Britain’s shiniest steam?
WHICH IS Britain’s best turned-out engine? A few might try for the title – but it turns out the connection between two of the contenders is closer than you think.
The Mid-Hants Railway’s recent gala gave a rare chance to see Bahamas on the main line this year, albeit sadly only ‘engine and van’; the move south from home base at the Worth Valley was the ‘Jubilee’s’ first breakout since a Settle-Carlisle run in February.
John Hillier, from owning group the Bahamas Locomotive Society, was very positive afterwards about the ‘Watercress Line’s’ handling of a gala at such a difficult time. And, he said, there have been “lots of complimentary remarks”.
“It seems that our presentation of the locomotive was highly praised once again and that some people have said it’s the best-presented locomotive at present… although others seem to give the accolade to Clan Line”. The Stanier machine, he says “certainly continues to score highly.”
Now, if that sounds like it could be a challenge to you, it appears it doesn’t to Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society PR man Paul Blowfield. Speaking from his home in Somerset, he said this is “Not a gauntlet that can be heard here… or Stewarts Lane either!”
“What ‘some people’ say about Bahamas may well be correct – ‘at present’ Clan Line is not in public view… I can confirm it’s a bit dusty currently!”
Paul adds that he’s “not going to enter into a ‘my engine is shinier than your engine’ argument” – but he says the rebuilt Bulleid will emerge for its first post-lockdown trip with the ‘British Pullman’ in December “at a level of presentation commensurate with the expectations of our customer.”
So, where’s the connection between the two parade ground machines? Well, it turns out there are one or two from the MNLPS working group who are also BLS members… and guess who turned up to help make the ‘Jub’ as good as it could be in Hampshire…?
●● A bit of fun may be all to the good right now – but more soberly neither Bahamas or Clan Line have hauled a main line trip since before lockdown; the last one for the ‘Merchant’ was on February 15. That is now finally set to change for No. 35028 with a Pullman trip in December.
For No. 45596, the waiting game is still on – the only main line move currently in the diary being the return north from Alton in early November.
“I’m afraid that the additional risks associated with hiring privately owned engines during the present crisis is no doubt a factor”, says John.