So does the flying scotsman have freight options? It would make a great fast freight hauler and perhaps even a better banker engine.The possibilities seem many for such a powerhouse of steam.
"Menial Duty' Really? This class of loco (aka The Flying Scotsman) was so special it was considered beneath it to haul freight. This sounds like what GORDON from Thomas the Tank engine would offen say.Talk about life imitating art. FUN FACT:The info on GORDON says he's the FLYING SCOTSMAN brother.Talk about art imitating life.
I always say to anyone that said "that never happened" ... "prove it". because I don't care what you think is impossible, in my experience someone has been able to show a photo of it happening at least once. HST on freight? yep. A4's on freight? (commonplace at the end really) Deltic on freight? yep. etc. We don't have freight - but there's nothing to stop you using free roam to make whatever you want, and when the formation designer comes along, you'll be able to do it there too. Matt.
When diesels started being delivered many top link express engines ended up on less glamourous work. It wasn't unusual in the early to mid 1960's to see work stained express passenger loco's on freight trains, those that weren't withdrawn and scrapped of course.
A3 were famous for the Van Trains on the ECML so what I did was use the 8F with vans in free roam take the 8F and replace with Scotsman also on WSR can use the goods on that as well.
Bittern quite often hauled a box freight parcel train up and down the DCL (Middlesbrough -Newcastle) back in the 60's (it's why she's my dad's fave A4) so I could well believe that any and all of the celebrated steam locos will have hauled freight at one point.
I don't have a date on the photo (of 60103 on freight) but I'm pretty sure that Chris Nettleton took the photo' himself- I imagine it was in the twilight years of steam when BR was just getting whatever use it could out of the remaining kettles. BTW Chris was happy for me to put his pictures in the newsletter and for me to post the PDF newsletter online but posting the picture itself is a different matter- that's why I put up a link to the newsletter if anyone's wondering why I didn't just show the pic'.
You must remember when the Flying Scotsman and steam ruled, Freight was very much the priority for railways. Although not as glamorous as the top link expresses, express freights of perishables or mail were regularly hauled by the fastest engines and many a passenger train would be held to let them pass on time.
The A3s where never officially seen as banking engines. (Unlike the pannier tanks at lickey) However i don't think its unlikely that an A3 might have acted as help. Just not under any official banking duty.
Well even if they where never official bankers.I would imagine that being fast wasn't there only usefull trait. If they had power to match there speed they surely would be good backup bankers at the very least.
Something that is recognised in the more complex SIAM traffic control games. You get penalised for delaying Class C and Class D freight same as holding up a passenger service.
I remember a few years back there people even saying that the class 52's never worked freight ....... I mean I was shocked that they were so wrong lol
Couldn’t agree more. Anyone who has ever worked on the railroad will probably agree, the sheer amount of “impossible” happening regularly is hard to grasp as an enthusiast on the outside.
