35028 Clan Line

[VC10]

Just spent an enjoyable3 or 4 mins listening to and then seeing Merchant Navy Pacific Clan Line go past on the Guildford - Redhill Line.




I can do it all again on the 20th March. Before next time though I will be taking a lopper to that growth in the third picture

[Harry Basset]

Very pretty, but just too clean and shiny. It's like model locos which run on layouts in ex factory finish so as not to affect resale value.

[fighterpilot]

Good shots, shame about chopping off the front on the second but I do it all the time as well . Clan Line is always that clean and should definitely be kept in that condition. I just don't understand why people that like engines to be filthy. Clan ine is without doubt one of the best presented locos on the main line at the moment and the MNLPS do a great job with her, long may it continue.

Richard

[VC10]

Very pretty, but just too clean and shiny. It's like model locos which run on layouts in ex factory finish so as not to affect resale value.

I know what you mean. But here is a sister ship in 1965. She doesn't look too grubby


However a clean engine is better than no engine at all, and a model engine can't make that glorious sound as Clan Line works hard up-hill.#

Good shots, shame about chopping off the front on the second but I do it all the time as well . Clan Line is always that clean and should definitely be kept in that condition. I just don't understand why people that like engines to be filthy. Clan ine is without doubt one of the best presented locos on the main line at the moment and the MNLPS do a great job with her, long may it continue.

Richard

Thanks Richard. I pretty annoyed about the second shot, my excuse it it wasn't my camera so I am still getting use to handling it. Never mind I can have another go in a couple of weeks.

With regard to the engines being filthy, I don't know how old you and Harry are, but I am just old enough to remember the last days of steam and how they looked at that time and there is something about seeing an engine that looks like it has been working.

Just to reminisce, my grandfather was an engine driver and I will never forget the times he took me down the shed whenever we visited my grandparents in Warrington. He even moved engines around the shed with me on the footplate and once I went a short distance down the West Coast Main-line on the footplate.

[511Flyer]

I saw Tornado hauling the Cathedral Express through West Byfleet in the morning of 14th Feb. Clan Line came through in the afternoon, and Tornado again in the evening.

I like them all. Clean or dirty.

D.

[Paul K]

She looks immaculate. Great photos !

CHEERS

[Harry Basset]

I wasn't wanting Clan Line to look as filthy as locos often were in the last days of BR steam. A few stains and oil drippings to show it is a working engine rather than a museum exhibit would be enough. I would be interested to know the ratio of hours being cleaned to hours of the loco working. Steam engines, when working, are inherently dirty, they have total loss oil systems. Oil, soot, ash and water come out of the chimney, ashpan, cylinder cocks. Good luck to Clan Lines owners, it is a credit to them,they must have lots of cleaners working on their engine. When I was invoved on one of the major preserved lines an engine was lucky if it got 4 hours cleaning a week and that was on engines working 28 days straight between washouts.

[crisso]

Yes, I agree with the previous poster - I remember Steam Locos in the UK looking always looking at least slightly weathered and, were never gleaming as the preserved examples are now maintained. I was fortunate to avoid actually seeing any in the awful filthy and rundown condition that, I have seen subsequently in books, etc.

[petermcleland]

I was particularly fond of going to see Merchant Navy class locos at Waterloo station when they were still Southern Railway...At the time, I lived in North London and I thought I would tell you how I got to Waterloo Station...From where I lived, a short walk to Arnos Grove tube station on the Picadilly Line...Tube train to Manor House. Outside Manor House tube station I boarded a lovely old Tram...This took me on quite a long journey to the Embankment via the Kingsway Subway (a very very long Tramway Tunnel which emerged back into the light of day on the Thames embankment near Cleopatra's Needle). A short walk to the Hungerford Bridge over the Thames...This was a railway bridge but it had a shabby wooden pedestrian bit, bolted onto the side of it. I walked across this bridge to the magic of Waterloo Station with its Southern Railway, Battle of Britain Class and Merchant Navy Class green locomotives...They were really my favourites and I just loved watching them. They were always beautifully clean and the livery was a much lighter green than that later British Rail colour in your pictures. They were very lovely locos and had a very special shape...The wheels were also a rather unique design with a strange sort of spoking that involved machined out circular wells (hard to describe).

Happy Days

[fighterpilot]

My favorite locos as well Peter, although I am much too young to remember them in service. The lighter shade of green was malachite and was certainly striking, have a look here to see a couple of shots: http://www.locos-in-profile.co.uk/Bulle ... er_bv.html
Oliver Bulleid certainly used a unique design with these locos, the chain driven valve gear, Bulleid Firth Brown wheels, 'air smoothed casing' etc.

Back to my original point, it is nice sometimes to see locos looking as if they have worked a bit but to see a loco sparkling like Clan Line always does is special.

Richard