MainLine News - Updated 02-Jan-01

march web


logo
[Tours front page]


MAINLINE NEWS ARCHIVE 2000

News Index

Engine movements

[Tue 03-Oct-00] Standard Class 4MT 75014 - now fully restored to health - and LNER B1 61264 are due to return from Stirling to Carnforth today 3 October with the coaching stock used on the summer season Jacobite service. They are due to pass Beattock at 14.30 and pause at Carlisle from 16.14 to 18.46 with arrival at Carnforth at 20.36. Meanwhile on Friday 3 October 34027 Taw Valley and support coach will leave the West Somerset Railway departing Bishops Lyderad at 08.40, and calling at Bristol Temple Meads (10.30/10.59). The engine will return via the Lickey to Stafford and Crewe Heritage Cemtre prior to its main line duty on Saturday 7 October.
[Return to Index]

Jacobite tribulations

[Thu 07-Sep-00] The Jacobite operation between Fort William and Mallaig has faced growing problems recently with loco availability. BR Standard Class 4MT 75014 suffered severe damage to its motion due to water carry over into the cylinders in an incident at Fort WIlliam at the end of July, and was withdrawn from service. B1 62164 has carried the service on its own, but has sadly been suffering from recurrence of tube problems. Fragonset owned Class 31 diesel no 31190 has seen increasing use recently deputising for steam haulage on some services.
[Return to Index]

Great Western Society Plans

[Fri 11-Aug-00] The Great Western Society based at Didcot Railway Centre is actively planning the return to main line running of some of its engines, commencing with Castle Class 4-6-0 no 5051 "Earl Bathurst". All being well this engine should be in action in March 2001. In the longer term the return of 6023 King Edward II and 4079 Pendennis Castle is also planned, with thoughts of re-running the Paddington-Plymouth tour of 1964 on in conjunction with 3440 City of Truro on Sunday 9 May 2004, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of City of Truro's exploits down Wellington Bank in May 1904.
[Return to Index]

35005 Canadian Pacific

[Wed 12-Jul-00] Merchant Navy Pacific 35005 Canadian Pacific moved from the Birmingham Railway Museum Tyseley to the Mid Hants Railway on Tuesday 11 July, where it will provide backup to 34016 Bodmin on Mainline duties. There are unconfirmed reports that it will take over 34016's duties on Wed 12 and Sat 15 July.
[Return to Index]

Millennium Cavalcade cancelled

[Sun 09-Jul-00] It was announced late on Friday evening that the Millennium Cavalcade of Steam planned for the August Bank Holiday weekend has been cancelled. The event organised by Rail2000 was due to be held be held on the Stockton Darlington Line to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the opening of the line in 1825. The cancellation follows the late withdrawal of one of the key sponsors. More details are available at Northern Echo website. Vintage Trains provisional charter from Birmingham to Darlington behind 35005 has also been cancelled.
[Return to Index]

Severn Valley withdraws from Main Line

[Fri 07-Jul-00] Following a spate of problems leading to premature boiler failures with leaking tubes, the Severn Valley Railway has decided to withdraw its locos from main line operations, while a study is carried out to identify the cause of the problem. The quality of the local water supply on the Severn Valley is one of the areas to be investigated. Duties booked to the Severn Valley's LMS Class 5MT 45110 and Class 8F 4773 will be taken over by Ian Riley's Class 5MT 45407.
[Return to Index]

Hogwarts Express

34027 at Didcot 08/07/00 [Fri 07-Jul-00] BR(S) West Country Pacific 34027 Taw Valley left the East Lancs Railway en route to Southall via Leamington Spa on Thursday 6 July. The engine has been repainted in a maroon livery with BR style lining and renamed Hogwarts Express, This is for a promotion tour marking the publication of the latest Harry Potter Book. The promotion tour train which will be hauled by 34027 and a EWS Class 66 diesel is due to depart from Kings Cross at on Saturday 8 July, calling at Didcot and Kidderminster. The train will continue to Crewe for servicing. On Sunday 9 July the train will travel from Crewe to Manchester Picadilly and then to York. On Monday 10 July, it will travel from York to Newcastle and Edinburgh. On Tuesday 11 July it is due to head to Perth before returning via the West Coast Main Line to Preston, from where 34027 will head back to the East Lancs Railway.
[Return to Index]

Test run for 5029

[Mon 03-Jul-00 updated Tue 04-Jul-00] GWR Castle Class 4-6-0 5029 Nunney Castle returned to the mainline on Monday 3 July when it completed a light test run from the East Lancs Railway to Crewe, in company with Class 37 37029 and an Inspection Saloon. Loaded test running took place on Tuesday 4 June with two return trips between Crewe and Castleton via Warrington, Newton-le-Willows and Manchester Victoria hauling (empty) coaching stock and tailed by Class 37 diesel 37029.
[Return to Index]

Test runs for 34016 and 4936

[Tue 30-May-00] Following the certification of pannier 7760 last month, the next new main line locos of 2000 look set to be newly restored GWR Hall class 4-6-0 4936 Kinlet Hall from the Birmingham Railway Museum and West Country 4-6-2 34016 Bodmin from the Mid Hants Railway. No 34016 was steamed for the first time on Tue 30 May, and is expected to undertake a main line test run with its support coach on Sat 3 June, running from Alton via Camberley, Staines, Richmond, Acton Wells Jnc, Clapham Jnc, and Woking back to Alton. All being well, 34016 will then undertake a loaded test run with passengers on Sunday 10 June running from Alton via Reading and Newbury to Westbury returning via Salisbury and Basingstoke. Meanwhile no 4936 was steamed for the first time at Tyseley on 16 February, and is scheduled to undertake its loaded test run (also with passengers) two days before the West Country on an evening run from Birmingham to Worcester and return on Thursday 8 June. No 4936 is currently coal fired, but tentative plans are in hand to convert it to oil firing, following in the footsteps of the GWR which converted a number of Halls to oil firing in 1947.
[Return to Index]

Steam on the Met Finale

[Sun 09-Apr-00] According to London Underground Ltd, this year's Steam on the Met event is to be the last. The vent scheduled for Sat & Sun 20/21 and MAy will feature steam haulage running between Amersham and Watford via Rickmansworth. With morning and evening services between Neasden and Amersham. The rostered motive power is confirmed as GWR 94xx 0-6-0PT 9466, LNER B1 4-6-0 61264, LNER B12 4-6-0 61572. The fourth engine will now be Ivatt Class 3MT 2-6-2T 41312 which will take the place on U Class 31625 which is undergoing major boiler repairs and will not be available for the event.
[Return to Index]

Loaded test run for 7760

[Sun 09-Apr-00] Birmingham Railway Museum's GWR Pannier Tank no 7760 is due to undertake a mainline loaded test run on the evening of Thursday 20 April. The run will start from Tyseley, reversing at Small Heath, and then running to Stratford-upon-Avon and return. The run will be open to passengers from Shirley to Stratford and return. No 7760 is booked to work Vintage Trains' Cannock Chase shuttles between Walsall and Rugeley on 21 May, and will then double head with sister 9600 between Tyseley and Wolverhampton on 24 August, and a Tyseley-Nuneaton-Stratford-Stourbridge-Tyseley trip on 1 October.
[Return to Index]

GCR O4 for mainline

[Sun 09-Apr-00] Reports on Heritage Railway Magazine website suggest that the unique Great Central Railway O4 2-8-0 no 63601 is likely to be main line certified this year. The 2-8-0 from the National Railway Museum collection was restored to working order at the Great Centrail Railway Loughborough and entered service earlier in 2000. Plans are in hand to run a mainline charter from Peterborough to Lincoln, Retford and Gainsborough later in the summer. The engine is also due to appear at both the Old Oak Common Open Days 5-6 August and the Shildon Cavalcade 28-30 August.
[Return to Index]

Mainline roster for 2000

[Tue 04-Jan-00] The new millennium is expected to see a number of changes in the roster of main line certified steam locomotives, with several engines retiring following expiry of their seven year main line certificates to be replaced by new arrivals. Among locos with certificates that have recently expired or are about to expire are BR Standard 4-6-0 73096 from the Mid Hants Railway, and 2-6-4T 80079 from the Severn Valley Railway. 73096 is due for a fast-track overhaul and may reappear later in 2000. Locos expected to return to the mainline in 2000 include GWR 4-6-0 7802 Bradley Manor (Jan), GWR 4-6-0 5029 Nunney Castle (Feb), GWR 4-6-0 4936 Kinlet Hall (Apr), BR 4-6-2 71000 Duke of Gloucester (Apr), and LNER A4 4-6-2 60009 Union of South Africa (May). Among newly restored locos due to appear on the mainline in 2000 for the first time since the BR steam era are GWR 2-6-2T 5553 (May), BR(S) 4-6-2 34016 Bodmin (May) and LMS 4-6-2 46223 Duchess of Sutherland.

The planned return of 7802 on 8 Jan has unfortunately been cancelled as Railtrack have not completed gauging work over the planned route. However it is still hoped that 7802 will head the Jan 22 Flying Dutchman from Bristol to Plymouth and return.
[Return to Index]



logo
Tours index page


Return to
march web
Front page
This site is maintained by David Randles. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no responsibility can be taken for any errors or omissions.



Comments by email to: webmaster at uksteam.info

counter