MAIN LINE MISCELLANEA
● It’s been hovering around the 400 mark – but in June, the BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust reported that membership had hit the symbolic figure. As a source of income, and adding Gift Aid, that means over £83,000 a year for Duke of Gloucester’s custodian. Membership starts at ‘bronze’ (£5 per month); however, as some people pay more, ‘effective membership’ in support of No. 71000 is now 447. The Riddles engine is under overhaul at Tyseley.
● It’s not often a turntable becomes available, but in June, Belgium’s state network was planning to dispose of a 24m (roughly 80ft) example. It is currently in the railway hotspot of Kinkempois (Liege). Something for a UK operator…?
● Overmatter blues… it shouldn’t happen, but occasionally a story is left hanging because the words take more space than they’re given on a page – becoming what’s known as ‘overmatter’. Just that occurred last issue, for which apologies.
I had been planning to tell you that Blue Peter lost its Apple green for Brunswick in 1949 when it received its double chimney; but also that as for No. 60532’s post-overhaul scheme, the Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust’s Peter Greenwood was remaining tightlipped.
(As an aside and despite its name, one colour the ‘A2’ hasn’t carried is blue.)
The other titbit you were denied was that the last of the ‘B17/6’ 4-6-0s was withdrawn in 1960, the year after the final ‘B2’.
● The 6024 Preservation Society may have overseen a cut in King Edward I’s width – see pages 32-39 – but Tyseley feels no need to do the same for
No. 7029. Clun Castle (and classmate Earl of Mount Edgcumbe) are gauged for “all the routes we run on satisfactory timings, particularly our ‘regular routes’” says Vintage Trains spokesman Denis Chick.
“We have an excellent relationship with NR Charter Operations and don’t need to compromise a very historic and significant locomotive.”
Tyseley has pulled its 2020 programme of trains amid coronavirus restrictions (SR506), but plans a phased return of engineering activity between July and October, moving on from simply ‘minding the shop’ at the height of the lockdown.