Those are some great pictures.
Great article. Thanks for posting it. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Wow! They don’t mess around in the UK! That thing is better than new! We don’t have that kind of money to throw at old iron on this side of the Atlantic with a few exceptions.
Eric Schade said:
Wow! They don’t mess around in the UK! That thing is better than new! We don’t have that kind of money to throw at old iron on this side of the Atlantic with a few exceptions.
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There are about ten plus other locomotives being built from scratch in the UK…
http://www.onlineweb.com/rail/locomotive_listing.htm
List of new projects bottom of page.
Does not include diesels.
In reality, there is just as much money available in the pockets of the average North American, as any citizen of Great Britain, but North Americans are different in that few here give a cast’s arse about railways, let alone preserving any of the history of them. I’m not speculating, when making this statement; it’s a proven fact. The same goes for the railroad hobby.
Yes, a steam locomotive may draw a crowd when it goes through your town, but nothing like what happens in Britain. Even the crowd that may show up in your town, is just a few people, compared with the number that would pay big bucks, either for the ticket, or for the giant screen TV just to watch a feetball game, or the equipment to play video games, on the same day.
It is a different culture over there, even though they do have a craving for high priced commercial, so called, sports entertainment too.
If you want to see and experience main line steam in action, or even working steam on preserved railway lines; instead of holidaying in Vegas, try a trip to Great Britain, and see it every day of the week, and enjoy a great history lesson at the same time. You might even enjoy it!!
Tough to argue with anything Ben said there…the English people do love their trains, and it feels like we can barely keep a Big Boy running now and then. I’d love to take a railroad trip to England, but first I want to go on the Trans-Canadian. Actually, first I need to win the lottery.
I’m going to the UK this summer, and I am planning a rail journey from London to Glasgow. That should be fun.
Inaugural run for the newly restored Flying Scotsman, London Kings Cross to York, one way return by “heritage” diesel, about 450 mile round trip - £450 !
London Euston to Carlisle via West Coast Main Line (climbing Shap), return via legendary Carlisle to Settle scenic route and West Coast Main Line. Round trip about 650 miles. 1/2 way there and back “heritage” electric the other bits - Scots Guardsman 4-6-0, 3 cylinder steamer - £99. Go figure.
London (Euston) - Glasgow is all “under the wires”. But most of our main line registered steam locos (about 70) have be fixed so they can run under them. You might get lucky and find one of the steam tours running there on the day you want to go. There is something running nearly every day of the year somewhere in the UK on the main line network. Max.
IDIOTS at work…25th…
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trespassers-stop-flying-scotsman-tracks-091801428.html?nhp=1
Ross Mansell said:
IDIOTS at work…25th…
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trespassers-stop-flying-scotsman-tracks-091801428.html?nhp=1
No Shortage of IDIOTS in the world.
Andrew Moore said:
I’m going to the UK this summer, and I am planning a rail journey from London to Glasgow. That should be fun.
Well, it will be a cramped, crowded modern coach, a bit like travelling in coach on a US airline, unless you buy a 1st class ticket. However, unlike a plane, you can get up and move around. Make sure you reserve your seat(s). And the beer & cider is good, but forget the coffee.
There’s a video somewhere of the record-breaking non-stop run on Virgin Trains from Galsgow to London. Very entertraining.
John Passaro said:
Tough to argue with anything Ben said there…the English people do love their trains, and it feels like we can barely keep a Big Boy running now and then. I’d love to take a railroad trip to England, but first I want to go on the Trans-Canadian. Actually, first I need to win the lottery.
John,
My sister did that and said it was full of retired folk. The problem with those trains (and I include the Amtrak equivalent to LA,) is that they are on schedule so you travel at night and miss the sights.
I plan to take the Rocky Mountaineer one day instead.
Narrow Gauge Lover said:
Ross Mansell said:
IDIOTS at work…25th…
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/trespassers-stop-flying-scotsman-tracks-091801428.html?nhp=1
No Shortage of IDIOTS in the world.
Nope, used to be that natural selection would solve that, but not anymore.
When I was on the Oil Creek and Titusville railroad, we were told to sty off the tracks because they would be switching some freight cars. Then the type in question set themselves up on the tail track to take pictures. DOH!
All the talking about pictures - now see some movie - note that there is NO dismal helper, either…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IYhuLu-CIA&feature=em-uploademail
There were about 80 or so of us waiting on a bridge near Peterborough, but as the FS approached in the distance, so did two helicopters making movies for TV and the eventual DVD. The both hovered over us on the bridge at the CAA limit, drowning out our voices, and then - to ruin the whole thing - one of those bloody Virgin dismal expresses came by in the opposite direction, completely blocking off the view of the FS, except for s plume of steam…
whoopee.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
BTW, it was not £2M to restore the FS, but £4.2M.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
More pictures . . . .
I thought those “wings” on the smoke-box were supposed to create a lifting draft to keep the smoke and steam above the cab when she is running as speed. In some of the pictures, they don’t seam to be doing a good job of that.
True.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS