 00.

 

No - but it was all about corner cutting by safety case signed up Network Rail appointed contractors which was unconditionally admitted in court.

All the H & S paperwork in the world won't cut out management stupidity

 

Tickets have gons on sale for trips on the Liskeard & Looe line on the 4th & 11th November.
The GWR Steam Railmotor and Trailer Project

Obviously this is subject to pathing issues, and whether she is within gauge to operate on the branch