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BBC4 Slow Event (The Flying Scotsman) |
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#26 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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This seems more of a documentary than a go slow.
Not enough outside front shots either. |
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#27 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: OP is a murderer!!
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That was wonderful.
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#28 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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It says a lot about what has happened in the world when you have to tune into a TV programme to experience a nice journey!
Really enjoyed tonight's slow offering, also enjoyed the bus journey and the sleigh ride.... |
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#29 |
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Join Date: Oct 2013
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What a delightful hour of viewing. Interesting to see that the role of the fireman involves rather more than just shovling coal. The line speed was limited to 25mph. It struck me that in the days when the engine steamed along in its heyday hour after hour at 100mph the fireman's job must have been a hard one keeping that firebox fueled and the steam pressures just right. Amazing.
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#30 |
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Join Date: May 2008
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It might be a good idea to do similar programmes with steam engines on the mainline. You can find out whether any are coming your way by clicking this link - select the year & the following 2 months to find out. A few days before the trip, the timings should appear - or a cancelled notice. If you want to go on one of the steam specials, click the name of the
operator/marketing agency.http://www.uksteam.info/tours/ Special rail trips also appear on this site - which includes diesels.http://railwayherald.com/railtours |
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#31 |
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 393
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My dad was a chef on the Flying Scotsman.
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#32 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Vault 101, Cheshire
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For the first 10 or 15 minutes I was wondering whether to ditch this in favour of catching-up on Jonathan Creek, but it slowly got under my skin and I became fascinated by the fire/steam/speed equation and the use of 'tokens' on single track stretches. I was quite disappointed when it finished, i could have gone another hour.
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#33 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,377
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What a delightful hour of viewing. Interesting to see that the role of the fireman involves rather more than just shovling coal. The line speed was limited to 25mph. It struck me that in the days when the engine steamed along in its heyday hour after hour at 100mph the fireman's job must have been a hard one keeping that firebox fueled and the steam pressures just right. Amazing.
I'm sure I read somewhere that at top speed there's something like a ton of coal had to be shovelled into the firebox every hour to keep an express steam engine going. Hence why on the non stop King's Cross to Edinburgh trip they needed two crews and they changed places at half way. There was a corridor through the tender so they could swap over without stopping the engine. |
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#34 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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This is the problem with running engines like 60103 on these heritage lines. They look nice, but it's too slow. Flying Scotsman was built as an express train, to go fast. And that what she should be doing. Not pootling along at 25 miles an hour. In a way its a disservice to the engine. Then again she is nearly a hundred years old now. We are lucky to have her in steam at all.
I'm sure I read somewhere that at top speed there's something like a ton of coal had to be shovelled into the firebox every hour to keep an express steam engine going. Hence why on the non stop King's Cross to Edinburgh trip they needed two crews and they changed places at half way. There was a corridor through the tender so they could swap over without stopping the engine. |
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#35 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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It raises the profile of the Severn Valley line and NRM as well as brings in some income for them. Museums tend to have "Outreach" in their constitution or Mission Statement. Many people in the Midlands got a rare chance to see the Flying Scotsman, there were people watching at just about anywhere accessible near the line.
![]() The NRM is nice, they have 92220 Evening Star in the main hall, and you can stand on the footplate of that. But it's not really the same in a museum as when the engines is actually on the line in steam. Maybe they will get Evening Star going again one day. And while they're at it, get the last remaining APT at Crewe going again. ![]() Choo choo! |
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#36 |
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: North-West England
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Good programme.
A question for the "Ian Allan I-Spy Aficionados." I remember reading in my youth that with the semaphore signals. That "go" was at one time with arm down at 45 degrees, then changed to the arm being raised at 45 degrees, as it was considered in heavy snow, the weight of snow on the arm in the "stop" position, might force it down to "go," which might cause an accident. Is this true? |
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#37 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Good programme.
A question for the "Ian Allan I-Spy Aficionados." I remember reading in my youth that with the semaphore signals. That "go" was at one time with arm down at 45 degrees, then changed to the arm being raised at 45 degrees, as it was considered in heavy snow, the weight of snow on the arm in the "stop" position, might force it down to "go," which might cause an accident. Is this true? By the way I had no idea who Ian Allan was. I had to look him up. I am not a trainspotter. I just like choo choos.
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#38 |
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Join Date: Sep 2005
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Not sure but I'm sure something like that happened in one of the Railway Series books by Rev W Awdry. (Better known these days as Thomas The Tank Engine.) I think it might have been the one about Henry. He was always keen that the books be as realistic as possible as regards real railway operation. So it may well be true.
By the way I had no idea who Ian Allan was. I had to look him up. I am not a trainspotter. I just like choo choos. ![]() At around the age of ten, I used to make a regular Sunday morning journey on the tube from near our home in Morden to Regents Park to visit an aunt. I always sat in the front carriage. So I was on "nodding terms" with the driver. One morning when there were no other passengers in the front car, he invited me into the cab. Then followed a detailed explanation of what was happening throughout the journey. It's easy to imagine that it's all just tunnels, but there were a couple of vast "cathedral like brick built caverns" through which we passed. |
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#39 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
Good programme.
A question for the "Ian Allan I-Spy Aficionados." I remember reading in my youth that with the semaphore signals. That "go" was at one time with arm down at 45 degrees, then changed to the arm being raised at 45 degrees, as it was considered in heavy snow, the weight of snow on the arm in the "stop" position, might force it down to "go," which might cause an accident. Is this true? The snow argument is also why on railway signal lights the red (stop) aspect is at the bottom so that snow cannot build up on a shade below it. The shades are somewhat deeper than on road traffic signals. |
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#40 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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To stand on the footplate of one of these engines when they're working is a privilege indeed. I've never stood on the footplate of 60103 but last year I was behind 60009 Union of South Africa on one of the Borders railway trips. At the end of the line when people were crowding around the engine I asked the crew if I could get up on the footplate. "Aye, of course, on you come." I could really feel the heat from the firebox, which was still burning. When I mentioned it the driver said, "You should feel the heat when it's going."
![]() The NRM is nice, they have 92220 Evening Star in the main hall, and you can stand on the footplate of that. But it's not really the same in a museum as when the engines is actually on the line in steam. Maybe they will get Evening Star going again one day. And while they're at it, get the last remaining APT at Crewe going again. ![]() Choo choo! I see the Jacobite most days in Summer and it has been up for the last couple of days. I think they let people stand at the side of the footplate for pictures but no further. |
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#41 |
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Midlands
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The snow argument is also why on railway signal lights the red (stop) aspect is at the bottom so that snow cannot build up on a shade below it. The shades are somewhat deeper than on road traffic signals.
I wonder if we're the only country in the world that is so much into its historical steam railways and trains. |
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#42 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 375
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This is the problem with running engines like 60103 on these heritage lines. They look nice, but it's too slow. Flying Scotsman was built as an express train, to go fast. And that what she should be doing. Not pootling along at 25 miles an hour. In a way its a disservice to the engine. Then again she is nearly a hundred years old now. We are lucky to have her in steam at all.
I'm sure I read somewhere that at top speed there's something like a ton of coal had to be shovelled into the firebox every hour to keep an express steam engine going. Hence why on the non stop King's Cross to Edinburgh trip they needed two crews and they changed places at half way. There was a corridor through the tender so they could swap over without stopping the engine. |
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#43 |
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: London
Posts: 5,858
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Loved it.
Never occurred to me that the placing of the coal in the fire was important. Went on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough this year and went on the footplate. Lovely warm fire. Didn't want to leave. |
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#44 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Actually there is very little of the original engine left, have a look here http://blog.nrm.org.uk/how-much-flyi...sman-original/
It's the classic Theseus's ship argument. Theseus's ship was so old they reckoned that every plank of the original ship had been replaced at one time or another. This led to the argument between the philosophers as to whether it could still be considered the original ship or not. Was it still Theseus's ship? The modern version of this is Trigger's broom. Or the Sugababes. Is Flying Scotsman still the Flying Scotsman? I would say yes, just. They could have kept the original Flying Scotsman in the museum and built an exact replica of it for steaming round the country and for trips and shows and so on . It would probably have been cheaper and easier to run. (See 60163 Tornado.) But it would never BE Flying Scotsman. |
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#45 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
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I loved this programme. Wish they'd do more. At last I know what 'SW' means; i thought it was South West but DH tells me it means' Sound Whistle'! (He used to work for Ian Allan.) I was also trying to work out how the tokens worked and have just about got it.
I wonder if we're the only country in the world that is so much into its historical steam railways and trains. |
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#46 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 7,318
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I recorded it, now watched it, and enjoyed it.
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#47 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Waterford Ireland
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Watched the no VO repeat, whiled an hour away delightfully. Not sure why they needed four men for the cab area though
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#48 |
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Glos.
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Watched the no VO repeat, whiled an hour away delightfully. Not sure why they needed four men for the cab area though
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#49 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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I believe that the driver and fireman were from the Severn Valley Railway, the two in the background were the engine's "minders" from the National Rail Museum. Like you, I watched the repeat and enjoyed it just as much.
![]() "What happens if I pull this lever?" "Don't touch that." "No, go on, what happens?" "Just leave it alone." (Pulls lever. Engine suddenly accelerates.) "What do we do now?" "You tell me, you're supposed to know how to drive this thing.." |
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#50 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Five minutes later:
"What's it doing now?" "Eighty five miles an hour." "You shouldn't have pulled that lever. You've annoyed it." "Annoyed it? What are you talking about? it's just a machine. It's not alive. Or is it?" "it wants to go at a hundred miles an hour again. Like it used to." "How do we stop it? The brake's not working.." "It'll stop when it wants to." "And when's that?" "I don't know. Probably 126 miles an hour, if it can manage it." "WHAT?" "That would break Mallard's record.." |
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