WCME/CME 2024

I assume for the Christmas season it will be the three fives. But surely next year they will need to improve the range of available locos and reduce the risks either from the in house stable or hiring in 60103/60163 or a combination. The Riviera coach acquisition tells us much about the plan, but the next piece in the jigsaw is the motive power.

 

One would assume that the purchase of a load of air braked stock will be in parallel with the fitting of air brakes to some of the fleet, albeit I suspect this will be driven, to a degree, by when boiler tickets expire, at least in the short term.

I would suspect its also easier when others of the same class have been so fitted giving one a tried an tested template to work from, so in terms of the Carnforth fleet one would suspect the trickier ones would possible be the Jubilee's and 8F where there isn't a similar loco already fitted.

 

I would imagine BIL, and Scots guardsman would make most sence, as they are 8p rated, and classmates are already air fitted, so clearly the air stuff can be fitted.
the Jubilees being 3 cylinders might be a problem, with room between the frames, Thats of course assuming David smith isn't averse to fitting air equipment to his locos in the first place, if he says no, I don't want my engines air fitted, then it won't happen, and West coast will have to continue to hire in other people's engines, Which of course will mean those operators will benefit from more income, but will suffer from the need for more down time to do maintaince 2025, could see more non West coast owned engines, on its tours,

 

Is the Scot an 8P? Also the Scot and BIL are also 3 cyl, so I’m a bit confused by your musings.

 

Rebuilt Scot is 7P IIRC, not sure where the gubbins is on Clan Line, but on 46100 one of the smoke deflectors has been adapted to cover the pump hasn't it. I assume that if there isn't space between the frames on a Jubilee it would need to be externally mounted somewhere like on Tangmere and Nunney Castle?

 

Just to clarify a point on air braking, only four locomotives that have worked on the mainline have been converted to air braking, Bittern, the Duchess, Scotsman and Tornado was built that way, all, have an ejector for working vacuum braked trains. The remainder have been fitted with an air pump and controls for working air braked trains but retain the original braking on the engine and tender. BIL would be the most complicated with the engine steam braked, the tender vacuum and the train air. The Scot, Jubilee and 8F would be similar to the Black fives. I believe 5407 has the air pump between the frames, on 4871 and 5212 it’s under the driver’s seat with half of it protruding out under the cab. I assume the position was changed for ease of maintenance, if it sticks just lift up the driver’s seat and whack it with a Derby screwdriver!
The bigger problem is for the third party engine owners who rely on WC for work, Bahamas has had vey little mainline work this year and it may affect the decision on Leander’s future. what happens is for the engine owners to decide and not for us to speculate on here.
West Coast may be wise in biding their time, we don’t know for how much long Mk1s will be allowed on the main line or if vacuum braked trains will be permitted, if anything goes wrong there aren’t too many vac fitted rescue engines about now. One thing is certain the regulators will carry on regulating and bringing in more restrictions to maintain their jobs.

 

35028 has the pump concealed in the back of the tender, it’s the source of the exhaust you see from that location when it’s running

 

45212 has the pump below the cab behind the driver's side footstep. Unobtrusive, easily accessible, and well ventilated. There's a reason every other country put them on the side of the boiler - to keep them cool! 34067 initially had it fitted under the cladding behind the fireman's side smoke deflector. That didn't last long.

As mentioned, 35028 has the pump on the back of the tender. I believe it's now frowned up as it introduces an extra potential failure point, namely the high pressure steam hose between loco and tender.

 

There’s a steam hose between engine and tender on all Stanier and BR Standard locomotives for the tender steam brake

 

I think it is more because it is deemed not to be on the locomotive, something that came in after Clan line was fitted so gets away with grandfather rights. If that's not the case, it would be a simple matter to put an engine driven compressor on a coach or suitable van.

 

Another benefit of mounting air pumps on the smoke box is the ease of changing pumps using a simple davit at the shed.

 

IIRC wasn't this rule also a restrictive issue when they have been looking to install ETCS on steam loco's in the past, the original kit being described as being about the size of a fridge freezer and thus no where it could go and suggestions of mounting in support coach falling foul of this rule.

 

There is a world of difference between “can you just?” and what is actually feasible.

 

Is 60532 air now too?

 

Yes, ran in on the SVR with LSL's stored Mk 3s.

 

No, from the cab view on here you can see the vac brake and independent steam brake handles. It’s the same set up to the B1 and SNG

 

It’s got an air pump and controls to work air braked trains but the engine is as in BR days

 

I think in some cases they already do that, but put it on the back of the train, disguised as ac Class 47!