‘CASTLES’ - AT THE DOUBLE

Tyseley starts to plan the ultimate Western pairing: a ‘Clun’ and ‘Edgcumbe’ double-header.

While Southern blokes may be getting a tad excited about having two main line ‘Merchants’ for the first time in some years, followers of the proper way know something much more splendid is now not far off. I’m talking - as if I even need to explain - about a half-century first: a pair of doublechimney main line ‘Castles’. Not just any two either, but Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, which has built such a reputation in recent times and - of course - Clun Castle. The one and only. ‘Clun’ is nearing the end of a long overhaul and it’s hoped it will steam at the June 24/25 Tyseley open weekend. That brings to fruition something that hasn’t been possible since the summer of 1965, when the last survivors, other than No. 7029, were withdrawn. Indeed, with all the other ‘Castles’ still some way off, Nos. 5043 and 7029 are the only ones (single or double-chimney) likely to run on Network Rail in the near future. However - a note of caution: ‘in steam inside 84E’s grounds’ doesn’t mean ‘finished’, not least because the 1950-built 4-6-0 still needs the electronic gizmos putting on before it can venture out onto the ‘big railway’. As Tyseley’s Ben Mason says of the open weekend: “We don’t want to give anyone the impression that it’s going to be on the cavalcade. The aim is to get it to steam out of the shed onto the turntable, then sit it in one of the bays.” So a main line ‘Clun’ might not yet be upon us with quite the speed of the Up ‘Bristolian’ - and Tyseley says it doesn’t want to put firm plans in place until the engine has steamed. Even so, it is close enough for Vintage Trains to consider what it offers once this unique pairing is available. Now then, for the news you’ve been waiting for - in a move that will gladden any Swindonlover’s heart - Tyseley confirms it does want to run its two working 6ft 8in-wheeled 4-6-0s together. As a double-pack. That doesn’t mean it will become a frequent habit. In fact, it won’t be: “We intend to double-head them once a year and charge a premium for it as it will be a fundraising operation,” says Ben. He explains that the plan is “to take them interesting places, including (at some point) the South Devon Banks.” Currently, Tyseley only has 11 vehicles (including water carrier) available to hang behind its ‘Castles’ - which might strike you as hardly worth fussing a pair of ‘7Ps’ with but another TSO and Pullman Car Eagle are expected to be ready in the next six months or so. Plus, says Ben: “We can always borrow an extra coach or three. “Depending on the route, we regularly take up to 11 behind a ‘Castle’. When it [No. 5043] did Nigel Dobbing’s ‘Great Britain’ it took 12 up Sapperton in the rain without any drama, but we would rather not push our locomotives that hard.” As for when the first ‘double double’ could happen, think in terms of spring next year: “I’d say probably mid-April. We’ve got to book it in with [train operator] West Coast fairly early.” Ben is keeping pretty shtum this far out about what the debut itinerary might be, other than in pretty vague terms (“We hope that the first one will be on Great Western metals. It’ll leave Tyseley and head south.”) Now, while putting a pair on at once is certainly in the plan, Tyseley seems less sold on the idea of single-headed trips that change engines part-way through: “There’s the possibility of doing that, but you’re talking about lots of light engine mileage, and for what gain?” There is, however, already a pretty specific, busting suggestion for what almost seems like a bit of both: “There is an idea in the pipeline, not for next year but maybe the year after, for doing the South Devon Banks double-headed and then bringing them back separately.” You read it here first…