'Flying Scotsman' - merged posts

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Street names are a bit different. Gloucester Road is the name of a road, whereas the Gloucester road is the road that goes to Gloucester. It just happens that in the case of the road you (and I) shop on, this happens to be the same thing!

I'd agree, except that Cheltenham Road - of which Gloucester Road is a continuation - never gets the definite article.

[JayMac]

For anyone out and about on the Great Western and South Wales Main Lines today...

Flying Scotsman is heading a railtour from London Paddington to Cardiff Central and return today, 7th June 2023.

Out: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66024/2023-06-07/detailed
Return: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66028/2023-06-07/detailed

Looks like it's stopping at Pilning for a drink on the outward journey.

[bobm]

A trio of photos as the said loco passed through Bourton east of Swindon on its return trip.

[TaplowGreen]

Another chance to see it.....(Jaymac please sit down before reading & try to stay calm!) 

https://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/flying-scotsman-visiting-berkshire-next-27140202?fbclid=IwAR2aTvLFrteUESdX4il4iykYe8fvK7nNQxWBNiCeI17f1YPCVNDUemxEYRo

[GBM]

Another chance to see it.....(Jaymac please sit down before reading & try to stay calm!) 

https://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/flying-scotsman-visiting-berkshire-next-27140202?fbclid=IwAR2aTvLFrteUESdX4il4iykYe8fvK7nNQxWBNiCeI17f1YPCVNDUemxEYRo

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66141/2023-06-21/detailed

[GBM]

On time so far, but delaying the already delayed 9N14 Abbey Wood to Maidenhead.

[JayMac]

Another chance to see it.....(Jaymac please sit down before reading & try to stay calm!) 

https://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/flying-scotsman-visiting-berkshire-next-27140202?fbclid=IwAR2aTvLFrteUESdX4il4iykYe8fvK7nNQxWBNiCeI17f1YPCVNDUemxEYRo

Had this item pop up on one of my social media feeds.
https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/britain-s-most-famous-train-stops-in-newbury-tomorrow-9317884/#_=_

Grrr. Sitting down now with a nice cuppa and not gonna let the spurious definite articles ruin my day.

[Clan Line]

Grrr. Sitting down now with a nice cuppa and not gonna let the spurious definite articles ruin my day.

THE locomotive in question between Heytesbury and Upton Lovell today. 

[PhilWakely]

.... and passing Bridge 99 on the Kennet and Avon canal between Bedwyn and Crofton

[grahame]

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/12/york-museum-carefully-considering-future-operation-of-flying-scotsman.html

York museum ‘carefully considering’ future operation of Flying Scotsman

[Electric train]

The next "big" rail anniversary in the planning stage is 'Rail 200' https://railway200.co.uk/

[grahame]

The next "big" rail anniversary in the planning stage is 'Rail 200' https://railway200.co.uk/

Thank you - I have extended the forum's calendar and added that to the diary.
http://www.passenger.chat/27921

[grahame]

And the results are in with most of our members suggesting that Flying Scotsman should be kept running as a live locomotive with at least some trips on the main line.

Should run lots of mainline tours   - 3 (13.6%)
Should run a few main line tours   - 6 (27.3%)
Should run on heritage line(s)   - 0 (0%)
Should run on heritage line(s) with a few main line trips   - 8 (36.4%)
Should be static in a museum   - 0 (0%)
Should be static with very occasional outings   - 0 (0%)
Should be preserved out of view   - 0 (0%)
Should be sold for private / commercial use   - 0 (0%)
Should be put on a plinth   - 0 (0%)
Should be scrapped with worthwhile bits auctioned off   - 1 (4.5%)
Something else   - 0 (0%)
Don't know   - 0 (0%)
What is "Flying Scotsman"?   - 0 (0%)
Don't care   - 4 (18.2%)

[ChrisB]

url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/flying-scotsman-future-at-risk-amid-concerns-over-its-contract/ar-AA1mhhG2?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=WSEDDB&cvid=c338ad3576b541e4a638bd7209b1a55e&ei=10]From GB^▸ (Great Britain) News via MSN[/url]

Flying Scotsman future at risk amid concerns over its contract

The Flying Scotsman faces an uncertain future as there is nobody currently contracted to look after it next year.

The famous steam train has been looked after by Riley & Son, a Bury-based engineering company, since its return in 2016.

However, concerns are growing over its future as Riley & Son’s contract expires tomorrow, Dec 31, and the National Railway Museum, which owns the Flying Scotsman, has not issued new invitations to tender.

We’ve heard nothing about the future. We’re as much in the dark as everyone else is," Ian Riley, a director of Riley & Son (E) Ltd, told the Sunday Telegraph.

"Our contract finishes on Sunday night and that’s it as far as we know until the new tender documents come out.
"But the NRM^» (National Railway Museum, at York and Shildon - about) haven’t even decided when that will be yet."

He added: "This isn’t an ideal place to be and I don’t know what [the NRM] is thinking."

A spokesman for the museum said: "After the success of Flying Scotsman’s centenary year, and the locomotive’s two popular visits to the NRM, the future operation of Flying Scotsman after this date is being carefully considered."

According to a spokeswoman, the museum would "safeguard the locomotive’s future" and will run into 2024.

But would not provide any kind of timescale of the process.

It has been reported that it took five months between the last invitation to tender being issued and the contract being signed.

Network Rail also requires at least 12 weeks’ notice before steam locomotives can run on the main line.

The future of the Flying Scotsman has already been questioned following a High Court victory for the Office for Rail and Road (ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)).

Despite Riley & Son maintaining the locomotive, West Coast Railways operates it and has refused to fit modern central door locking systems to its fleet of carriages, as required by the ORR.

This means the train is effectively stranded at the National Railway Museum’s Shildon site.