35018 British India Line

I might have missed something but from what I gather BIL took things well in her stride on the GBXI run. Was this run not all that taxing or can any insight be gained as to performance?

 

I would say that thanks to the brilliant and consistent performances of Clan Line over the years, the reputation of the Merchant Navy class is pretty high already!

 

If the load was not especially taxing for a detuned class 8, but then BIL didn't look remotely taxed by on any of the footage ive seen either, making a noise like a racehorse on a canter.
To my mind they already have a good rep. for performance and reliability - Not withstanding the faulty chimneys.
Given how many of these machines there are its surprising there isn't one at the New Crewe in preference to/ addition to Braunton.
Roll on General Steam Navigation...

 

Loving the Leeds departure footage...

 

It wouldn't be a proper departure without the very well controlled wheel slip

 

I'm delighted to see 35018 now seems to have the teething troubles ironed out. They did the same with Galatea and Guardsman, so I have a good feeling that we now have another potential top performer in our midst. May God bless all who worked on her.

 

There may be good reasons for not doing it but surely it would be a lot cheaper and less risk to take a 'new' engine to somewhere like the GC and run it in there to iron out the bugs

 

I think this was discussed up thread, with the conclusion that when West Coast need to do more than toddle up and down their own track it's least trouble for them to run out to Hellifield.

 

I'm going to hold my hands up, I was one of those who said" why not take it to a preserved railway to get some mileage, snag list sorted etc, and I was wrong, BIL, has for me been the stand out performer on the GBx1, and has shown that she should be a very popular engine, my only gripe is that she isn't at the head of todays run , but the folks at Carnforth do seem to have faith in her, as they didn't have to use her yesterday to power the Crewe leg, there were other locos available. and they turned her out, to give those on-board another moment of Bulleid magic.

 

I didn't say that at all, the job of restoration was finished it would just be a matter of running in and dealing with things like the odd axlebox running warm, a common occurrence with a new engine or that steam leak. Other locos have gone to heritage lines for a final shakedown and no one seemed to get upset. There is no reason why WC staff couldn't go with it.

 

You mention it being cheaper up thread, yet would it actually be cheaper when you take into account the costs of moving her to a third party location (which would have to be by road or would make the whole point for doing it essentially pointless and thus with the inherent dangers of damaging loading and unloading), the payments to the host to use their facilities, accommodation and travel for 'x' number of fitters to go with her and possibly back and forth to Carnforth if bits were needed, then transport charges back again.

They have a perfectly good test track on their doorstep with a very infrequent (and don't I know it!) public service, I don't recall any stories of her tests causing any disruption?

 

A Merchant Navy - Ideal Heritage line motive power..

 

To be honest I suspect they would be more insulted by the libelous accusations made against WCRC on here after one of the earlier runs....

 

A bit of 'bedding in' mileage, not too far from home.

 

I don't think anyone would have been upset if it had have gone to a heritage line, 10A have done it their way and seeing it in Leeds last Friday I;m very glad they did.

 

I'll echo that, any criticisms such as they might be perceived, I am sure, are not borne of malice so I think that those not associated with 10A getting hot under the collar taking vicarious offence should perhaps be able to let things go now? After all even the owner admitted the project has taken rather longer than envisaged and the final commissioning has been no exception, probably not quite finished yet either. Of no doubt is that the end product appears to be very good indeed.

 

Not sure I ever saw the logic of sending to a heritage railway for running in, given the existence of suitable nearby mainline and an ability to get paths.

Which looks easier - test on the mainline at up to 60mph in a day trip from base, where all your facilities and staff are. Or go away to a remote location with limited length of run, remote from your staff (so presumably incurring all manner of costs supporting them) and then be having to negotiate with the host railway for no doubt limited space in a workshop for any fettling needed. It’s not even as if paths are easy to come by on the major heritage railways if you are doing your running in on days when they have a service to run, so your daily mileage will essentially be limited, and probably mostly low speed.

Whatever else one might say about West Coast, they appear to be commercially astute, and I am sure that they had done their sums and worked out running in on the mainline was financially and operationally preferable.

Tom