Great Central Railway General Matters

Well the 50@50 was a truly special sight - and sound! There are lots of internet videos of it running and also on the GCR Official website.
There was an appropriate headboard on the VIP special.

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1670524401756897287

Nice!

Again a great recreation, I dont remember steam hauled freights but I do remember trains like these clanking through stations albeit diesel hauled

 

Impressive sight, a grand collection of vehicles, and what a way to show them off.
It looks to me as though it is part fitted (or perhaps a fitted head for either direction). Van carrying lamps as an unfitted train.
Pat

 

Enjoyed watching the Rail Tales vids on YouTube over my lunch today, I’ve said this before but I think having some decent content on social media really can help, well done to those involved.

 

Great weekend, huge thanks to everyone invovled in the event and congratulations on the 50 years! The 50 wagons freight train was a great spectacle and I can't remember ever seeing so many people at Quorn at any one point before as it came through! Weather verged from full sun and roasting heat to a two hour downpour at Quorn on the Saturday! Video below, photos to follow...

 

Loughborough Engine Shed was open for guided "Boscastle shed Tours" at the weekend. These have restarted following the shed refurbishment work and scheduled take place on the second weekend each month.

Inside the shed, there has a bit more space, as the frames etc of Thornbury Castle have been moved to Quorn, together with the boiler, ready for movement off site (To Tyseley?). 70013 Oliver Cromwell is still awaiting its boiler and final machining of rods. 777 Sir Lamiel is steadily being worked on with one tender bogie removed and being re assembled. The 04 still needs a new front firebox tube plate and the chassis awaits the wheels and axleboxes to be fitted. The Ivatt std 2 46521, is being stripped ready for 10 year overhaul (most of this work is scheduled to take place at Tyseley). Work on 34039 Boscastle, has concentrated on finishing piping up the tender (It had been on display at Quorn earlier), the boiler is still at LMS. The Black 5 45491 is still having its boiler rework done.
6990 Witherslack Hall has it's boiler back in place and insulation fitted together, with most of its boiler cladding. It will be repainted then returned to traffic around September.

 

Whatever happened to this loco? I'm sure I remember from a MainLine many years ago now that it arrived almost a runner- and since then progress seems to have continued, but without any sign of completion? Were works required underestimated?

More broadly in the GC steam fleet, what's expected back in service post overhaul next?

 

Hi Jorge
I believe that 45491 has had a fair amount of work done on its chassis/motion. The boiler was near to completion, but then had an issue re lack of/insufficient paperwork, so quite a lot has had to be redone.
I think that the plan is to get 6990 complete, finished by end of Sept, then 70013 around December. After that probably 777 followed by the 04.

 

I don't know about "almost a runner", unless a lot of boiler work was done elsewhere, as the 'pikies' had cut a chunk out of the firebox tubeplate whilst it was at Fleetwood.
Ray.

 

Another interesting weekend at the GCR as the Quorn Wagon and Wagon group are show casing their activities and varied goods rolling stock. Two freight trains will be running together with Test Car 2 on Saturday.

 

Another General Managers Update has been posted.....



Looks like I can avoid the Autumn Steam Gala!

 

Not a fan of the GWR then Johann?
I expect that Witherslack Hall will be in service by then so I wonder what else will be visiting?

 

Never really have been TBH !
The fact that D5054 is going to attend the September Diesel Gala (and the Railways at Work event as well) is much more of an attraction to me, and I expect to attend both of those events.

 

Gonna hazard a rough guess 7714 may be visiting for it? On the basis that a 57xx hasn't visited since 2014 with L.92/5786 and could've been an agreement of 78018 going to SVR earlier in the year...just a guess out of many possibilities

 

My monies on 2999 or 4079. There arent really any other GWR Star guests out there

 

Having just lost one Castle I think it would be something along the lines of rubbing salt into the wound should another turn up as a guest loco. The GWS might be that tone-deaf but I'd like to think the GCR aren't.

Lady of Legend on the other hand would be nice to see put through its paces on the line.

 

6880?

 

2999 is at the Nene Valley for a couple of weekends in September, so not too far for it to be moved. It's not booked to appear at Didcot for their gala on 23/24 September, whereas 4079 is listed.

 

Perhaps the GCR are going to pull off a coup and persuade LSL to do running-in trials with 6024 at the GCR? One thing's for sure - it doesn't look as though Foxcote Manor will be a mystery guest.

 

I overheard some GCR volunteers at the 50th anniversary event discussing the autumn gala and they seemed to think 7903 and 7714 were likely guests, as a way of returning the favour of the GCR loaning out 78018/19.