The big question is why wasn't the cyclist looking past his front wheel.

He was occupied winding the window down, to let the smell out.

Reply to
MrCheerful
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LOL!

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

In article , T i m scribeth thus

No, this is what I got for my 60th a couple of hours with this fine lady;-)

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Reply to
tony sayer

Don't tell me, goes round corners "like it was on rails" too? ;-)

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

One of my Ex's Dads was a driver and got me into the yard at Crewe (where they lived) over one Xmas. The place was chock full of locomotives but I can't remember seeing any other rolling stock?

I climbed up into one of the locos and think I remember walking though it and out the other end. Pretty narrow walkway past all the hardware and I'm not sure I'd like to do that same when it was running and especially at speed! ;-)

My BIL is very much into his railways (well, both my BIL's are actually) and whilst I appreciate most of the engineering (and have ridden on the Bluebell, the Rocket Replica and Ffestiniog trains etc), I have too many years / memories of commuting (and waiting, standing and suffering delays getting into London L.S.) on the local electric units to think of any of them that fondly. ;-(

It always seems crazy when you see a loco on the back of a lorry (and whilst I understand why, I don't understand why it should be that way).

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

Well blow me down!, it really does, and what's more its got a steering wheel 'tho they put it in an odd place and your only supposed to use it when you stop and leave the engine switched off;!

Thats the only time you use it, it's got this rather clever self steer unit, dunno why cars don't have them;?

In all seriousness it was a fantastic afternoon. I was co driving with an old boy called Cyril he was 92 and splendidly attired in overalls and a grease cap with a British Railways logo thereon. He as younger man used to help build these Locos at the Brush Loughborough factory back in the late 50's said he'd always wanted to drive one and his daughter had inherited some money so she was treating her dad:)

He had first drive after we had to inspect the engine, 1750 horse IIRC and then it was my turn so we changed ends and it was quite easy to drive we were *light engine so no *rake to follow that can be arranged if required. Very much as you'd expect you simply notch her up and she'll roll on her own for some way there was only a 25 MPH limit but its was easy to let her run up to 50;!

Braking was quite strong 60 tons retarding force was it!? And you could control where you stopped very well and of course no steering:)

You were the centre of attraction all the children and elderly lady's waved at you and that horn was put there for the use of:) We came up to a crossing and some silly sod drove across i was about the hit the brakes but no matter, you got a very distinct impression that if you did hit them it'd be their problem not yours!"

Well worth it, was thinking what I'd enjoy more an afternoon on the brands hatch racing circuit?, an hour in a WW2 Spitfire can be arranged around 3 grand for an hour! but theres a very strictly enforced weight limit, ruled that out. Nope the loco was a fine trip recommend it to anyone:)-)

Could while away many a Saturday afternoon driving her around but!...

  • Light engine: A loco by itself

  • Rake : A number of carriages attached to said Loco

Reply to
tony sayer

In article , T i m scribeth thus

Yes I'm quite tall and it was a wriggle to get in and through there. Mind you what you could do if you were at speed in there?, don't think they'd be much anyway there was a lot of fuses and that one end but the engine proper?, Nope!.

More often than not it's been delivered or collected off a preserved railway for either repair or to be used elsewhere on another line not all persevered railways have a connection to the Network rail main line and not all are permitted to run on the main line anyway so road transport it is!

And it may well be that it was cheaper to use road and also it could be that sometimes a path or route can't be found on the main line it wants to travel over. Plus elderly steam locos need like elderly ladies to stop to water and pee sometimes need a rest awhile on the way...

Reply to
tony sayer

That would require a huge increase in resources to cope.

Reply to
Gordon H

I did one at Oulton Park when I was 65. I found that my instincts for correcting slides limited what I could get out of the Cosworth Escort. The young drivers on the experience were losing it on every corner and getting in my way, until they finally got the hang of handbrake turns, and power drifting.

Reply to
Gordon H

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