The Midday Scot 19th March 2016

According to the A1 Trust's website, she's at Stewart's Lane depot

 

You are asking the wrong people. Doubt you'd get an answer from the right people, either, so all we are left with is speculation. As such, let's keep this thread on-topic.

 

Positive rumours about the Midday Scot. It seems that it will run. Timings are likely to change - does that now mean Steam both ways. Maybe the Duchess coming on and off at Preston to reduce some of the miles? Or will it be a different loco?

 

I don't mind if steam comes on at Preston, as long as all four major climbs get covered in at least one direction. But as 46233 will be spending the next week or so at the ELR, I still think steam will be on from the start to remove the need for another positioning move to Preston. Whilst things will inevitably change, its not completely beyond the bounds of reality that 46233 will take us back as far as Carlisle or even Carnforth, with DL the rest of the way. Time could be saved turning at EDB by going round the Suburban route and coming in from the east. It would then 'just' require dragging back to wherever it is possible to service it. Either way, I think I'll be driving to Manchester to ensure I can get back to York without the need for a hotel.

 

Is 46233 presently still at Carnforth, any ideas when or in fact how they are planning to get her down to the ELR?

 

Moving tomorrow, according to the ELR gala thread.

 

Too many questions - sorry, but any idea how (road, rail, chinook?) cannot see anything that looks like a move in RTT at the moment? Sorry to ask but could potentially be last chance for a fix up here for quite some time!

 

By rail uing DB, so presumably in light steam behind a DL. ELR have also put it in their gala timetable, so there must be some degree of optimism that it will be attending.

 

Move now on UK Steam, but no times as yet.

 

Tue 08-Mar 46233: Carnforth-Bury [dbs] -says that it is D+E+C. So presume engine+support coach and diesal dragging them, which suggests 46233 not on dbs' books to be operated as a steam loco thus not appearing on Midday Scot. If that makes sense. lol

 

Not necessarily. As I understand it,if it's a light steam 'drag' then there's no requirement for a DBS driver to be on the footplate of 46233 during the move; merely someone competent to look after the boiler management, which could simply be an 'owners representative' with necessary PTS etc. Perhaps there was no DBS steam driver available for the move?

 

Agree that it doesn't mean anything if there is no steam crewe aailable for tomoz. But the fact that it's being hauled by a diesal rather than moving under it's own power means that there's still a chance that dbs still aren't aux fait with 46233. Hope that's wrong though. See PMR hae put their interesting tour back amongst their prog again.

 

There's also always a chance it could fail whilst on the ELR, but this tour seems to be battling its way through adversity at the moment, which makes me reasonably optimistic at the moment.

Regarding motive power familiarity, I don't see it as too much of a problem- a refresher is probably what's needed. 4-cylinder locomotives Nos. 6024 and 46201 were both on DB's books as late as 2011, and 46233 itself was on EWS' books back in 2008. As we are probably still dealing with steam-competent crews who were originally trained under EWS in the early-mid 2000s, there's every chance that one or two of the remaining complement have previous experience of the locomotive. Time will tell.

 

Still no sign of move on RTT.

 

Gauging issues.

 

Ah, that old chestnut!

 

Um, it's not a chestnut of any kind. What do you think the reason is for 46233 not moving today?

 

Classic stuff. How did it get to ELR three years ago?

 

Sorry, couldn't find a sarcastic smiley, or any smiley for that matter!!!

 

There you go!