Weekend break at the GCR

[mickoo]

A handful of the Finney7 crew had a mini break on the GCR this past weekend, a chance to chit chat with out the pressures of a show and customers.

I've never been to the GCR gala day and have to say was very impressed with the whole operation through out.

Anyway, enough blather, the photos.

First sightings, this was the view from the bottom of the entrance steps.


Steam, basically what we came for, shame about the modern building in the background.


TPO, Standard 5 makes a fast run through Quorn on the TPO demonstration train.


Fitted freight, 8F ambles into Quorn from Loughborough.


Uphill, T9 makes good going up the grade toward Birstal with 6 quite heavily loaded on the hook.


Wide open, Hall 6990 comes up the grade out of Loughborough on a fitted van train.


Generations....


Immaculate.


Stored.


Sunshine, the only sunshine all weekend, a 3-4 minute window which luckily had T9 30120 in the shot.


Through freight, 6990 rolls through Quorn on a fitted van train.


Charging, Standard 5 positively thunders through Quorn on the TPO demonstration, making up for the sedentary run the previous day one presumes.


Enjoy

 

[76043]

I recall seeing Oliver Cromwell on the GCR TPO demo at Quorn a few years back, was going at a real pace. Was spectacular compared to the sedate 25mph of service trains.
Tony

 

[Pencarrow]

Wish I'd known the T9 was steaming locally at the weekend. Looks like a great day out for the Finney7 crew.

 

[SimonT]

Any of Repton?

 

[warren haywood]

Any of Repton?

Repton was at North York’s moors a couple of weeks ago

 

[LarryG]

Splendid selection of photos there. 6990, a favourite of mine since it ran at Llangollen. The view over the top of the T9 Tender is particularly striking.

Funny how tastes change. To a chap my age, the BR standard classes were the equivalent of dieselization, replacing as they did venerable old classes, yet today I am as keen to see BR Class 4 and 5 4-6-0's as any other loco. They even look good when polished!

 

[oldravendale]

A handful of the Finney7 crew had a mini break on the GCR this past weekend, a chance to chit chat with out the pressures of a show and customers.

I've never been to the GCR gala day and have to say was very impressed with the whole operation through out.

Chit chat????? Chit chat?????? You are well aware, Michael that it was a research exercise to see locomotives under repair coupled with a mini conference, well, several mini conferences when we were on trains! At least, that's what we'd have called it when I was working.

Brian

 

[mickoo]

At least, that's what we'd have called it when I was working.

Brian

A jolly then

The mini conferences were perfect....The Griddle car conference was excellent, what a great way to start the day, T9 up front chugging away, full English and coffee on a steam heated Mk1.

The beer tent conference was also equally appealing

The 'working' photos of engines under repair.....read possible candidates for future projects....I'm afraid won't be posted One has to keep some surprises in the bag.

 

[Scale7JB]

Did you like Pitchford Hall?

The engine I learned, and passed out as fireman on. Bit of a soft spot for it..

JB.

 

[oldravendale]

Pitchford Hall looks absolutely immaculate. I never saw one in BR black, they were all green by the time I took an interest and, over time, reverted to grey/oil/muck. It's been to Locomotive Maintenance Services at Loughborough for overhaul (LMS used part of the GCR shed until recent years and then found their own premises) and come to the GCR for running in. Shame it wasn't running over the weekend but I guess that'll be a contractual matter.

As far as Halls are concerned, though, Witherslack was making some wonderful noises over the weekend.

Brian

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

The 'working' photos of engines under repair.....read possible candidates for future projects....I'm afraid won't be posted One has to keep some surprises in the bag.

A Jubilee please. Pretty please even!

 

[mickoo]

A Jubilee please. Pretty please even!

, it is under consideration (I'm a big fan of Jubilees and rebuilt Patriots), as is a Princess Royal, but both are quite a way into the future.

We (well I for certain) have some SR, BR and ER stuff to come first.

 

[mickoo]

Did you like Pitchford Hall?

The engine I learned, and passed out as fireman on. Bit of a soft spot for it..

JB.

I do like Halls and to be truthful, it did look very good all spick and span in early BR era black.

 

[Scale7JB]

Pitchford Hall looks absolutely immaculate. I never saw one in BR black, they were all green by the time I took an interest and, over time, reverted to grey/oil/muck. It's been to Locomotive Maintenance Services at Loughborough for overhaul (LMS used part of the GCR shed until recent years and then found their own premises) and come to the GCR for running in. Shame it wasn't running over the weekend but I guess that'll be a contractual matter.

As far as Halls are concerned, though, Witherslack was making some wonderful noises over the weekend.

Brian

Indeed, it's EOR's loco. Been away far too long, and sadly will be away a bit longer too.

Hoping to have a turn on it as rep whilst it's at GC. Been a while since I've fired such a long box.

JB.

 

[mickoo]

Repton.




Grab shot and slightly blurred

As soon as it pulled up it started to rain and I swear the first drop landed right in the middle of the lens!

 

[Jordan]

Pitchford Hall looks absolutely immaculate. I never saw one in BR black,

I've never seen a Hall in black either - or any other GWR locos that were usually green. I suppose in the early days of preservation the main drive was to restore Big Four locos to their original colours, & not being quite old enough to remember steam on BR, I just sort of assumed that ex-GWR locos went from GWR green to BR green, if indeed, they were different shades!!??

Do I detect an undercurrent of potential w*shlisting on this thread for future models?
Hier verboten, meine Herren!!!!
Gehen Sie "Dort Drüben" für W#nschliste!!!

 

[Scale7JB]

I've been told it's the first time for a Hall in black in preservation. Not sure if that's true or not...

Strangely it looks quite small in black, makes the wheels look smaller as it all merged into one big silhouette..

JB.

 

[oldravendale]

According to the rules, as I understand them, after nationalisation locos considered to be "mixed traffic", which would have included the "Halls" were to be painted lined black. I don't have the detailed knowledge to say whether this process was started on the "Halls" and quickly reverted to green or whether Swindon held enough sway to decide that their engines would remain green, no matter what. Certainly the "Schools" were described as mixed traffic, although they were out and out express locos, and they received lined black although quite a few of the class were green by the time of withdrawal. Some never made it into green, though, "Harrow" to name but one.

Brian

 

[Jordan]

... or whether Swindon held enough sway to decide that their engines would remain green...

Or just ignored directives from on high that they didn't like, & simply carried on regardless?
Other (numerous) examples of such behaviour on BR(W) are available....

 

[LarryG]

The Western Region was no different from the other regions after the 1949 liveries had been determined, except that they got a rollicking for painting their auto trailers in blood & custard and had to revert to the 'standard' carmine for non-gangwayed stock around 1953.

There was one anomaly between 1949 and 1951 and that was blue Class A3 Pacifics. They were the only 7P locos to get it.

The BR Regions were granted some autonomy in 1956 and the Western was quick off the mark in adopting lined green for just about as much as possible if it hauled passengers. The 4-6-0's revered to green from black and tank loco that had never seen lined green in GWR days got this livery.

The Southern Region adopted it for the 'Schools', which should have been green from the outset, and some BR Standard 5's with King Arthur names. I always thought it comical that Bulleid told everyone (during the war) that his Pacifics were mixed traffic , but not one g0t mixed traffic (black) livery under BR! The Eastern gave green to their V2's seeing as they were often used on frontline passenger work. The London Midland reintroduced MR/LMS red for its Pacifics, but none of the Scottish Region allocation got it.

At the same time, MR/LMS red was adopted for all carriages (lined and unlined), but the Southern Region went for plain green and the Western Region introduced a few chocolate & cream Mk.I corridor coaches etc.. It appears the Eastern Region was happy to adopt the LMR red seeing as their Gresley wooden stock in blood & custard had taken on a shabby look when paint peeled off the varnished teak.