[Rich44]

For the first time in 43 years the NNR (Sheringham to Holt) steam railway has been reconnected to the mainline via a level crossing in Sheringham.

To mark the opening a charter steam train travelled from London Liverpool Street to Sheringham pulled by Oliver Cromwell steam engine (the engine that pulled the last ever BR steam service!!)

The link now means that the NNR can bring in engines and stock by rail now as it's increasingly harder to bring in stuff by road as most owners won't now allow the stuff to be moved this way. Meaning that once the rebuild is finished we could see the Flying Scotsman do the same run and be running across North Norfolk.

Missed the ceremony today due to a job interview but there's a video of the train arriving in Norwich then in Sheringham here

http://www.eveningne...3A20%3A27%3A180

[Chris Howarth]

thats cool.Love steam engines.Dr beeching has a lot to answer for!.

[Sir Henry]

Beeching had nothing to do with the withdrawal of the steam engines. That was as much down to the increasing difficulty (and cost) in extracting Welsh Steam Coal as it was Maggie's desire to be seen to bringing the network into the 'electric age'. Beeching was more interested in the economic viability (on his definition of the term ) of the individual branch lines, stations and even main lines that fed them. That he got it completely wrong is unsurprising as he knew little about economics and absolutely nothing about running a railway (or much of any business, for that matter!).

[Rich44]

Indeed and if you look at old maps of railway lines if they were still there perhaps we would not have the traffic issues we have now, trains wouldn't be hopelessly overcrowded and we wouldn't have huge swathes of the UK isolated unless you have car transport not to mention the obvious climate change issues too.

[Rich44]

Oh you might be interested to read that this lot are trying to rejoin several heritage railways and the mainline to make an orbital railway, the crossing is a critical piece of this.

http://www.norfolk-o...-railway.co.uk/

[Coxy]

Rich44, on 11 March 2010 - 07:25 PM, said:

For the first time in 43 years the NNR (Sheringham to Holt) steam railway has been reconnected to the mainline via a level crossing in Sheringham.

To mark the opening a charter steam train travelled from London Liverpool Street to Sheringham pulled by Oliver Cromwell steam engine (the engine that pulled the last ever BR steam service!!)

The link now means that the NNR can bring in engines and stock by rail now as it's increasingly harder to bring in stuff by road as most owners won't now allow the stuff to be moved this way. Meaning that once the rebuild is finished we could see the Flying Scotsman do the same run and be running across North Norfolk.

Missed the ceremony today due to a job interview but there's a video of the train arriving in Norwich then in Sheringham here

http://www.eveningne...3A20%3A27%3A180

Cracking engine Rich. Isn't it just the way when something important happens you've got to be somewhere else. Hope the self-sacrifice was worth it mate.

[Sir Henry]

You have to love the Top Gear 'race' between Tornado (the first Peppercorn A1 Class steam loco to be built in England for decades), a Vincent Black Shadow and a Jaguar XK120 - all examples of the fastest vehicles in their respective classes of the late 40's. I just couldn't decide which to root for as I've loved the ethos of each of these modes of transport since I was a nipper. Back then they were still classed a modern vehicles and they can still show a clean pair of heels to their modern day counterparts
Ps. Remember the film 'Batman and Robin'? Bruce Wayne had several Vincents including 2 BSs, one of which he offered to the young Dick Grayson in return for fixing up the rest. God, I would have changed places with him in a heartbeat

Ps. I don't know how much modern rolling stock costs to build, but the new Tornado cost the trust £3 million over 19 years! Apparently they need another £300k to keep her regularly rolling on main lines.

This post has been edited by Sir Henry: 11 March 2010 - 10:54 PM

[peter107]

We spend a lot of time down at the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch railway, it's only 15" scale but the engine's are perfect scale engine's
Pete

[Rich44]

Sir Henry, on 11 March 2010 - 10:41 PM, said:

You have to love the Top Gear 'race' between Tornado (the first Peppercorn A1 Class steam loco to be built in England for decades), a Vincent Black Shadow and a Jaguar XK120 - all examples of the fastest vehicles in their respective classes of the late 40's. I just couldn't decide which to root for as I've loved the ethos of each of these modes of transport since I was a nipper. Back then they were still classed a modern vehicles and they can still show a clean pair of heels to their modern day counterparts
Ps. Remember the film 'Batman and Robin'? Bruce Wayne had several Vincents including 2 BSs, one of which he offered to the young Dick Grayson in return for fixing up the rest. God, I would have changed places with him in a heartbeat

Yeah I seriously loved that episode of TG

Coxy I hope it was worth it, got to wait a few days to find out, it's only a seasonal car park attendant job but it would mean we're £700 odd a month better off

[Sir Henry]

I know the train was 'passengered' (is there such a word?) by enthusiasts, but £250 from London to Edinburgh just to take a diesel or electric train back at extra cost? Still ... it takes all sorts.

[Rich44]

Journey of a lifetime tho innit

[BigBoldBri]

Rich44, on 11 March 2010 - 09:18 PM, said:

Indeed and if you look at old maps of railway lines if they were still there perhaps we would not have the traffic issues we have now, trains wouldn't be hopelessly overcrowded and we wouldn't have huge swathes of the UK isolated unless you have car transport not to mention the obvious climate change issues too.

Maybe we should be flying everywhere instead?

Train can be worse for climate than plane


Just shows how complex and intertwined all these transport and pollution issues are.

Seems a fully loaded Estima should be quite ecologically sound.