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GWSR General Discussion and Operations

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by michaelh, Aug 25, 2013.

  1. Lineisclear

    Lineisclear Member

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    Which rather proves the point! Yes, photos of diesels emitting smoke ARE more interesting. It's also why photographers on steam photo charters have been known to ask the footplate crew for smoke to add dramatic effect.
    To quote from an earlier post about 55019 at the Gala "there will be more noise and clag when it gets its 7 coach consist." That suggests it was hoped that there would be!
    I know of at least one Local Authority that has already suggested that the noise and emissions of heritage diesels near residential housing constitute an actionable public nuisance. Fortunately I think there is a good defence to such a claim but the fact that such suggestions are being made should be a wake up call. The momentary puff of smoke may make a good photo but it would have been wiser to publish one of the apparently stationary blue box.
     
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  2. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    0EE762AA-652B-44C7-A00E-AD6E16FCB98C.jpeg Here we are, a nice clean steam engine.
    How’s about putting your own houses in order before being critical of someone else’s?
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2022
  3. Lineisclear

    Lineisclear Member

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    That rather sounds like " Don't like the message so shoot the messenger". It's not about playing one railway off against another. (As it happens I was working as volunteer on the GWSR during the Diesel Gala so on that day my loyalties were not as you appear to assume).
    I'd agree with you. That's exactly the sort of image we should all avoid. putting in the public domain.
    The essential point I was making is that under the law as it stands while both steam and diesel are vulnerable diesel is more at risk because it doesn't benefit from the same exemptions. It's not a case of putting anyone's house in order but of the whole heritage railway movement doing its best to avoid visual images that could be used to undermine the house's foundations.
     
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  4. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    I think I've related this before, not sure, but you can have it again! My local line is the ELR, and this tale goes back several years, my mate is now no longer with us but was often in charge of the ticket office at Bury at the time. He received a call one morning from one of the residents adjacent to the line at Townsend Fold complaining about the terrible smoke from the passing train, she had just put the washing out to dry and was now a mess! My mate apologised and offered to make payment in some way but the lady was quite understanding as she knew it was a volunteer railway, just please ask them not to make smoke when passing the crossing. My mate asked what time the train was so he could speak with the crew. She said it was the big green one on the first one out of Rawtenstall. My mate duly apologised again, rang off and went to enquire with platform staff which loco's were running. In those days, as now, we ran one steam and one diesel in the diagramming. You may already be guessing it, the steam was a black one, the big green one was in fact - a Deltic!!
     
  5. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    We are currently running with 2 diesel hauled trains, due to the fire risk. This is then under constant review, depending on the weather, until at least Tuesday 23rd August. Luckily we have a good variety of diesels, so do come, you never know which one you might get :)
     
  6. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    During this summer's steam free period it was good to take advantage of the visit of Deltic 55.019 to the railway.

    I visited on Friday when the loco was hauling 7 maroon coaches during a Driver Experience course. It ran 3 round trips in glorious sunny, although hot, conditions.

    I'm a steam man through and through but 'Royal Highland Fusilier' is a superb engine. It certainly reminded me of arriving at Kings Cross in the late 1970s and hearing those glorious Napier engines throbbing away.

    Many thanks to the railway and loco owners. <BJ>
     
  7. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Bit of a long shot this one, but can anyone confirm the Spring Gala 2023 will be back to the late May BHWE? We usually go onto the West Country after the event and need to book the hotel in Torbay to get the room we want. Yes they are already taking bookings!!
    Thanks in anticipation.
     
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  8. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    What's better than a Deltic? Two of course!!:D P1050144.JPG
     
  9. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    That way you’ve got a fighting chance of at least one engine working ;)

    Tom
     
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  10. Bikermike

    Bikermike Well-Known Member

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    Locomotive or engine? (50 or 25% reliability)

    In the pub on Friday, we were wondering what you could get out of a deltic if you handed it over to Erv Kanemoto (ace race
     
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  11. Andy B

    Andy B Member

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    And of course this Friday it’s happening again! 55009 dropping into toddington for one weekend with Friday being a 2 train deltic running day.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 16, 2022
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  12. Andy B

    Andy B Member

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    info on next years event is due out soon but suffice to say it is moving from the bank holiday to a slightly earlier date. In the meantime we have started selling tickets to this years end of season mixed traffic event 29-30th October. This should be 55019’s last appearance as well as the last major event appearance by 4270 before withdrawal in January. Tickets now on sale.
     
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  13. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Got the email flyer this week for the Autumn Gala, tickets and hotel booked, another event to look forward to!:D
     
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  14. AlexGWR1994

    AlexGWR1994 Member

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    Here's my footage of the two Deltics double heading away from Gotherington bound for Broadway in stunning light with the two Napier engines sounding marvellous and clagging towards the packed bridge of onlookers. It was a joy to watch. I hope you enjoy the video.
     
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  15. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    Certainly marvellous sound but are there not 3 engines running?
     
  16. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Rather confirms my earlier point! :)

    Tom
     
  17. Lineisclear

    Lineisclear Member

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    Indeed I enjoyed it. What a marvellous sound! But I also had my head in my hands. That's the sort of video evidence that could do huge damage to the heritage railway sector. Diesel exhaust isn't romantic clag. It's a particularly nasty pollutant and a recognised carcinogen. Imagine for a moment if that level of visible pollution came from a lorry on the M1. It would quite rightly be taken off the road and the owner/operator fined heavily.
    Video material like that is a gift to those who would happily see heritage diesel banned unless operators can reduce drastically such visible confirmation of nasty stuff being ejected into the environment.
     
  18. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    You wanted to see one of the buses departing from Bury centre station this afternoon, exhaust grey, then black, could have cut it with a knife! Put the Deltic to a pale.
     
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  19. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Not sure I agree with that John. I'd agree if it were one particularly exuberant driver being silly not reflecting well on the movement, then sure, probably best not to publicise that fact. But as far as I can work out from my limited observations over the last few weeks we've had them around, that is what Deltics do, and either it is ok or it is not. One more enthusiast putting up a video of them doing what they do isn't going to change anything. Trying to just brush it under the carpet by pretending something routine just doesn't happen doesn't feel right to me. It would be as daft as trying to stop any video footage of steam locomotives burning coal because some environmentalists might spot it and campaign against it in my view.
     
  20. Lineisclear

    Lineisclear Member

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    As you probably know some railways already take the precaution of photoshopping their published material for exactly that reason. As you say that's what Deltics do and that's exactly the problem. Loads of diesel smoke is not just a gift to campaigning environmentalists but a potential problem under current legislation, especially as diesel traction does not benefit from the same exemptions as steam.
    I would be loathe to see more restrictions but we have to accept that public perception is changing. What we can't brush under the carpet is the expectation that heritage railway operators will achieve net zero emissions by 2050.....already a condition of some grant awards such as those from NLHF. The question should be whether there is anything we can do to make what was once routine compliant with current and future expectations. Viewing diesel smoke as a problem to be solved would be a good start.
     
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