The Great Britain XI - 2018

Footage of day five with 45699 at the helm at Crawford , Beattock summit , Lockerbie and Penrith station .

 

Rumour Alert: Hearing that diesel assistance likely for 45212 hauling load 11 on the last day due to gradients up Parkstone Bank; 1 in 80 to Buriton Summit plus the 1 in 100 climb to Haslemere. Rumour Alert Off. .... however, please don't shoot the messenger if it goes solo after all.

 

Would be lovely to see 31806 bank it, but I don't suppose there's any chance of that at such short notice .

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Certainly would be great - but impractical.
WCRC would need to roster a steam qualified/route competent Driver and Fireman instead of 'just' a route competent diesel driver.
Logistics/cost of watering top and tailed locos, at least twice en-route to London, would be another area fraught with problems affecting timings, etc.
Finally, not sure Swanage could organise a support crew and the support coach [presumably BSK 35494] in so short a time.
Loved to be proved wrong but think it's in the 'too difficult department'.

 

Sadly I'm sure you're right. It would probably need gauging too, although bigger locos are passed for the route! We can but hope.....

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My suspicions may be right then, as soon as I saw that 45212 was on the last couple of legs, as good a loco as 45212 is, I had a feeling there might be a diesel,not a box Martin 1656, on the back after that Black 5 stalled on Parkstone bank. If it had been No 9 then of course there would probably have been no need for a diesel but in this day and age they err on the side of caution.

 

Pity it wasn't allowed out on more legs than just the one. Might only be two more Class 8s for next year's: 46233 and hopefully 60009. Wonder if 46115 will be back? must be classed as a 7+ these days.

 

7+ ? Don't get me wrong, the reboilered Scots are excellent Locomotives, but are they significantly better than a BofB, Britannia, Castle, A3. or Lord Nelson.... ?

 

Just talking about engines that will be available so Nelson's out of any reckoning. There are no castles available for general hire so they're out. The Brits, who knows if either will be available. 46115 has shown itself to be a very strong engine with 12 and even 13. Haven't seen that regularly from a Brit or a West Country for years.

 

does the shadowing Diesel follow the tour all the way? if so, then will it follow the tour down to Swanage, ? if so then the most obvious answer had to be 5 leading with the 47 at the back to assist where needed, no one wants to see the tour stall on Parkstone bank, as a enthusiast, I know what I would have used, but the owner rightfully want to ensure his engine is right before he lets it travel to far, alternately the U class is coupled inside as far as Southampton ,to assist. but then, its not as far as I know been gauged beyond what its already travelled.

 

I hope you are correct Al as the operationally easy option would be to leave the 37 on at Bristol on Thursday and save both the LE move back to Southall and another down to Swanage. The only saving grace maybe that 1o Mk1's and 3 locos are I think too long not to foul the signals at Weymouth. Also not sure how long the passing loops are at Maiden Newton and Dorchester South

 

Is that the case now, I know that 5043 did a leg of the GBV?

 

can't the 37 just run LE to Weymouth then Swanage from Bristol?

 

I am sure it could Martin but NR would have to path it at short notice and WCRC would need another driver(s) with the required route knowledge

 

Yes from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington I believe?

 

Yes 29/04/12 seen here on the up main approaching Iver and before the dreaded overhead wires.

 

Not wrong, and we wont see that with an A3 either...

 

When when we get 6024 finished I really hope its used on a proper West Country leg of the tour, Bristol to at least Par and back...