samoht Great video of S160 6046 with a volunteers day on a wartime freight on youtube. Search for Churnet Valley Volunteer Days with Wartime Freight. Enjoy
Fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qExrD1CX39E
Also good to see so many well preserved wagons-freight cars have traditionally been neglected in preservation, at least in the US.
Thanks Jeff, that should be interesting to see!
Great video of S160 6046 with a volunteers day on a wartime freight on youtube. Search for Churnet Valley Volunteer Days with Wartime Freight. Enjoy
Thank you both for your replys my real name is Jeff. I used Samoht as it is my second name spelt backwards. was not sure at the time wether my posts would be accepted from England. I came to the States with my job for 4.5 years and loved all your locos both steam and diesel, even joined your NHRS. Could not believe that when I retired and joined the CVR that one of directors bought a S160 in running order then a second one that was basically a kit of parts. They have never run together but the plan is they will this year, cannot wait.
Sam, I've been enjoying your postings. It is good to see so many S160s out on the road today considering their austerity syle construction and the inevitable compromises that brought.
Unfortunately, this forum has had a decline in participation recently.
I would like to see double headed S160s!
Sam, I've been following your posts with interest, but I can understand your frustration in not hearing from anyone else.
Come on people, if you enjoy hearing from Sam simple politeness should generate a response from you.
Out of interest did anyone on here actually watch the webcams during the gala? Is it worth me posting on here and is there any interest? There will be a time later this year where both S160s will be running double headed working up the steep gradient, do you want me to post when it hapens.
The S160 sounded great at the gala with some good videos on youtube, look for Churnet Valley Railway, Winter Steam Gala 2016 and the sound going up the gradient to Ipstones was brilliant. Enjoy.
The 2 day steam gala has started today incuding the S160 6046 plus the GWR plus the gwr Taffy tankengine and a Polish lookalike of The American Dock Tank that were used during and after the war by BR. You can see these on the 9 webcams on the Churnet Valley webpage.The only one that will not have trains running past is Leek Brook west which at present is used as a stock siding. So good viewing Railfans. P. S.Click on the bue writing above to enlarge the image plus Leek Brook south has a zoom.
Visitors to Great Britain (England in particular) in 2017 might be interested to know that the Dartmouth Steam Railway hopes to be running an S160 during the summer. More details will be available nearer the time. The DSR is quite different to most Heritage railways in the UK. It not also has a fleet of ships and another of buses. Of particular note to those interested in ships is that the company operates a paddle steamer - the only one in the UK that is truly a steamer - other survivors are diesel powered.
http://www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk/
Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad
https://www.buckfast.org.uk/
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)
The photo on the top of the Churnet Valley website is of 6064 being run in after it's repairs. There are several Doctors represented. as well as Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker with his long scarf is another favourite. Its got more photos on the site of the S160s.
Good to hear from you Sam! I went to the Churnet Valley website and saw you've got a Sci-Fi weekend coming up.
Lady Firestorm says say "hello" to "The Doctor" for us, especially if he's a Jon Pertwee (the BEST Doctor!) look-alike!
Good news, This weekend S160 6064 is running in the steam gala after all the repairs have been done. It can be seen on the Churnet Valley Webcams Sat and Sun. but dont forget the time difference over the pond.Will be travelling behind her on Sunday, Happy viewing. The other S160 5197 is almost ready for its steam test so hopefully will see that return to steam this Summer
Welcome back Sam! We missed you buddy, and your updates from "across the pond."
The 10 year boiler of 5197 overhaul is gathering pace now. Hopefully it will be in steam ready for our steam gala on the Churnet Valley in February. So with 6046 being worked on we could see a double headed train of 2 S160s going up 4.5 mile gradient of between 1 in 40 to 1 in 59, the longest section of about is 1 in 45 for2.5 miles. All our volunteers are looking forward to seeing them hard at work
Hello to all my friends in the USA. Just to keep you updated on the 2 S160s we are the custodians of. Firstly the Baldwin loco 6046 has been on loan the Neen Valley railway and has performed excellently,its very popular down there. Hopefully when it comes back the owner is going to try to get a mainline ticket for it, fingers crossed. The other one the Lima 5197 is well on its way, the wheels and chasis are together and the axle boxes machined, the boiler is having the new stays put in and other parts are around the shed being worked on. The tender is being worked on seen a lot of welding being done. It has an outside chance of being ready for our steam gala at the end of February, but if it doesn't it will be running in Summer. Hopefully both engines will be running together sometime this year, to see them perhaps doubleheading up the line to Ipstones with gradients up to 1in 40. We have also got working a Polish TKh loco based on the American Dock shunters that were imported as part of the war effort.
I for some reason cannot get my photos on here but if you search for Churnet-Valley-Railway/locomotives there is a potted history of the 2 S160s and some photos on there.
I'm interested in updates, too!
You're welcome samoht! I'm sure there's plenty of interest. Everyone isn't as verbose as I am!
Try posting some phots if you can, that's a sure way to keep everyone's interest piqued.
Thanks Firelock,Don't get much feedback apart from yourself so I cannot judge the interest if theres any in what we are doing. All these locos are the mainstay of our railwayand we are hoping to get 6046 a ticket for mainline running.
Welcome back samoht! We missed ya buddy! And your Churnet Valley updates.
Sorry for being so long in posting but its been a busy year on the Churnet Valley. First 6046 has been on several railways this year, the lastest one was North Yorkshire Moors where it spent the last several months but has now returnded the run our Santa specials. It certainly turned some heads and renewed the interest in the S160s. 5197 has been stripped down in preparation for the rebuild and some new parts are being manufactured. In the meantime a pseudo Class USA switcher has been purchased, this was built in Poland based a on Colonel H.G.Hills C.E., U.S. Army design. This is being fast tracked and altered to B.R. gauge and hopefully will be running in the new year. So in the next 18 months we could have 3 USA designed locos running, plus another class USA switcher has been purchased but requires quite a lot of work to get her running again.
Thanks for the update samoht! Glad to see you haven't forgotten us!
Just an update on our 2 S160s, 6046 is performing great, getting well run in ready to make a mainline debut, It will be the first S160 to run on the mainline since just after the war, hopefully it will be at the end of the year. 5197 has been stripped down ready for the boiler removal this week and is being fast tracked to be running at the end of 2014. It will be exciting to see both S160 double heading up the steep gradients of the Cauldon line.
New sandboxs have been fitted to 6046 both front and rear. The reason for this is that the engine has been restored to mainline standards for future running on the mainline. The position of the sander on the top of the boiler posed a problem as it would be running under the wires. The sandbox is still there but disconnected as taking it off would ruin the line of the loco. The steam gala is next weekend with the S160 steaming along with 3 other locos, should be a good couple of days.
The S160 6046 is running well now and is ready for the gala and after that will be going to star in another gala at the West Somerset Railway. The other good news is that 5197 will be moved into the shed at the end of February, ready to be on display at the gala. In March it will be started to be striped down ready for its overhaul, so in a couple of years we should have both S160s running together. Can't wait to see them double heading up the Cauldon line.
There is some good footage of 6046 this weekend on the Mince Pies Special going up the steep Cauldon line on youtube. You will notice that there is a diesel on the back this was because the last thing to be put on during restoration was the sanders and these had been damaged during the storage. With it being so wet the rails were slippy and the diesel supplied some adhesion as and when needed. So as thought the s160 did quite a bit of wheelslip but it still looked great, plenty of steam and smoke.
Not sure if you are aware, but another S160 is being restored! Alaska RR #557. ( Baldwin Locomotive Works builders serial number 70480 was built for the United States Army Trans- portation Corp (USATC) to become their U.S. No. 3523. The equipment power shortage was acute in Alaska as military preparations were being made for the United States entry into World War II. Twelve of these locomotives were diverted to Alaska and No. 3523 arrived in December 1944 to become Alaska Railroad #557.)
You can see more about her here and the efforts we have made in the last five months:
http://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former-loco/557/restore/index.html
She has become our little "Gypsy Rose" and we have a strong love for what we are doing
Oh and Merry Christmas,
Art
Sounds like it's going to be one hell of a party! Wish I could be there. Oh well, maybe one day.
Say, is anyone paying attention to this thread besides ME?
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