Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

Very many thanks!

Tobbes

 

Whatever happened to City of Wells? I thought she was being restored again, but haven't heard anything for a while.
Paul.

 

She is still being overhauled at the KWVR. IIRC they had some setbacks when they had some parts stolen but she is now on the home stretch last I heard. Initially she will run on the KWVR and then may return to the ML.

 

Thanks for that, green five. It would be great to see her out on the Main Line again.
Paul.

 

34007 failed to return to service today, as advertised, after a long time out of service. I went to the Mid-Hants to see her in action but the Black 5 was covering her diagram. A member of the footplate crew told me that the boiler inspector, who visited last week, wasn't happy and some further work is required to return 34007 to traffic. I then returned home.

Paul

 

I don't know if I read it correctly and got over-excited, but according to the most recent edition of The Railway Magazine, some sort of deal is in the offing regarding the 'forgotten' Light Pacific, 34073 249 Squadron. It is not yet finalised, nor has the prospective new owner revealed themselves, but it really is staggering how many Bulleids are moving around and changing hands...

 

Having seen the photos of 34073 she's going to need a huge amount of money and time to restore her. But if she does have a new owner then excellent and Bulleids seem to be popular in the railway press at the moment.

34092 is she being refitted with Giesel again. Be great to see the 'Volcano' back

 

It will be interesting to find out who is buying 34073. It is good that there are some people who, even in the current economic climate, still have the cash to finance what will be a pretty expensive restoration. Great news that this engine appears to have a future as a working engine rather than a source of spares - and on the main line at that.

2011 has seen a change for the better for number of other locos that I am sure many people dismissed as "no-hopers" - 35018, 4253, 80150 spring to mind. While it's going to be a long wait for the last two in particular, it's still a postive develoment to be talking about "when" rather than "if".

 

You never know John 34073 could turn out to be a star performer on the ML. Just look at 5043 which was originally bought as a spares donor for other Castle class loco's.

 

Very true - admittedly 5043 had quite a distinguished pedigree as one of Old Oak Common's top "Castles." The Tyseley website used to have a log of it reaching 98mph with the Bristolian in the 1950's. By contrast 34073 wasn't, to my knowledge, one of the outstanding "Spam Cans", bring a relatively early withdrawal (June '64) but then look at Tangmere - it was withdrawn even earlier, in late '63, and look what superb performances we have had from this engine in the preservation era - I still fondly remember a trip back from Weymouth four years ago. Bodmin and Taw Valley were also fairly early withdrawals, and again (and I am open to correction on this) were not regarded as particularly outstanding members of their class, yet they too have put in some sparkling runs. Given a thorough restoration and some TLC, 34073 could be thrilling us all withn a few years. Obviously, we don't know who the potential buyer is at the moment, but it would be good if they had the funds to finance a rebuild in time for the 50th anniversary of the end of Southern steam in July 2017.

 

If I hazard a guess, I would have thought some of the earlier withdrawals of Bulleids were just as much down to lack of suitable work than there being anything wrong with the locomotive, as the transfer of the 'Withered Arm' and the route from Wilton South to Plymouth from Southern to Western Region control meant an influx of the type from Exmouth Junction and Plymouth to the remaining Western and Central Sections. I've read somewhere that 34078 222 Squadron was once such locomotive that suffered during this organisational change, as it was effectively stranded at Exmouth Junction and never turned a wheel again before withdrawal. It still had the original Bulleid tender with raves.

 

Timings are now available for 35005 Canada pacific move from Alton to Eastleigh for this coming Wednesday 10th August.


ALTON 14:21
BENTLEY 14:29 14:36
FARNHAM PASS 14:43
ALDERSHOT PASS 14:53
ALDSHTNJN PASS 14:56
ALDSHTSJN PASS 15:02
ASH PASS 15:04 2 15 2
GUILDFORD PASS 15:15
SHALFRDJN PASS 15:18
FARNCOMBE PASS 15:21
HASLEMERE PASS 15:36
PETERSFLD PASS 15:51
HAVANT PASS 16:05
FLINGTONJ PASS 16:11
COSHAM JN PASS 16:19
COSHAM PASS 16:21
FAREHAM PASS 16:32
FAREHAMNJ 16:33 16:47
BOTLEY PASS 16:55
EASTLGHSJ PASS 17:03
EASTLEIGH PASS 17:05
EASTLGHYD 17:08 17:28
EASTLEIGH PASS 17:31

 

35028 Clan Line was the only member of the class in un-rebuilt form to carry both styles of BR emblem.

 

Thanks. I will head out to see her. Haven't decided where to go yet.

 

Thanks, I didn't know that. Another thumbs up for this being a learning thread as well as entertainment!

 

The latest information is this move will NOT take place tomorrow.

 

From today's Mirror:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/column...r-keith-returns-to-the-rails-115875-23338099/

Apparently there's a photo in the printed version, though I haven't seen it yet.

Update: there is a small photo of SKP himself in the article, but not one of the loco. https://picasaweb.google.com/116839141471298057728/34053SirKeithPark#

 

Nice one, want to change my alias to 'dozyoldpuffernutter' before someone else does
Now all we need is a graphic of a spamcan in grey lined out in white and black with a Luftwaffe insignia as the name plate....
shame thats gotta swastika on it, perhaps an Iron cross would be a bit more respectful

 

Thanks for the link to the gallery Nick - like the shots of '53 at Swanage in 1964.

 

Thanks, two excellent photos (c) J Scrace, of a view which will be quite closely recreated before too long.