Newly restored "Flying Scotsman" back in service - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Gutted.

Doesn't every cloud have a silver lining? - from the Daily Mail

Virgin Trains apologising to him in a reply and offered him a free train trip to the US to see one of the famous rail networks in Atlanta, Georgia.
A spokesman on its Twitter account told him: 'We feel bad about that photobomb! I hear Atlanta, Georgia has a super busy rail network.
^Fancy a trip courtesy of Virgin Atlantic? Because we'd love to make you the #FlyingYorkshireman in apology!'

It was me! It was me! For the first time in my life, my day was ruined by a passing Virgin!

Will "delayed due to spotters on the line" become a new delay reason on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)? 

[stuving]

I've just seen an item on yesterday's run by l'"Ecossais Volant" (sic) on French national news! It also made some of the papers, and their on-line counterparts. I don't think they were really covering it because of the importance of the event itself, so much as the amount of news media and public interest.

[PhilWakely]

Muppets. All those trespassers should be arrested.

I notice that a video was tweeted (probably one of many) that has been shared many times where the photographer was trespassing himself. Surely, now that video evidence is perfectly acceptable in a court of law and the perpetrator has as good as admitted the offence, then BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) should throw the book at him and make a clear example to others.

Mind you, in years gone by, I may have been just as guilty as can be seen here or here 

[Rhydgaled]

...Does it not run well in that condition?

The double chimney improves performance and economy, but gives it a soft exhaust - hence the German-style smoke deflectors. Trouble is, it never ran like that in LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) days; you'd have to ditch the Kylchap gear and blinkers if you wanted it to look right in apple green...

In my opinion, you have to ditch the smoke deflectors to make it look right FULL STOP. I think in the video I linked to it was in double-chymney condition but without the smoke deflectors, how does that work (and what is a 'soft exhaust' anyway, it sounds like you are refering to the noise it makes but smoke deflectors wouldn't change that)?

You pick your spot, you wait patiently, then this happens:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35662754

Gutted.

Triple gutted. Not only is the IC225 blocking the view of the steam loco, but Flying Scotsman is ruined by BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) green livery and smoke deflectors and the class 91 is ruined by Virgin's livery. Personally, I think a class 91 in a decent livery is better looking than BR condition Flying Scotsman, but Virgin's curvy livery doesn't suit the angular class 91.

[Red Squirrel]

(...what is a 'soft exhaust' anyway, it sounds like you are refering to the noise it makes but smoke deflectors wouldn't change that)?

'Soft' means the exhaust wafts out of the chimney rather than being forced out by a strong draught. Without smoke deflectors, smoke hangs around the boiler and cab reducing the crew's forward vision. The smoke deflectors do just what they say - they produce a draught that lifts the smoke up and away.

The single chimney had a stronger draught, hence no need for smoke deflectors.

It's a safety thing. I'd keep them on!

[JayMac]

It has to be safety ahead of aesthetic. An argument could be made to have the deflectors removed when on heritage railways limited to 25mph and when on static display. But not when she is running at speed on the national network.

[Western Enterprise]

'Soft' means the exhaust wafts out of the chimney rather than being forced out by a strong draught. Without smoke deflectors, smoke hangs around the boiler and cab reducing the crew's forward vision. The smoke deflectors do just what they say - they produce a draught that lifts the smoke up and away.

The single chimney had a stronger draught, hence no need for smoke deflectors.

It's a safety thing. I'd keep them on!

A soft exhaust also means that more work is done in the cylinder which then moves the wheels. Boiler pressure is about 225 lbs sq Inch, and exhaust pressure might be 20lbs, whereas with a single chimney the exhaust pressure may be 50lbs. Hence the double chimney increases efficiency, which is a damn good thing as its only about 5-8% at its very best.
Lots of kettles were treated to double chimneys in the 50's in a forlorn attempt to extend the life of steam......
Quite like it in Brunswick green, in the Pegler / McAlpine years it was in Apple Green which is how many people remember it who would have been in their 50,60,70's.
W.E





Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.

[Red Squirrel]

It has to be safety ahead of aesthetic. An argument could be made to have the deflectors removed when on heritage railways limited to 25mph and when on static display. But not when she is running at speed on the national network.

...but then you'd have the impossible double chimney/no smoke deflectors combo...

Never had this kind of trouble with City of Truro!

[Billhere]

Will "delayed due to spotters on the line" become a new delay reason on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)? 

Nothing new there. When I was at Oxford every time there was a steam loco about we ended up cautioning for trespassers inside the boundary fence. The only time it didn't happen was when the specials came down on weekdays when most of the neds were at work!

Vintage diesel traction was always guaranteed a check through Oxford so that the assembled Drivers who 'just happened ' to be on platform could get the benefit of the sounds of yesteryear.

[Western Pathfinder]

Flying Scotsman  The Return BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Four Monday Evening At half past eight
Those of us with a TV licence can enjoy a half hour programe about the return to service .

[Adelante_CCT]

Or those without can simply watch it an hour later without paying 

[ChrisB]

Not for much longer - see the TV Licence thread elsewhere

[Chris from Nailsea]

... see the TV Licence thread elsewhere

Administrator note:

For those of our public readers, and some members who have only posted a few times, who may be puzzled by this reference, may I explain that there is such a discussion, in our 'members only' area of the Coffee Shop forum.  That is where our established members can post 'among friends', in a perhaps more frank and open manner than they are able to / want to in the public area of this forum.

There's honestly no mystery to this: all members of the Coffee Shop will gain access to several new boards - 'the rumour mill', 'frequent posters' and 'and also' (for non-railway-related rants!), when they have established themselves here by posting a number of times.

Chris from Nailsea. 

[JayMac]

Flying Scotsman  The Return BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Four Monday Evening At half past eight
Those of us with a TV licence can enjoy a half hour programe about the return to service .

Also on BBC iPlayer at the moment is the BBC documentary from 1968 about a previous restoration of Flying Scotsman carried out at that time when she was owned by Alan Peglar. Including an attempt to run her non-stop from Kings Cross to Edinburgh.

4472 - Flying Scotsman: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p011vfqw

[chuffed]

Watched the half hour programme on FS on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) 4 last night. Some outstanding camera work using drones and very impressive use of unusual angles. I particularly enjoyed the shots in the yard at dawn with artificial lighting adding its own special atmospheric effect, the camera in the cab with the flare from the firebox as the steam billows around and the little lad exclaimimg 'Flippin Nora, not another tunnel !' Priceless !. At the end I had a wry chuckle at the narrators name being John Shrapnel. Not something the engineers would want to hear in relation to the FS!. A great half hours viewing, shame it wasn't an hour !