Clan Line

Here's the Clan Line thread recovered

 

I think 35028 is just about due for summer maintenance now.

And being a MNLPS , (non working) member I know from our Journal there will be an enormous effort put in by a small number of people to get the loco fit for the Autumn schedule. Similar to the enormous effort being out in by the same small number of people to keep Clan Line in such normally wonderful condition for the rest of the working year.

 

Even though I have only had a long-distance glimpse of Clan Line at Eastleigh Railway Station (from Campbell Road Bridge when I left the works), please pass on my compliments to all concerned. I continue to hear many good things about the MNLPS, and I look forward to November 21!

 

Full story of what happened on the VSOE trip from the MNLPS

http://www.clan-line.org.uk/html/press_release.html

Its good to see these hard working members have the time to keep people up to date with what's happening.

 

Very clever move, putting the pilot on the inbetween sections, but ensuring the locomotive is on the front of the train when it arrives..
Them that paid for it maybe never knew there was a problem and still get their photographs with the engine..

very professional

 

I see from the Torbay Express website that Clan Line is scheduled to share the Torbay workings (although not the Bath Spa trips) with Britannia & Duke of Gloucester. No mention of this on the MNLPS website, although I guess it will be updated soon. Great that 35028 will have the chance to show its paces on other than VSOE workings and the annual UKRT excursion, but a surprise inasmuch as the MNLPS people have always been very keen to limit the number of workings that 35028 would operate. Perhaps the VSOE duties have been reduced - no more steam+ pullmans to Southampton Eastern Docks or Canterbury.

 

Maybe VSOE have decided to have a summer with a certain Apple Green beastie from York as they've done previously?

 

Where did you hear that?

 

Is it possible to find out which dates Clan Lines on before the tour? Dont normally go on rail tours but a merchant would be a bit special!

 

Oooh. Good to see Clan Line getting out and about a bit more. She's also down for Steam Dream's End of Steam Anniversary run from Waterloo to Weymouth on July 9th

 

Last year, the roster was known a few weeks in advance, and I think they basically stuck to it once announced.

 

Nowhere, just hazarding a guess as to a possible reason why VSOE might wish to dispense with the services of their usual workhorse for a while.

 

I wonder how easy it will be to get paths in and out of Victoria during the Olympics? Perhaps some Torbay turns will help keep the funds coming in during that period?

Regards,

Dan

 

That may well be the reason. Interesting, though.

 

IIRC the main reason VSOE signed up 4472 in the early '00s was simply that 35028 was under overhaul at that time. In any case, now that 4472 is publically-owned I think the NRM might face criticism if they were to give VSOE use of her for an extended period. She is supposed to be "the people's engine" now, and I think many people who donated to her purchase and restoration would be disgruntled if she were to spend most of her time pulling trains that they couldn't afford to travel on.

In any case, a quick glance at UK Steam indicates that 35028 is working two VSOE trips in the coming week. My guess is that the Olympics explanation is most likely.

 

I agree, there is a strong possibility that the British Pullman is busy on Charters for the Olympics during July/August.

 

If you check UKsteam.info, you'll see 35028 rostered for VSOE tours from Victoria on the following dates:
July 6th
July 18th
Aug 4th
Aug 17th
i.e. roughly once a fortnight during the Olympics period, a pretty normal schedule for this combination.

She's also booked for Steam Dreams' Waterloo - Weymouth train on Mon 9th July.

To minimise light engine moves, I'd expect '28 to be rostered for two consecutive Tobay runs and be stabled in Bristol in between. Therefore 22nd & 29th July look like the most likely dates to me. <<Edit>> Except that 29th July is the run to Plymouth, double-headed by 70000 & 71000, which knocks a hole in my logic.

If anything, '28 is working the VSOE longer into the summer than previous years. August and September have previously been put aside for maintenance, with a return in mid-October. This year, she's due back on 24th Oct.

 

Surely the 28th July is the doubleheader to Plymouth.

 

35028 seems to be out & about quite a bit this year.
She's also hauling UK Railtours "The Royal Wessex" to Swanage on 27th April: UKRailtours.com: THE ROYAL WESSEX

 

It Also Seems That Clan Line Is Down To Work The 2012 Torbay Expresses Alongside Britannia And Duke Of Gloucester