1014 - County of Glamorgan

Surely there must be a balance for Didcot with having locos operating at home and elsewhere.

I'm not suggesting they use their collection as a "rent-a-loco" type arrangement, but 6023, 2999 and 4079 this year touring other lines must add some revenue to the funds, and I would be confident that it has meant that the awareness of Didcot must have been improved.

Hopefully this would attract more visitors to the site and fulfilling part of their objectives to showcase their collection.

Seeing 6023 at the GCR running in and chatting to the loco crew prompted me to visit Didcot a few months later.

Chris

 

I thought filling the back end up to half way up the door was normal practice with GW locos. Even higher if you can manage. That’s the way I was shown and on the SVR and put into practice on the NYMR.

 

They do tend to like a deep fire, but this was absolutely level with the bottom of the firehole. My only real firing experience was at Didcot, so perhaps I am under estimating the requirements for railways that actually go somewhere!

 

Seems to work for Wightwick Hall. A wedge shape, thick at the back and thin at the front on starting at Sheffield Park; most of your firing is to the back and sides, and the front gets primarily fed naturally by coal rolling forward. I'd aim to start with the coal nearly up to the door at the back and gradually work the depth down by time you got to East Grinstead. (Similar works for BR Standard 5).

Tom

 

Having A flagship loco, that can spend some of its ticket away from Didcot, on hire to other lines, will also act as an ambassador for the GWS, the larger locos, are more suited i would argue to fit this capacity, than the smaller ones such as the pannier, or 14xx, Locos that are not going to work beyond the demonstration line, should be cheaper to overhaul, due to the limited work and mileage, they would cover, so could only need limited work, and an mechanical overhaul every other ten year ticket, where as an engine that might see more use, away from Didcot, will need a full overhaul, every 10 years, depending on what engine is chosen, each time, I have often wondered about what may have beens, if Didcot and Steam, at Swindon, would have been combined with some engines, being transferred between both sites, out of ticket engines cosmetically restored could have been displayed in their birthplace, and others such as the dean goods, star etc, transferred to Didcot, and assessed for their possible return to steam,

 

Bit in black: is this actually true?
Let's say 6023 was loaned to the GWSR (just as an example).
A number of enthusiasts might go to see the loco at Toddington and then decide to visit Didcot at a later date as they are aware of the locos home base.
The vast majority of visitors will see a 'new' steam engine and that's it. It's highly unlikely that there would be any information about Didcot, so I cannot see how loaning locos out would see them acting as ambassadors to increase awareness of Didcot or increase visitor numbers.
Or have I missed something?

 

Didcot is just finalising the hire arrangements for 2023 with heritage lines. You will see that the hire out of 4079 has been hinted at with the Four Castle event promotion on their website.
https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/product.php/146/the-didcot-castle-event-4-march

 

Fork hassle event ?

 

Fo'c's'le?

 

It would be nice if during this event on 4th March that the roller shutters could be up so that 1014 with boiler in-situ was at least viewable from the entrance to the works?