The Churnet Valley Railway has announced a steam gala on the 23rd and 24th Feb, which will star S160 6046 making its gala debut. In addition there will be 2 guest locos one an ex Southern BR U class 31806 plus one TBA. There will also a ex LNE BR N7 69621 loco. Also in the yard a Bayer Peacok 0-4-0 will be giving driver experiences. It should be a great gala with trains running the 27 mile round trips with gradients up the 7.5 milr Cauldon line of between 1in40 and 1in61. There will be some double heading as well. My eyes are watering at the prospect of the S160 going up there and the sound of the whistle as she goes.
If you look at the video by Irwellsteam on the same weekend about 1.23 min in there is a good shot of 5190 outside the shed.
Oh yeah, I noticed. And everybody else, WATCH THAT VIDEO!
Glad you enjoyed the video the long distance shots with the mist were very good. The number and USA are in stainless steel,they really glint when the sun shines on them. Did you notice 5197 outside the shed it is next in line to be restored some time this year, so hopefully in a couple of years time we should have both of them running.
Samoht, I went looking and I found it. Everyone, search You Tube Churnet Valley Railway 1st December 2012. You'll find it, and you've GOT to see this video, it's just wonderful, especially part two.
You know, it's your locomotive, and you can paint it anyway you want, but I have to admit I was pretty gratified to see that U.S.A. on the side. And that is some beautiful country that train rolls through! No wonder you Brits fought like lions to keep Phillip of Spain, Napoleon, and Hitler out of it!
You folks have done it, well and truly. Great job!
PS, i don't think the music's bad, I found it as charming as that fuzzy puppy!
I'm not sure wether this works over there but try youtube churnet valley santa trains s160. the best one I think is Penny Steams part 2. The music sucks but goes off after about 1 min. Hope you enjoy it
Well done to you and your crew! It sounds like you've gotten yourselves a well-earned Christmas present. Where can we find the videos on You Tube? I'd love to see them.
The S160 6046 is fully operational and is pulling the Santa trains at weekends and Wednesdays. The whistle sounds different from 5197. Did the different makers use their own whistles or should they have been the same? Some good videos on you tube of the first runs.
Finally the problems with the air pump have been resolved. Today it has gone up the Cauldon line for the first time. It is still being tested so it had a diesel inside in case of problems but it was not needed. Shoud be used on first revenue trains this week on the CVR. Try this short video if it works, on youtube htpp://youtu.bemYW9SrLj1kU
Still having problems with the air compressor the original one has gone to Poland to be overhauled but still no signs of it returning. In the meantime we have borrowed one from NYMR off their S160 which has been standing outside since the ticket ran out, so we are trying to overhaul that one. Apart from that just a little timping is required to get it running.
Testing is still going on, had a few problems with the compressor which have now been overcome. The exciting news is that it is now being bought up to mainline standards, so in the future it could be running on the mainline for the first time in the UK for 50 years. Keep upto date on the Churnet Valley webpage.
Finally the S160 6046 has gone one the rails down to Froghall and back on a test run with coaches. I have changed my avitar photo to it and there is a larger one on my Facebook. Can't wait till its run in and has a run up the Cauldon line.
S160 6046
Pistons have now had their rings fitted, conrods are being fitted, pipework done and painted. Won't be long now, hopefully. photo on Railroad Milepost site.
It's been a long time coming but there is light at the end of the tunnel, the boiler work has been done and painting has started. Still work to be done on cylinders and running gear but it won't be long now. I have put a photo on facebook on the Railroad Milepost site so that you all can see the progress made. Roll on the good times.
Things still progressing well, went in the shed today and they are now putting the lagging on the boiler. Changed my Avatar to the latest photo. Should see a big difference next week with all the cladding fitted. Will keep updating as things move towards full steaming.
S160 6046 is to have its steam test this Thursday. Unfortunaely it will not be finished in time for the gala this weekend but hopefully it will be on display in light steam. The owner would not rush the work as this engine will be the mainstay of the railway for the next couple of years, but is hoped that it can star in the opening of the 3 mile extention of the line later this Spring.
S160 6046 has passed its hydraulic test. I was a bit misinformed about it being a steam test which will be in a couple of weeks time the good news is that it passed at 340 PSI which means that it will run at 225 psi where as 5197 only ran at 200psi. Not being a mechanical man, only work on the P/Way, not sure how this affects the power rating. What is the normal PSI.?
The good news is the S160 6046 has been retubed and will be steam tested on Christmas Eve. Even better news is that it should make its UK and preservation steam debut at the steam gala the last weekend in February. Cannot wait to hear the whistle for the first time up the Cauldon Line. Sorry about the last posting but for some reason it would not post the message. Merry Christmas to all you wonderful folk over there in the good ole USA.
We're not quite in the 1st division table of heritage railways but I think in the coming few years we will get there with a total of about 30 miles of line on offer. The Severn Valley is a great railway with some lovely stations and variety of locos. A billion pound business not sure, but certainly the top 5 do take a lot of money but then railways take a lot of money to run.
The tour I was on was apparently the first to use the Cauldon line since it was reopened. I'll be back next March to the UK and will be going to the Severn Valley for their open days. Sure looking forward to it. Not to get off-topic but I understand that heritage railways are a billion pound a year business in the UK. That's something, eh?
Glad you enjoyed the tour, we worked hard to open the almost 8 miles up to Cauldon last year and some more work will be required before the freight runs up there again. We have started on the line back to the main line and have progressed to Endon (3miles) where passengers could use the station for the first time in over 20 years. As regards stock,another coach has been refurbished and a another on is due in the carriage shed around Christmas. If required other coaches will be hired in. On the engine side we have 2 hired in and a 3rd the S160 6046 should be ready for the gala. As you see we have a busy time ahead for a few years yet.
I visited the Churnet Valley last spring on a charter train tour from London with some friends of mine. I was very impressed with the ambitious plan for extending the line and connecting back to the national network. Wasn't there an issue of stock to accomplish this?
If they were anything like the weapons used by the US during World War Two then they were probably built to the same specifications as specified by the War Dapartment. It would have made maintanance and parts replacement a heck of a lot easier. Having once been in the gun business I used to get a silent laugh when collectors of say, the M-1 carbine would claim one manufacturer, say Winchester, made a better piece than National Postal Meter. Guess what, they were all made to the same specs, one's as good as another! Mind you, I'm just guessing on the locomotives!
The 2 S160s we have here are by different builders, 5197 is built by Lima and 6046 by Baldwin. Are there any differences in the manufacturing between them or the other builders or was everything standardised to the nth degree?.
Very few US locomotives were built strictly with aesthetics (I'm too lazy to find an online dictionary for spelling) in mind. They were built primarily for pulling power with ease of maintenance in mind. Streamlined engines obviously were somewhat of an exception. The Delaware & Hudson also tended to follow English practice in much of their styling. The S160's were built to operate in a variety of circumstances and were standardized and simplified to the extreme. A few years back I watched the two Iowa Interstate Chinese QJ's operating with the Milwaukee Road #261, a well-heeled 4-8-4 and the difference was like comparing a thoroughbred with a couple of non-pedigreed draft horses. The Chinese engines had none of the refinement that the big Northern had, but nobody can claim they weren't a decent design. The same goes for virtually all of the USATC engines.
Thanks Firelock76, The owner of the S160s is also a director of both the CVR AND the MCR. He would like to run on special occausions one or both when done on the mineral trains. To see what their objectives are go to their website www.mcrailways.co.uk
Take your time brother and don't rush, a few more months won't hurt anyone. Always good to have more trackage available to you.
Sorry so long in posting but in working on the p/way on the line, in conjuction with CVR/MCR agreements, have not had a lot of time to see how the S160 has been coming along. This week finally the tubes have arrived, but what has surprised me is the number of bits and pieces that have been bolted on the running boards, smoke box and anywhere else where there is a space. Compared to a British engine it looks like a Christmas tree and I don't mean that in a detrimental way, just a comparision. It seems to be coming on well but with the extentions being so labour intensive it could be early new year before it's running again,but stiil keeping fingers crossed for Chritmas.
Have changed my avitar to one of lastest photos, theres another on my facebook. Work being done at present time, work in smokebox, rods being remachined,fittings going in cab and a few bits and pieces still being done on the clading. It looks touch and go for November.
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