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Two Class 25's May go Mainline

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mossend

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Two Class 25's May go Mainline according to the December 2011 edition of Railways illustrated, p.19, under the headline, "Main line plan for Churnet 'Rat'".

"25322 'Tamworth Castle' could be the first preserved 'Rat' to gain nationwide main line accreditation after the group restoring it...announced it hopes to return the loco to mainline standard,"
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Well, dynamite news if this is true. A mainline 25 would be absolutely superb but not very useful to the railtour companies. But two class 25's restored to mainline standard would definitely be marketable.

Enter into the mix the other other class 25 that is reputedly going to be retuned to mainline standard, 25309. This is currently at WCRC's Carnforth depot. It was getting restored very slowly due to the staff having commitments to West Coasts ever growing group of mainline diesels. It seems that more people are volunteering to work on restoring 25309 to working order.

Restoration to mainline standard may well take a lot of time and money. But I, for one, am prepared to wait!

Watch this space.
 
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Aictos

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That will make a nice change from the 66's, 37s, 31s, 90s, kettles etc...
 

AlterEgo

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Where would these locos be used? Are they going to end up on the railtour circuit or could they be used on freights?
 

TGVDUDE

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Where would these locos be used? Are they going to end up on the railtour circuit or could they be used on freights?

I presume railtour use primarily, but look at D1015 working a freight in '09 and 55022 on the Alcan's earlier this year, yes these are more powerful loco's but shows that it can be done.
 

4SRKT

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I may be an EE man at heart, but do have a soft spot for small Sulzers. Especially 33s, but 25s would be very nice to see on a tour. Where do I sign up?
 

fgwrich

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I may be an EE man at heart, but do have a soft spot for small Sulzers. Especially 33s, but 25s would be very nice to see on a tour. Where do I sign up?

Other way round for me! A Sulzer man at heart, but i do rather rate the good old EE lumps in the Thumpers and 73s :)

As for signing up, add me too!
 

fsmr

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wow
brilliant news:D

My 12 year old Autistic son was ecstatic when I told him tonight
He has the light green BR Green Bachman Tammy castle which is his favourite engine, (so much so that he named his new dog Tammy!!)
and has my 1975 vintage Hornby 25 in BR blue running on his digital 00 layout.

Love to see a pair thrashing up Manton bank on the Oakham, line. Brings back memories of the early 80s at Brooksby college near Melton watching out the windows in tedious lectures as rakes of partial and unfitted freights passed in the valley trundling along with a pair of 25s on the front. along with 37s, 20s and of course 31s on the passenger stock
Happy days, still at least these days i can guarantee to my son what loco will be appearing over the LC in Oakham as we wait for the umpteenth 66 hauled freight of the day to pass:(
 

fsmr

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True but they are reliable and strong which can only be considered a good thing in terms of encouraging freight to return to the railway.

True but so are Eurofighter Typhoons but it was nice to be old enough to have seen such a variety of locos (and fighter jets) through the 60s and 70s in service to spot, even if they did break down the odd time

Preservation can only show you so much compared to full on mainline runs
 
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