SLS Special 14 Nov 2009 (9600 & 9466)

Good news!

 

From SVR News thread in 'Steam Traction':

Shouldn't be difficult to work out which Pannier will be working the SLS Special over the SVR!

 

I see full [provisional] times for the SLS trip are now on UKsteam.info

http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t1114a.htm

 

Am booked on the SLS tour and looking forward to my first mainline pannier haulage.

Hopefully the selling out of this tour well in advance (twice) means that these tours will continue to be viable in future years even if higher ticket prices are required to break even.

 

Apparently the tour is load 10! 5764 + 10 up Eardington bank?

 

Am sure that this will not be attempted single handed with this loco - max 57xx load is 8 Kidder - B'north and that is plenty!

Sight of traffic notice to confirm is awaited.

 

I am more than happy to stand corrected on this and my comment was not meant to infer that 9466 had at any point been maintained below the level required for mainline work. From memory I was sure 9466 had had some adjustments to valve timings at Tyseley to make it more suitable for higher speeds and gain derogation for 45mph prior to its mainline return a couple of years ago. I am well aware of the very high standards 9466 is maintained to as I having been following her since I was 4 years old! My grandad first got me interested in steam by taking me to Quainton road in the late 80's where 9466 was a regular performer and she was a firm favourite of mine as a kid. We also used to travel regularly on the Steam on the Met events where we always used to look out for 9466. I always think she is one of the best turned out locos wherever she appears and judging by her performance on the trip to Ironbridge a couple of years ago she performs as well as she looks and is more than happy at 45mph!

 

I think last years trip to Ironbridge with 9466 and the speed with which this years train sold out along with the clamour for tickets for next weeks 9600 trial run shows that there is a great appetite for panniers on the mainline.
The problem is their relatively low speeds (35-45 mph) when out on today's high speed railway. It must be a nightmare for Network Rail to try to find suitable paths for them to run in, and well done to them for doing it.
The other thing is people would soon get bored with trips to Stratford or Ironbridge. That would mean looking farther afield for places to go. And I think this is where it gets difficult.... How do you get the engine to the departure point? Low loaders cost money plus you need somewhere with the facility to unload the engine.
Then you have to get the empty stock there, yet more costs.
I shouldn't think it would be financially viable for this sort of trip on a one off basis so you are looking at a series of trips over a number of days. Then you have to hope you have sufficient support crew willing to spend a few days away from home.
I'm sorry if all this sounds very negative, but I'm just trying to point out the problems with running these engines on the big railway.
Let's hope that ways and means can be found to keep 9466 and 9600 out there.

 

I wonder if a regular trip in the school hols is an option, you know just like the Cambrian or Jacobite. Carmarthen to Pembroke dock or similar, it is a reasonably touristy area. I suppose getting stock and crew/support there and back would be a problem as would having a base camp (Whitland?)

Just floating an idea and I am first to admit I have no real idea of the logistics required.

 

Cornish branch lines might be another option?

 

Perhaps if they were 'loaned' to Preserved lines with access to the main line, 'mainline specials' organisers in that area could borrow them for the day

 

whitby-grosmont!!!!

 

There's loads of Great Western branches to get through first!

 

All very interesting but wish lists of where the panniers could run aren't very helpful without suggestions as to how to get them and the stock there and how to supply a support crew to look after them.
I could name loads of places I'd love to see the panniers performing on the big railway (the Devon and Cornwall branches for instance) but how do we organise these things? And don't forget the engines would have to travel from the West Midlands along with the stock plus a support crew that would have to give a large amount of time to the project (families permitting).
As I said earlier once away from the West Midlands one off trips simply wouldn't be viable so it would have to be a case of places that could support a two or three day service both financially and with the infrastructure to house an engine plus stock and support crew.
Maybe something like this could happen again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boBPC2Ep9e4

 

Wouldn't mind the chance to do that - how did 9600 get down to Devon?
Bit closer to home then, is Birmingham to Worcester a viable operation? Or is the remaining stub of the OWWR, north of Stourbridge Junction possible?

 

The circular midlands trip that Vintage Trains have run in the past. The Tysley - Stratford - Leamington - Nuneaton - Tysely one.

 

Tecnically possible but only possible to go as far north as the Steelworks at Round Oak now which isn't a great distance north of Stourbridge, Parkhead Viaduct just beyond there is in a very poor condition and was the reason for the line closing as a through route.

Why was the tour that was meant to take 9466 into MOD Kineton caped exactly ?.

 

Thanks for that bit of local knowledge David.

I'm sure there would be a market for the panniers on some of the smaller & less 'steamed' lines (particularly re gauging) but bearing in mind Salty's realistic problem areas.

 

How about VT run 5043 to Bodmin with the stock.
The panniers move to Bodmin and Wenford by Road and join the stock. Orgainse it over half-term or something to give a week of pannier running in Devon / Corwall. At the end 5043 takes the stock home. Single or return tickets would be available on the 5043 trains. Also all week Rovers. I'd be on board!