Steam loco Britannia

[WesternLancer]

Hi all just asking on behalf of a friend who was a spotter in the early 60s, not been in the hobby recently but said he’d regretted not seeing any Britannia steam locos back in the day.

I said would be good to get some haulage behind preserved examples.

So are they main line registered and if so do they haul railtours often?

Also I wondered where they are currently based? Do they operate on any preserved lines regularly?

 

[hexagon789]

Hi all just asking on behalf of a friend who was a spotter in the early 60s, not been in the hobby recently but said he’d regretted not seeing any Brittania steam locos back in the day.

I said would be good to get some haulage behind preserved examples.

So are they main line registered and if so do they haul railtours often?

Also I wondered where they are currently based? Do they operate on any preserved lines regularly?

There are just two of the original 55 preserved.

70000 Britannia herself. She is mainline registered and based from Crewe, so only appears at heritage lines at galas/special events otherwise mostly hauls charters etc.

70013 Oliver Cromwell. Being overhauled at the Great Central and part of the National Collection.

 

[WesternLancer]

There are just two of the original 55 preserved.

70000 Britannia herself. She is mainline registered and based from Crewe, so only appears at heritage lines at galas/special events otherwise mostly hauls charters etc.

70013 Oliver Cromwell. Being overhauled at the Great Central and part of the National Collection.

Thanks v helpful.

So which tour operator does 70000 usually work for? I could look up the schedules.

 

[matt]

70000 works Saphos and Steam Dreams which are both operated by Lcoomotive Services Limited. Unfortunately they do not always advertise which loco is working the trip.

 

[WesternLancer]

70000 works Saphos and Steam Dreams which are both operated by Lcoomotive Services Limited. Unfortunately they do not always advertise which loco is working the trip.

Thanks. Helpful in that at least it narrows it down a bit.

 

[D6130]

Thanks v helpful.

So which tour operator does 70000 usually work for? I could look up the schedules.

Locomotive Services Limited.

 

[RetroCrowe]

There are two Steam Dreams tours for next year that are advertised as being hauled by 70000 Britannia. Southend to Cardiff on 16th April and Horsham & Surrey to Chester on 10th May.

Britannia - Steam Dreams

Find out more about steam locomotive 70000 Britannia, a British Railways Standard class 7 engine built in 1951

steamdreams.co.uk

 

[WesternLancer]

There are two Steam Dreams tours for next year that are advertised as being hauled by 70000 Britannia. Southend to Cardiff on 16th April and Horsham & Surrey to Chester on 10th May.

Britannia - Steam Dreams

Find out more about steam locomotive 70000 Britannia, a British Railways Standard class 7 engine built in 1951

steamdreams.co.uk

Thanks. Perfect.

 

[12LDA28C]

Thanks. Perfect.

Bear in mind when booking that late notice changes to advertised traction can happen due to circumstances beyond the operators/promotors control. I'd suggest you join LSL's Facebook page for regular updates on their tours and fleet news.

 

[WesternLancer]

Bear in mind when booking that late notice changes to advertised traction can happen due to circumstances beyond the operators/promotors control. I'd suggest you join LSL's Facebook page for regular updates on their tours and fleet news.

Yes. That’s always a risk and a point well made. Thanks.

 

[Deepgreen]

There are two Steam Dreams tours for next year that are advertised as being hauled by 70000 Britannia. Southend to Cardiff on 16th April and Horsham & Surrey to Chester on 10th May.

Britannia - Steam Dreams

Find out more about steam locomotive 70000 Britannia, a British Railways Standard class 7 engine built in 1951

steamdreams.co.uk

Yes, but sadly the pictures accompanying these supposed 'Britannia' tours show a 'Royal Scot' and a B1! The 10th May tour is a very rare northbound working from Horsham via Epsom. I can't recall the last time this occurred (if ever in preservation) as all the previous steam runs along that route have been southbound.

Might I just point out that my elder sister's name is Britannia, spelled thus, and not as per thread title?

The thread title is wrong.

 

[5562]

70013 worked a "Cathedrals Express" northbound from Horsham (dep. 08.30) to Canterbury on 5 July 2014.

 

[Harvester]

70013 worked a "Cathedrals Express" northbound from Horsham (dep. 08.30) to Canterbury on 5 July 2014.

I travelled behind 70013 six years ago today (31/12/18) on the GCR. This was the last day before the expiry of it’s boiler certificate, which had been temporarily extended for heritage line operation only. It appears that 70013 last worked on the mainline in March 2018!

 

[DelW]

As well as the two Brits, there is of course another BR Standard Pacific, 71000 Duke of Gloucester. This has run on the main line in preservation, and is {AIUI) currently coming towards the end of an extensive overhaul / rebuild. It does sound rather different though, since its valve gear and motion are quite different from Britannias.

 

[WesternLancer]

As well as the two Brits, there is of course another BR Standard Pacific, 71000 Duke of Gloucester. This has run on the main line in preservation, and is {AIUI) currently coming towards the end of an extensive overhaul / rebuild. It does sound rather different though, since its valve gear and motion are quite different from Britannias.

Where’s that located these days?

 

[Strathclyder]

Where’s that located these days?

Tyseley at last check. Plans are, if I recall right, that she'll join the LSL roster at Crewe when her overhaul is complete.

For what she sounds like hard at work, here she is back in April 2008 on the North Briton, attacking Beattock Summit (footage shot by David Ainsworth):

 

[DelW]

I think it's still being reassembled at Tyseley, and due to move to the Severn Valley for testing once completed. Will then be based at Crewe as Strathclyder has said.

 

[WesternLancer]

Tyseley at last check. Plans are, if I recall right, that she'll join the LSL roster at Crewe when her overhaul is complete.

For what she sounds like hard at work, here she is back in April 2008 on the North Briton, attacking Beattock Summit (footage shot by David Ainsworth):

Thanks for such a helpful reply!

I think it's still being reassembled at Tyseley, and due to move to the Severn Valley for testing once completed. Will then be based at Crewe as Strathclyder has said.

Cheers!

 

[Harvester]

Tyseley at last check. Plans are, if I recall right, that she'll join the LSL roster at Crewe when her overhaul is complete.

For what she sounds like hard at work, here she is back in April 2008 on the North Briton, attacking Beattock Summit (footage shot by David Ainsworth):

Great footage. 71000’s performance in preservation has far exceeded that achieved in BR service, thanks to the modifications made during restoration. The most significant being the fitting of a Kylchap blast pipe and double chimney, in place of the plain double chimney fitted by BR when built, to save a meagre amount of money!

 

[Deepgreen]

70013 worked a "Cathedrals Express" northbound from Horsham (dep. 08.30) to Canterbury on 5 July 2014.

I had a vague feeling there may have been one but couldn't pin it down - thanks. So, very rare, rather than unique.

 

[CarltonA]

I am reminded of a railtour that I was on where a character across the aisle referred to "Orly Cromwell" throughout the entire day. Apparently his favorite loco.

 

[Trainlog]

From my experience of spotting steam on the mainline over the past decade, both of the 7mts have been brilliant locos to see. 2024 was a great year to see Britannia as it did plenty of railtours, and I was lucky enough to have a small footplate ride on Britannia at the KESR 50 event at Robertsbridge back in the summer.

I'd reccomend looking on sites such as Railway herald, Steam dreams and Saphos railtours and see when Britannia will be passing closest to yourself. I'm not sure where Britannia will show up next on a heritage railway, however it would definetly get announced in Rail advent if Britannia was to visit one.

Like others on this thread, I do look forward with anticipation to the return of Duke of Gloucester. I just hope that the 8mt does visit the Southeast region once its finished its overhaul.

 

[WesternLancer]

From my experience of spotting steam on the mainline over the past decade, both of the 7mts have been brilliant locos to see. 2024 was a great year to see Britannia as it did plenty of railtours, and I was lucky enough to have a small footplate ride on Britannia at the KESR 50 event at Robertsbridge back in the summer.

I'd reccomend looking on sites such as Railway herald, Steam dreams and Saphos railtours and see when Britannia will be passing closest to yourself. I'm not sure where Britannia will show up next on a heritage railway, however it would definetly get announced in Rail advent if Britannia was to visit one.

Like others on this thread, I do look forward with anticipation to the return of Duke of Gloucester. I just hope that the 8mt does visit the Southeast region once its finished its overhaul.

Thanks. That’s helpful.

 

[Strathclyder]

Great footage. 71000’s performance in preservation has far exceeded that achieved in BR service, thanks to the modifications made during restoration. The most significant being the fitting of a Kylchap blast pipe and double chimney, in place of the plain double chimney fitted by BR when built, to save a meagre amount of money!

She is one of the great preservation success stories, no doubt about it. Especially considering her reputation in BR service (thanks to the well-documented defects as built), the state she was in when rescued from Dai Woodham and the general feeling that her restoration was a waste of time and money. Goes without saying that all the naysayers clammed up right quick when she returned to the mainline!

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Not the greatest video (in darkness) but a good soundtrack. 70000 worked a number of tours to Bath & Bristol before Christmas including this particular run. Captured ascending the steep gradient through Dilton Marsh on the return run, after being held at signals just outside Westbury.