850 Lord Nelson

I was told 60163 will be hauling VSOE's when 35028 is out for routine maintenance.

 

I'm guessing here, but I expect Nellie will be "confined to the south" in much the same way that Sir Nigel Gresley is "confined to the north".

Personally, I think this is great news and, as CCT_man and others have suggested, it shows how far things have moved on in Ropley and Eastleigh. I think this kind of partnership will benefit all concerned, as has already been the case for 35005 (when Marcus Robinson owned her) and 60019. Another useful comparison might be the partnership between 5305LA, the GCR and the NRM, for the care and operation of 30777 Sir Lamiel.

How long, I wonder, before we see 850, 31806 and one of the S15s working together? Now there's a line-up to look forward to!

 

Well said Steamage, it is so easy to bear a grudge and yet so hard to move on for the common good. Exciting times ahead I think.

CW.

 

I think people have misread me.

Im not suggesting for one second that its a bad thing for the engine at all quite the opposite im glad she will be looked after properly at a place with a solid engineering back ground.

i would loved to have seen her down the North Wales Coast again thats all. The south is a bit far for me to travel to have a ride out.

I just thought that being an engine "owned by the nation" the NRM would want it to go everywhere it could (providing it fits) to be enjoyed by everyone.

 

Aside from the obvious practical and financial reasons, people in the north of england and the midlands have a lot easier access to the majority of NRM exhibits than people in the south - if you really want to see an engine from a distant region you'll have to travel to it, the same way people down south have to travel to see the majority of LNER, GWR and LMS mainline engines which rarely venture south of the thames. Yes, its a pain!

Chris

 

Well said that man.

 

Actually, as someone from "Down South", I don't think we've done so badly for visitors this year. On the main line, Duchess of Sutherland has done a couple of trips, Nunney Castle ran from Guildford to Reading and Gresley is in action next month - plus Bittern, of course, although I suppose this engine has become a sort of "honorary southerner" courtesy of the Mid Hants.

On heritage lines, just off the top of my head 1450, 4936, 5029, 5199, 5552 7715 and one other pannier whose number escapes me have paid visits from the GWR stable, 41241 and 53809 from the LMS, while the LNER's N7 69621 turned up at the K&ESR's gala in May.

Tornado will make its Southern debut on Valentine's day next year, and having read the many positive comments from those who have seen this splendid engine at York, Darlington or the GCR, I'm looking forward to seeing it for myself a bit nearer to home.

So I'm not complaining. The one gripe I have, and there is absolutely NOTHING that can be done about it is that clearance issues do restrict what can run on Southern main lines - especially in Kent. It would be great to sample Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Duke of Gloucester or Bittern on the Canterbury circuit, with Bearsted, Martin Mill and Hildenborough Banks, but sadly this can never be without a few missing chimneys or broken platform edges....

 

Wouldn't the Duke fit? The Standards were build to a relatively narrow loading gauge to allow them to work over as much of the network as possible.

 

Although the NRM owns the loco on behalf of the nation, it also accepts that the locomotive gained its fame on South Western metals working boat trains - including the Waterloo - Southampton Docks workings - and it is therefore best seen in the area working the services with which it is most familiar.

As noted by others there are many locomotives which based within their home areas ( e.g the Tyseley GWR fleet ) but these are privately owned and are free to operate where the owner wishes. The NRM doesn't have the same flexibility and therefore in order to reduce costs leaves in the "home" area being cared for by people who are fam,iliar with locomotive and its foibles.

If you are northern-based however I believe that 850 is scheduled to run a Carnforth - Leeds - York - Scarborough trip later this month and I'm sure a call to WCRC - or an SEA - will produce details of costs so you can sample 850 before it moves back home.

 

Here, Here!! Well said that man!! \/

 

Quite right, the same applies with the lines in Sussex. How great would it be for example to see something like Sutherland charging down the Brighton main line?

 

Or even missing engine parts.... The Duke I couldn't see passing as well as Bittern passing some of the radius curves without losing some of the motion with the Close platforms; with let's face it designed for SR Locos....

 

Thats correct Fred and just to add abit more light on the situation regarding 850 being based down south is that there is substantial lottery grant to be taken into account here as well. Part of this is that 850 has to spend the majority (notice I said majority!) of its time on southern metals as it is a southern engine. I know this isnt ideal for those of you up north but as with everything with mainline steam, there will be times when 850 will be running tours up north. Most importantly of all is that the run on the 29th November goes to plan so the next steps in Lord Nelson's return can be taken.

 

Hence this announcement then

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/mhn.htm

This will be good news for all concerned "in MY opinion" and will only serve the loco well for the future

 

Hi all does anyone know when 850 will arrive at the MHR?


Thanks

 

The MHR website says they are still in discussions about Lord Nelson moving to the MHR. Wait until confirmation of its movement before speculating about a date.

 

Should be in the New Year as I hear reports that if the test run on 29/11 from Carnforth to Scarborough goes O.K then a northbound trip up the ECML may be in the offing as a Christmas pressie.

 

This one, perhaps?

Has an LN ever gone to Edinburgh before? Come to that, has any Southern 4-6-0 gone there? The only SR loco I can think of is the West Country (Yeovil? Bude?) that took part in the loco exchanges in '48, but I don't really know. I've an idea that some SR engines were loaned to other companies during WW2...

 

Only ones I've heard of anything like that far north were the Z class tanks at Faslane

 

I wonder if the Mid-Hants will be able to reorganise its facilities at Ropley to provide covered accommodation for the likes of Lord Nelson and Bittern? There is a limit to how many large locomotives you can store undercover in the wheeldrop shed, but with the recent Lottery success for the Mid-Hants in part to extend the loco works, I wonder if a major shuffling round of facilities, including the current boiler shop building, might produce more covered loco accommodation?

46118