Flying Scotsman return

[Boatbuoy]

latest from the Beeb, the wrong paint (IMHO) being applied:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35599183

[W124Bob]

With the suspension of WCR again I wonder if any of the Scotsman tours are going down?

[Vocal Minority]

I've rather enjoyed seeing it in black. Handsome old thing and a nice change for a short while

[Yertis]

Vocal Minority said:

I've rather enjoyed seeing it in black. Handsome old thing and a nice change for a short while

Nice to see someone living up to their name.

[Vocal Minority]

Ha!

In the long term I too would go with Apple Green and 4472 - I'd whip the smoke deflectors off and turn a blind eye to the double chimney.

But I liked the black for the trials - something a bit different!

[Boatbuoy]

I agree, as a temorary scheme I was in favour. I'd like to see an A4 in wartime black thundering up the ECML for a while too.

[RacingPete]

I'm going to find somewhere to see the old girl on Thursday, has anyone released a detailed time timetable yet for the journey? Also, if it is leaving Kings Cross at 7:20ish in the morning it has to get there - anyone know of its movements on the way to Kings Cross, or where it will be overnight?

[Vocal Minority]

I think a lot of the appeal was that it was 'non-shiney' - made it look very business like and mechanical.

[WinstonWolf]

RacingPete said:

I'm going to find somewhere to see the old girl on Thursday, has anyone released a detailed time timetable yet for the journey? Also, if it is leaving Kings Cross at 7:20ish in the morning it has to get there - anyone know of its movements on the way to Kings Cross, or where it will be overnight?

I'd like to see that too as I live very close to the East Coast main line.

[Yertis]

Vocal Minority said:

I think a lot of the appeal was that it was 'non-shiney' - made it look very business like and mechanical.

Personally, I don't like it when preserved railways let their engines get all grubby and 'last days of steam'. Regardless of how evocative that might be for people of a certain age, most punters will just be thinking "I can see why they got rid of them". In Yertis's perfect world all engines would be in their original or grouping livery, unless a BR Standard or BR rebuild, and all spotless and shiny. There's enough weathered=down tattiness in the world already.

[Boatbuoy]

WinstonWolf said:

RacingPete said:

I'm going to find somewhere to see the old girl on Thursday, has anyone released a detailed time timetable yet for the journey? Also, if it is leaving Kings Cross at 7:20ish in the morning it has to get there - anyone know of its movements on the way to Kings Cross, or where it will be overnight?

I'd like to see that too as I live very close to the East Coast main line.

Still no times or movements published, but keep an eye on: www.uksteam.info/tours/trs16.htm

[Vocal Minority]

Yertis said:

Personally, I don't like it when preserved railways let their engines get all grubby and 'last days of steam'. Regardless of how evocative that might be for people of a certain age, most punters will just be thinking "I can see why they got rid of them". In Yertis's perfect world all engines would be in their original or grouping livery, unless a BR Standard or BR rebuild, and all spotless and shiny. There's enough weathered=down tattiness in the world already.

I was born in 1985, no misty eyed nostalgia here!

Weatehred down and tatty has a story, its been there and done that. I like scruffy old cars as well!

[WinstonWolf]

Boatbuoy said:

WinstonWolf said:

RacingPete said:

I'm going to find somewhere to see the old girl on Thursday, has anyone released a detailed time timetable yet for the journey? Also, if it is leaving Kings Cross at 7:20ish in the morning it has to get there - anyone know of its movements on the way to Kings Cross, or where it will be overnight?

I'd like to see that too as I live very close to the East Coast main line.

Still no times or movements published, but keep an eye on: www.uksteam.info/tours/trs16.htm

Thanks, will do

[RacingPete]

Yertis said:

Personally, I don't like it when preserved railways let their engines get all grubby and 'last days of steam'. Regardless of how evocative that might be for people of a certain age, most punters will just be thinking "I can see why they got rid of them". In Yertis's perfect world all engines would be in their original or grouping livery, unless a BR Standard or BR rebuild, and all spotless and shiny. There's enough weathered=down tattiness in the world already.

I agree with keeping the locos in as good a condition as is practically possible with the funds, and not letting them get grubby by keeping them clean - but as many locos were rebuilt and repainted through the years, I think it is good to have different liveries on show.

The Flying Scotsman is probably more contentious, and the livery should represent the fame of the engine (when it became the first* engine to go over 100mph). The same way the Mallard should not be in anything other than garter blue.

[rs1952]

Vocal Minority said:

Yertis said:

Personally, I don't like it when preserved railways let their engines get all grubby and 'last days of steam'. Regardless of how evocative that might be for people of a certain age, most punters will just be thinking "I can see why they got rid of them". In Yertis's perfect world all engines would be in their original or grouping livery, unless a BR Standard or BR rebuild, and all spotless and shiny. There's enough weathered=down tattiness in the world already.

I was born in 1985, no misty eyed nostalgia here!

Weatehred down and tatty has a story, its been there and done that. I like scruffy old cars as well!

Erm... I am of a certain age (the clue is in the username )

It is perhaps worthwhile to remember why BR steam got into the state it did, and only really for the last 5 or so years.

It was mainly because, as the writing was most definitely on the wall for steam traction and that the new forms of traction would eventually need less staff, BR stopped recruiting engine cleaners which was essentially the lowest of the footplate grades. As the existing cleaners became passed firemen and then firemen, their former posts were not filled.

No cleaners - dirty engines. Simple as that.

Of course, maintenance was also being run down at the time as well, the rationale being that there were too many locomotives anyway, so as they failed through lack of maintenance there would always be another on hand to take their place.

The policy worked most of the time

However, I was coming south from Birmingham towards Bristol in the summer of 1965 with an ailing "Peak" on the business end. Surrounded by clouds of black smoke at Gloucester (Eastgate of course in those days) a fitter was summoned from Horton Road and buggered about for half an hour or so, but to no avail.

A wheezing "Black 5," leaking steam from most places that it could leak steam from, then arrived from the depot, was attached to the front, and was given the task of dragging 8 or 9 Mk1s and a dead Peak to Bristol. I think we had got to Haresfield before we exceeded 20mph.

Nostalgia, eh?

[squicky]

If you're quick, there's a competition for 2 tickets on the inaugural journey next week that closes tonight. I'd be entering if it wasn't for a work trip I'm doing
https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/flyingscotsm...

[Vocal Minority]

entered!

I would also comment that in matt black it didn't look scruffy. It looked smart, but particularly purposeful. Had a sort of everything you need, nothing you don't quality.

[Zad]

Regarding the West Coast Railways situation, it looks like DB Schenker (formerly English Welsh and Scottish Railway) have taken over the Flying Scotsman tours. Or at least the trip on Thursday is run by them.

I really quite liked 60163 Tornado in it's undercoat grey. Weird I know. I wouldn't want it to have stayed that way, but to echo the above comment, it looks "engineered". It had the look of a high-end camera lens, lab test gear or an expensively machined piece of alloy. Designed and built for a specific job, and good at doing it.

When they have saved face and don't want to admit they were wrong, I am sure it will go back to 4472 and the correct colour.

[WinstonWolf]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50657/2016/...

Looks like a steady positioning run on Tuesday 23rd?

[RoverP6B]

Vocal Minority said:

I'd whip the smoke deflectors off and turn a blind eye to the double chimney.

They tried that last time. The double chimney's low exhaust velocity caused smoke to drift down into the crew's field of vision.