45690 Leander Steams!

The long-awaited return of West Coast Railway's (WCR) LMS jubilee 45690 Leander has come, and the rumors are true, she is in British Railways lined black. A livery that was only carried by a select few members of the class, as this YouTube video proves, she was operational on the 16th August and it would appear that her test run took place today (17th). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpfFZKtuaVA 

Slight changes...

Due to my GCSE, I haven't really had the time to post to the blog, for which I much apologise.

Anyway, I'm here to tell you that from now until the foreseeable future, this blog will remain vacant only as an archive. As it is just something else to manage ontop of my GCSEs(I hope you understand).

Burt if you did read the blog and check it regularly, then don't dispair all updates on news, etc are to be posted on the Facebook page. So all is not lost.

Updates on the new p2 and 4464 at wenslydale are on the page, so please like or follow that, so I know to keep up the good work.

So for now, check the Facebook for articles. Until such point as I can manage the blog.

Hope you have a look and keep reading.

Alex

2999 lady of legend, stainmore and a4s going home

As some of you may be aware, the great western society at didcot (GWS) has been embarking on their own new/rebuild project to recreate a lost breed of GWR racehorses, the saint.

Despite the majority of GWR 4-6-0s being near identical, that makes this project no less significant...

Believed to have reached 120mph, the saints were the original GWR express engines. With the last being scrapped by 1 vote, the GWS has been determined to raise the funds necessary to rebuild a hall into 2999 "lady of legend" and occasionally operate in Atlantic 4-4-2 form.

But surely the saint is years away from completion? Apparently not! The new saint could be steaming as soon as 2016. And I'll be there when she does.

Will they ever return to the UK? and possibly in steam?

Rather sad news is that the pair of transatlantic a4s, 4489 and 60008 have began their journey back to their home museums, passing over shap yesterday. Although all attempts to purchase the locos have failed, there is perhaps still a ray of  hope for these exiles. And if we think about it, things could be worse...after all, no one wanted either of the a4s while they were originally here, had it not been for their names, "dominion of Canada" and "Dwight d Eisenhower", they would've fallen to the cutters torch years ago! And at least they were stored undercover, as all foreign locomotives here, such as Polish 0-6-0ts that are either stored outside in disrepair or worse, at Epping Ongar railway, the four Finnish 2-8-0s being threatened with scrapping! So we can't exactly complain of how the Quebec and green bay museums have treated foreign locos when we look at our own treatment of them! Especially considering that the Quebec museum has to survive on less than the annual income of a heritage line in Britain! 

That's it for today, but please keep reading and send me your feedback. Subscribe to the YouTube Channel for videos of the railways mentioned Tring's Trains Productions YouTube

news 6 - P2 2007 "Prince of Wales"

It has just been confirmed by the P2 Steam locomotive Group that 2007's frames have been rolled at TATA steel on St Georges Day! This is a major breakthrough in brining back a leviathon form the ashes of history!

This is a major construction milestone, but also marks the end of an important fundraising event, this being the "founders club". The opportunity to ride the first train hauled by 2007 clearly carries it's worth in Gold, with an impressive £350,000 being raised, enough to create a full rolling chassis by the end of 2014! 
for those of you who have little insight into how radical this is, it took 60163 Tornado 4 years to  raise just £100,000. 

However, it is important to remember that a new P2 is not exclusive to the a1slt, no, they seem to be blurred into the backround is the "Doncaster P2 Steam Locomotive Company", who have waited 20 years to raise just £35,000 toward their replica of 2001 with an A4 nose to the original design specification, as represented here by this excellent L H Loveless 2003 "LORD PRESIDENT". After all,2001's frames were cut before 2007! So they are now two P2s in the world. 

I myself would love to see a possible lineup of the two, to show how the original 2001 evolved.

On the brighter side, at least one new P2 is guaranteed for the near future, 2021 in the case of 2007, with streamlined 2001 hot on its heels.

News 5 Stainmore, transatlantic A4s, 48151

On Sunday 20th April 2014, I once again visited Stainmore Railway at Kirkby Stephen to film their classic commercial vehichle rally, the link can be found below.

"Stainmore Railway vehichle rally 2014"

Anyway, I arrived to find that a few things had changed since my last visit to the site a few weeks ago, among these, I arrived to find that not only had the class 31 diesel left for scrap (something I was aware of in the first blog) but also the majority of the "Dogfish" hoppers had departed too.   

So what is the meaning of this sudden departure of rolling stock and the sudden reshuffling of the stock? I had at first assumed that the stock had been cleared to prevent any damage which may have been caused by the traction engine giving rides along the platform, but then considered that it may be something else... is the selling of the majority of the "dogfish" hoppers simply down to lack of space at the site, or an attempt to raise funds in order to survive? (the selling of class 31 is down to what would have been an astronomical restoration bill). 

Of the six, only two remain

Another regretful circumstance is that all known bids for the transatlanic A4s 60008 and 4489 have been unsuccessful, the two being prepared for travel over the next few days out of public view. But perhaps we will see them here again once more, is there the possability the the NRM is already planning some kind of Railfest-type event featuring all six a4s for "Mallard 100"?

Will they be back for "Mallard 100"?

In lighter news, in reference to the last post, it appears that 8f 48151 has now been booked for three trips, one of which is complete, the other two involve double heading with LMS black 5 44932 and the Carnforth-Grange over Sands leg of the "Great Briton VII".

If you have any notion, or possible answers to any of the questions raisd, then please let me know in the comments below. I always appreciate feedback.

News 4 - LMS Royal Scot 46115 'Scots Guardsman'

Due to Network Rail's tightening of restrictions (On the WCML in particular) West Coast Railway's LMS Royal Scot 46115 'Scots Guardsman' has had to "pick up the slack" and replace locomotives now deemed "out of gauge" on many popular routes.

Take 'The Hadrian' for example, originally scheduled for 60009 'Union of South Africa', all of the A4s have now been banned from Carlisle; which forced the use of 46115 to replace her. Another example of this has been seen recently with the first "Cumbrian Coast Express" in three years. Originally scheduled for 45699 'Galatea' but was regarded as "out of gauge" for the Cumbrian coast route, leaving 46115 to pick up the pieces once again.



46115 taking the strain once more at Ulverston with the Cumbrian Coast Express on 12th April 

Other than a slight nuisance for those hoping to glimpse a different locomotive, there is a far more serious matter. As we all know, 46115 is approaching her 88th birthday and is now genuinely a museum piece.

So how long can this heavy use of 46115 go on for...is she being overworked? How much will the next overhaul be? And if said overhaul is financially viable, how much of the original loco will be left? 

How long before scenes like this are a thing of the past for the 88 year old?

It's not all doom and gloom for West Coast Railways, and I can't be the only person to notice this...What about using 48151 instead? Granted she's limited to 50mph (compared to Guardsman's 75)  but surely this must be valid on some occasions? After all, 48151 was the last steam locomotive to haul a train over the Cumbrian Coast line back in 2011, why can't the same be true in 2014 (and yes there is another CCE on the 14th June). On top of that, 48151 has a mainline boiler certificate until 2017. If this information is not taken on-board by West Coast Railways, then surely this is "food for thought".

48151 at Lindal-in-Furness in 2011 - could this be repeated in June 2014?

I will leave you to draw your own conclusions from this and feel free to post them in the comments section. I would be grateful for your feedback on a subject such as this. 

News 3 - Transatlantic A4s bid to purchase

As I imagine most of you are aware, the pair of transatlantic A4s 60008 'Dwight D Eisenhower' and 4489 'Dominion of Canada' are set to return to their own museums in early May this year.  

There has been alot of talk about these two returnees; I've seen mentioned that the two museums showed "disinterest" in the locos, until that is, they returned to the UK! 

The value of locomotives such as these is disputed, it's only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. I've seen values as low as £100,000, to £500-600 thousand recently. The latter estimate (£600,000) has been matched by a unknown and unnamed indivdual (who is not widely known in railway circles) wishing to purchase at least one, if not both, of the A4s. Sadly, despite a tempting $1million (£600,000) offer for each, both cheques were turned down. 

There could be another option though... I've seen metioned that, because of their condition on arrival (particularly 60010/4489) as to whether they should be ALLOWED to leave! Whilst this may seem extreme, but they do have a point! Perhaps a compulsory purchase could be arranged by the government to forcibly make both museums surrender their A4s!



60008-Wanted by the illusive enthusiast for $1million. Will he get his way? only time will tell!

Again, there was talk of 4489 becoming the flagship locomotive for a revived LNER Coronation train, with 4489 acting as an ambassador locomotive for Canada. The planned luxury train operator, "Golden Eagle Luxury Trains" and president Tim Littler is still hoping that an agreement can be reached as he believes it could be a "win-win" situation for both museum and owner.  

Unfortunately, the Quebec Museum is still adament on returning 4489 "home" to Canada.   

So is this another rail revival that has gone off the rails? Perhaps one of the two museums will have a change of heart and 'allow' either 6008 or 4489 to return from exile...permenantly!

4489 and stainless steel trim lie dormant at the NRMs "Great Goodbye". Perhaps there is still light at the end of the tunnel for this one.

Whilst the pair are still set to return, their admirers won't give up without a fight until at least one of the two are bought for Britain.  And i'll be supporting them all the way!