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.
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| 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?
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| 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".
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| 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.
Wow, chilling!
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