A2 60532 Blue Peter

I am enthusiastic about this engine returning to traffic.
I will now take a swig from my tea laced with bromide
(This ok with you @ady ?)

 

What no sugar?....you must be hard up...

 

I am sweet enough my friend,
(Mrs D6968 may disagree with that statement though )

 

Someone needs to go lay down in a darkened room me thinks,

 

Much as I like them and Dave Gilmour is a friend of a friend, I’m not up for a little bit of Pink Floyd at the moment Martin.

 

I've never of that "cocktail" ....

 

Dont think it ever got used on anything bigger than a B1/L1 but my favourite is LNER Green with British Railways/ nos/ lining in Yellow

 

So not just GWR locos that all look the same.

 

I'm sure I remember either Mark Allatt or David Elliott saying that the main reason the A1SLT chose the original form of the P2 over the later "Bugatti" style with Walschaerts valve gear was so people wouldn't think it was Mallard...

 

...don't get it, what?

 

Oh I see that making reference to what I said else where

 

That's a very complex (and expensive) solution to an ID issue! I'm pretty sure that Walschaerts would have been much cheaper (and simpler) to build than the poppet valve setup that is being used, but hats off to the A1SLT for going down the route that they have. 2007 will be a formidable beast. Time for another set of Shap trials? Although the S & C is now a good option too, being somewhat underused since the demise of much of the coal traffic...

Anyway, back to 60532 - her return to service will be very welcome.

Mark

 

I'm sure I also remember David Elliott describing Walschaerts as "the easy option"...

 

If there was to be a gathering of all 4 pacific types, it would be nice if it could be more imaginative than having them lined up together, which is why I suggested the NYMR - a former NER/LNER line with LNER rolling stock and reasonably appropriate infrastructure such as buildings and signals in the background, wonderful scenery and the opportunity of crossing shots at the termini and passing loops.

 

All 4 simultaneously starting out of Kings Cross, or even Doncaster Station ' Australian style ' would be the ultimate, but doubt it could ever happen

 

How much though would that cost the NYMR to hire in 4 engines? then theres the LE mileage to get them there, I still think that the best option as for the engines to be displayed at NRM York and for there to be a series of tours either side, using those engines, in 4 legs, each only bookable steam out, service train back,
How Could it work, ? West Coast operates London to york , and York to Glasgow using 60103, and 60163 both are already operated by them, stock and engine can then return to Carnforth
LSL operates Glasgow to Crewe, Stock and engine worked up ECS from Crewe, with 60532 And final leg to London worked by 60007 from Crewe.

 

At least until ETCS arrives, King's Cross is more plausible than Doncaster, as there's bidirectional running available on all 6 tracks through Gasworks Tunnel - though two would then have to queue to follow behind Copenhagen Tunnels - and probably a slack enough weekend service to find some paths.

 

I travelled on a weekend trip a number of years ago that utilised all 3 servicable A4s, London to Edinburgh and back. Unfortunately no 9 disgraced itself by popping a lubrication cork on the approach to Newcastle, so didn't quite manage it all behind steam, but still an epic trip!
It could still be done, it would be simpler than the Great Britain, which itself is a collection of one day railtours, but suspect the fare would be considerably more than the £150 I paid for 3 A4s all those years ago.

 

That was the Coronation in 2008. When was the last time steam ran from Kings X to York in about 4 hours?

 

Knew it was a while back but didn't think it was that long ago..!