VSOE to Oxford this Saturday 7th August

Does anyone know what's taking Clan Line's place this Saturday?

 

As I speculated in the Clan Line thread in the Steam Traction section, the obvious candidates are Bittern and King Edward I. However, I was told this afternoon that 6024 is staying at Yeovil until the end of next week - not sure how reliable that info is, but the chap is usually correct. Bittern would seem an obvious candidate, since she's at Southall this week, she's air-braked and powerful enough to hussle the Pullmans up to 75 on the GW main line. As always, it depends on things like whether a support crew is available and the loco is guaged for the route.

For an outside bet - and this is blatant speculation on my part - how about Nunney Castle? "Nunney Fixer" mentioned that she isn't doing the Shakespeare run on Sunday 8th after all, but didn't say why. Could it be that she's taking the VSOE to Oxford instead??

 

I doubt 60019 will do a VSOE as she's a West Coast operated loco and the VSOE is a DB Schenker job. Unfortunately with all other DBS locos unavailable or busy I think this one may have to be box hauled.

 

DBS can work 60019 as they have been used this year on the UK Railtour job to York in late April.

 

A friend of mine works near Stewarts Lane and the wind has been blowing in the right direction for him to smell coal smoke for the last few days... still don't confirm it is ready.

 

This is from VSOE website.

"Due to unforseen operational issues, the journey on 7th August 2010, will no longer be steam hauled. We are however running the trip with Diesel Haulage. Please accept our apologies for this change."

Wrong guesses guys, :sorry:

Dave B

 

That's interesting, I have long wondered what the policy is on the two main loco operators running each other's engines.

 

I don't think there is a policy. Several locos have been operated by both operators (including 34067 which is effectively a West Coast loco). DBS won't operate vacuum braked trains, so that limits a lot of locos to West Coast only, and West Coast won' use 60163 or 71000, so they are DBS only and I think the MNLPS have said that 35028 will only be operated by DBS as well. Don't know for certain about 60019, but I think it has been operated by both DBS and West Coast (EDIT as confirmed by DUKE71000's post above)

 

I think that's down to the individual loco owners rather than the operators. I'm not aware that DBS or West Coast own any steam locomotives as such. Although West Coast boss David Smith owns a few I believe they are his and not part of the company, though I may be wrong. Usually only crewed by West Coast staff though.

Ian Riley's black fives for example can be crewed by either operators.

Dave B