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Steam Railmotor certified for mainline running

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Chris125

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Yes, Didcot's Steam Railmotor really has been certified for mainline running :)

http://www.railmotor93.org/latestnews/latestnews.html

"Following a suggestion from one of the Train Operating Companies the Project has been working towards obtaining Main Line certification to allow the Railmotor to run in selected locations on Network Rail...resulting, after some discussions, in RSSB approval being given."

Chris
 
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IanXC

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Well! Interesting stuff!

Cardiff Bay shuttle anyone?!
 

theblackwatch

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If it was April 1st today, I'd think this was some form of April Fool! Well done to the guys involved.
 

fgwrich

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Just been reading this over on WNXX as well - Good to hear :)

As for where it's run to, there seems to be a hint of FGW & Looe winter services there and around the internet, so FGW maybe? - Afterall, Looe has no sunday winter service, and as the branch is completley self containted then the odds stack up in that lines favour.
 

anthony263

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It would be interesting to see it on the Cardiff bay branch and it would be a very good tourist attraction.

Of course then we will have to decide what to do with ATW's class 121 (Fishguard Hbr - Carmarthen anyone?)
 

DarloRich

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Will the unit operate alone on the mainline or is this simply to allow it to be hauled between locations by a locomotive?
 

Chris125

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Will the unit operate alone on the mainline or is this simply to allow it to be hauled between locations by a locomotive?

That was the obvious conclusion when mainline running was first mentioned a few weeks back, but its clear from the link above that this is the real deal though presumably with more restrictions than your typical mainline steam loco.

Chris
 

Chris125

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I see a rail.co.uk article has some details of the derogation - a "GSMR speed recording device (incorporating a data recorder)", video cameras at each end, GSMR phone, and can only carry passengers on self-contained single lines at 35mph with no other traffic present.

Chris
 

jopsuk

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other than Looe, what other branches are properly "self contained"? With the freight at the Par end, Newquay wouldn't count.
 

cm39275

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Aylesbury to Princes Risborough branch surley is anouther canidate as it can be locked in at both ends of the branch, which is one of the main reasons why chiltern use the bubbles in passenger service.
 

WelshZ

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I hope it comes to Cardiff Bay the branch is self-contained and similar railmotors where used by the TVR. perhaps maybe one day it could be repainted into TVR black and cream
 

Tiny Tim

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Even with the restrictions, I'm surprised they managed to get mainline certification - wooden body with a steam engine? Are they allowed to use the gas lighting?
 

jopsuk

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true, but it would perhaps be possible to run just those services using a 150 (with the Rialmotor parked at St Erth in the bay), or, on days when the Railmotor was being used, just not have a through service at all.
 

dave_wm

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If they were to use the Railmotor on the St Ives branch, something like Winter Sundays would probably be best. You could either run it before normal services start at 12ish (although that would require St Erth signal box to be opened earlier presumably), or take over the service for the day (would it be able to keep up with the tight half-hourly timetable?). You could even store it in the former Run-around loop for the Bay platform at St Erth.
 

Tracky

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How about Grosmont to Whitby as long as it didnt return the token... Thats virtually self contained...
 

yorksrob

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How about Grosmont to Whitby as long as it didnt return the token... Thats virtually self contained...

I fear that the Whitby Branch may be a little too crowded on summer saturdays for this particular vehicle !

That said, it really is excellent news - particularly the derogation on central door locking. Potentially bodes well for a VEP/EPB railtour (provided they don't go and get rid of the third rail first of course !).
 

Chris125

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Yes, its happening - Tickets now available for Looe-Liskeard

On Sundays 4 and 11 November 2012 the Looe Valley will once again echo to the sound of a GWR steam train, while the passengers enjoy a ride in the elegant Edwardian oak and brass interior of the Great Western Society's Steam Railmotor No.93.

Tickets for the return journey from Liskeard to Looe cost £25 each and can be booked via Ticketweb or by phoning 08444 771000 (Booking fees apply). There will be five return trips on each Sunday, with the train carrying 54 passengers per trip, so clearly tickets are very limited. It's not possible to leave or join the train at Looe, so all journeys start and finish at Liskeard. The provisional timetable is for departures from Liskeard at 08:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 16:30 with the trip taking around 40 minutes in each direction.


Chris
 

ChiefPlanner

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Even with the restrictions, I'm surprised they managed to get mainline certification - wooden body with a steam engine? Are they allowed to use the gas lighting?


I think the WSR got certification for their gas lit , wooden bodied ex GWR sleeping car.

Good job it did not have a galley with a coal stove !!!
 
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