35028 still in sick bay...

Poor CLAN LINE,along with TORNADO are both layed up,the hospitals are full...
I wonder what will happen to VSOE trip on July 2nd.a substitute (?)..or back to a box...

Don't you pay a bit extra to have steam up front.

 

O come on. Quick bit of speculation guys and girls before the speculation police arrive and get all aggressive with us.

30777 would be fun climbing Gomshall without any box help!

44871 would probably do better, and that from a SR man!

Any other suggestions, (NOT that one please, it's rude.....)

 

Are you talking copper chimney tops and brass safety valve covers? I'm sure after their exploits of yesterday 5029/6024 would enjoy a little stroll round the Surrey Hills!

 

Isn't 46115 now available for duty ? Be rather appropriate as the original Royal Scot design was originally based on Lord Nelson drawings !

 

Looking at other pacifics in the mainline pool there's also 46233, 46201 and 71000 - perhaps the latter being the more sensible?! Are there gauging issues on the Surrey circuit that would limit the options with motive power anyway?

 

30777 & 46115 are not suitable because they are vac braked only. Not sure if 44871 is air braked or not, even so the VSOE is a heavy train so not sure if a class 5 also restricted to 60mph would be suitable as well.

 

VSOE is not a fast timing. Have to have time to get through all the courses. So (if air braked) 44871+44932?

 

As far as I can see, the only air-braked and mainline certified locos which are currently operational are 5029, 6024, 44871, 45407, 6201, 6233, 60019, 71000 and 76079.

- I suspect 5029 and 6024 may be out of gauge for the Surrey Hills circuit.
- 44871, 45407 and 71000 are all due to work tours starting from Crewe on Saturday, so are probably unlikely candidates.
- 76079 is unlikely for lots of reasons.

That leaves 6201 (which is currently at Tyseley), 6233 (Butterley, I think) and 60019 (Mid-Hants). Of those three, I would have thought that 60019 may be the most likely

 

You took the words out of my mouth! Now that would be a sight to see. Did Black 5's ever get a turn on the VSOE Pullmans? 60019 is more likely a candidate but she does not seem to be in service at the moment. When I went down to the MHR on 20th June she was being worked on and she hasn't been added to the MHR roster. The MHR were hoping to run her again but I don't know what's happening with her. 6201 is also a possibility.

Edit: 60019 is having valve and cylinder work carried out. It now says this on the MHR site.

 

Do you mean Red 67 or Royal 67?

Hopefully it will be steam, but as the next steam hauled VSOE isn't for a couple of weeks, is it worth bringing a loco down from Tyseley or Butterley to work such a short tour?

 

34067 is a class 7 but I take your point. Hopefully the locos on your list will return to the fray ere long. In the meantime perhaps lots more work for the rest of the main line fleet.

 

NNNooooooooo.......................

This thread is out of control. We need the speculation police! LOL!

 

6233 has run the whole of the Surrey Hills route in the past with the VSOE set (Bill McAlpine's 70th birthday party) and I think 6201 has done Victoria - Shalford - Guildford and back. Lizzie is slightly longer than the Duchess, but otherwise I think that where one can go, the other can, too. Of the two, I'd think Lizzie is the more likely to deputise, provided the painting and any other work going on at Tyseley will allow it.

I can't see 71000 doing it, given her trip around the Cumbrian coast the next day.

5029 and 6024 are out-of-guage for some part of the LSW suburban lines, hence 5029 is routed via Kensington Olympia on 1st July trip to Swindon and Worcester.

 

With regards to 6201, please give the chaps at TYS a chance to finish painting her. I know a job means money but the thought of the painters hanging on one handed whilst they try to flat her down at 75 mph in the Surrey Hills doesn't bear thinking about!!!

 

6201 could end up with green on one side and red on the other because they won't have enough time to finish the job

 

Don't forget VOSE is a DB job and they are the only one's to have driven 71000 as yet as Mr Smith does not like welded seamed tubes.