Didcot Railway Centre

It's too wide for most of the network these days sadly, so I doubt mainline running will occur with it, unless it gets drastically altered as per 6024. The reduced height fittings were used when it went to Derby a few months ago, so even getting it out of Didcot is a struggle.

 

It wasn't about "too much bother". It basically just came down very very expensive for a very small annual mileage. The Mainline decision was - I recall - based on a number of factors:
- Not being a TOC, realistically any mainline running would need to be in conjunction with another organisation - probably VT.
- With the King and anything 2-cylindered out of gauge almost everywhere, the pool of viable locos was (and will continue to) shrink.
- Mainline would not cover costs, so a long-term income stream (aka fund raiser) would need to be in place.

The King has to go into cut-down mode to leave Didcot as it travels under the electrification through Didcot station to the loading bay in Milton Park. There are a couple of exhibits that - realistically - cannot now leave again post electrification.

I share the previous comments about "might just need a re-tube". I would love to be positively surprised!

I think I posted way back on this thread, but ideal is a 4-6-0 "namer" coming on stream every 5 years. S0 something to replace the Saint as she goes out of ticket is next up.