Smaller locos on tours

I was wondering if theres any hope for smaller locos to do tours now days.

such as a U class,
BR tank engines
etc

I remeber seeing a video of an m7(?) doing a triangular tour between guildford, woking and reading.
and two standard tanks doing trips along the lts
Stuff like that would be nice to see.

 

Head across to Ireland and travel behind 186? 461 is also due back on the main line shortly.

 

Nice but getting Harder to do, smaller loco has to mean smaller train and or slower train... harder to fit in on anything like a busy mainline.
fewer bums on seats to pay for it too..
Are the Panniers getting a run out this year

 

I believe Vintage Trains are giving their mainline registered Panniers a bit of exercise in November.

 

Steam on the Met was great for smaller locos but sadly this is a thing of the past. Met No.1 may get restored to "main line" order though as part of the London Underground 150 celebrations in 2013 though.
In the recent and not so recent pass GWR Pannier Tanks, the N7, various class 4 tender and tank locos and Ivatt Class 2 tender and tank locos have had main line runs. Branch lines would be ideal for the smaller stuff but I suspect the economics may rule against such operations.

 

Would it not be better to double head with two smaller locos. Then you would have the power to run a bigger train.

 

It wasn’t that long ago that 31625 and 41213 worked rail tours in Hampshire and the surrounding area. From memory both loco put up good performances.

 

Don't forget that you have to install TPWS and OTMR to go main line these days and it's not so easy finding space for the data recorder on a tank engine.

Regards,

Dan

 

More to-the-point, you have to be sure of enough work to justify the cost.

You only have to look at how much (or rather, how little) work 76079 was getting before she moved to the NYMR. Apart from the Cambrian Coast (for which she was ideal) and a couple of low-season Cotton Mill trips, I only ever saw her double-heading. Now that most tours need to fill at least 10 coaches to make a profit, and paths for sub-75 mph locos are harder to find, class 5 locos are the smallest that can find regular work

It was a great shame that the Stanier Mogul was unable to gain mainline certification a few years ago.

 

The Mogul did have mainline certification

It was a VAB that screwed up the paperwork and - if there was any justice - should have put it right FOC!

The problem has already been correctly identified and that is cost. 75014 and 76079 were superb locos, but the promoters wouldn't / couldn't use them and get a return on their outlay.

The big railway insists on a one size fits all and the heritage industry is the loser Ivatts, coal tanks, prairies, standard tanks - all banished as a result.

 

Despite the lack of main line opportunities I would venture to suggest that there are a number of well located branch lines where smaller locos could easily recreate the local services of the late 1950s / early 1960s providing the loco(s) could operate for a full season; I would further suggest that photographic charters could provide further funding to finance such operations.

As a regular charter participant I have to say that the smaller locos ( 419 at Bo'ness ; 5643 at Embsay; Terriers at KESR; 957 at KWVR ) offer as equally good opportunities as more large main line locomotives and are more economic for lines to operate. A case in point is to see what interest will be generated at the SVR by the appearance of lowly 0-6-0 828 at this year's Gala event in September; I for one am keen to see it and will be spending the weekend - and putting money into the local economy - in order to sample it.

 

I must agree with your comments about 828 at the SVR, Fred. My main reason for visiting will be to see that loco. I am not too bothered about the big stuff that will be there.

 

Can't really add much more to this. Certainly the advent of OTMR and TPWS has meant that there has to be a much sounder business case for a loco to be considered for the mainline. Before this, providing the loco was restored to mainline standard and had speedo and AWS the mainline was possible, hence why so much of the SVR's fleet and Mid Hant's saw action. But priorities must lie at home and the costs can not be justified now for occaisional jollies. I think the late 90's will be remembered fondly for the variety of motive power we saw then. I would love to see 42968 back on the mainline, let's never say never - maybe after the next overhaul? She was quite a strong performer and wasn't called the Mighty Mogul for nothing!
I am suprised that 80080 didn't get the necessary equipment, the standard tanks were very capable locos on the mainline being strong performers, having good visibility in reverse and 75mph cleared. In future we must rely on Tyseley pannier power for small loco thrash - well worth the money! Would also love to see a large Prairie down the North Warwicks..

 

Given that the NYMR has derogation for its Whitby - Battersby operations are there other lines where such arrangements could be of befit ? Perhaps longer term but howzabout Keighley - Hellifield / Carnforth using either WCRC or KWVR traction; possibly Moor St - Stratford on a weekend service; even noting RalphW's comment - base a couple of steam locos at Llandudno to work Llandudno - Blaenau shuttles during the holiday season; base a couple of locos at Carlisle to work services through Appleby to Kirkby Stephen ?

There must be a few locations where a shuttle service costing £10:00 a round trip could be profitable for a 5-coach trainset operating perhaps 3 or 4 trains per day over a short route on the network which would attract income for the train and generate money within the area wherein it operates ?

 

We are planning on taking our two mainline Panniers (L94 and 9600) out for a jaunt around the East Midlands on 19th Nov, 2011. Details to be released in the next Steam Railway.

Getting a path for 45mph Panniers on the modern railway is a challenge. Also, double-headed trains can drag enough coaches around, but you need 2 sets of crews, more coal and a lot more water from tankers, etc.

We will do our best to get them out on the mainline as oftern as we can.

 

I keep hoping for panniers from the capital...
Paddington, along the largely unused line to greenford, turn back towards west Ealing (30 min service) then immediately bare off the freight line towards willesden and round kensington to clapham (20 min service approx), go round the hounslow loop (30 min service) and back ot acton.. Or go via kew bridge (freight only) to acton to northolt, run round and back towards greenford,
If path's allow down the slow towards hanwell, jump across the line to southall, down to Brentford and back to Southall.

This covers semaphores at Greenford, Acton, rare freight lines, most lines are less used, and IMHO a very interesting tour around some suburban stations in London that haven't changed to much... Water at Southall, Acton Wells, wcrc stock at Southall shed, probably no more than 20 miles between water, only need the locomotives.

 

Holt / Cromer comes to mind (although I'm sure this has been discussed before).

 

I remember back around 1987/8 when there were lots of events organised Gerald Daniels/NSE mainly to commemorate various Southern Railway (& before)anniversarys. One such event was based at Winchfield & one of the attractions was a shuttle service to Romsey. This was hauled by either a 33 or 73 to Andover where 80079/80 double headed took the train to Romsey & back bypassing Salisbury. I was on one of these trips & I won't tell you the estimated speed on the Salisbury-Romsey stretch. Suffice to say it was moving!

 

I was a very young ADB then... however i was in the front window of one of them trips behind 80080 for Winchfield 150 in 1988, then went round Andover/Romsey... Ive never forgotten the trip.

times are here..
http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/880924ns.htm