GWR 0-6-0PT No.94662007 News and Operating DatesPress F5 when you visit each page to make sure that you are viewing the latest version. This page contains a summary of all lines that 9466 visited in 2007 along with details of every operating date. Oldest news is at the bottom of the page. For photos of 9466 taken during the 2007 operating season, please click here. - Page updated - 24 April 2008. The key event of 2007 was of course the mainline re-certification of 9466. The modern electronic systems, TPWS and OTMR, now mandetory for running on Network Rail were fitted by the team themselves. On 1 November 9466 undertook a successful test run from Tyseley Warwick Road to Stratford on Avon and back. Two days later the first proper tour took place which saw 9466 run from Tyseley Warwick Road to Birch Coppice then onto Sutton Park, Codsall, Cosford, Walsall and Ironbridge and back. Through the kindness and generosity of Bob Meanley and his team at Tyseley, 9466 was to stay in Birmingham for the winter where we would undertake the normal routine maintenance work. The loco ran services at the Spa Valley Railway during the 15 and 16 September Mainline Gala. After that there were appearances in service on 29 and 30 September and 6, 7, 13 and 14 October. On 15 October John moved the pannier to Tyseley for the main event of the year. Back at Quainton more work was done on the OTMR installation. 9466 also run passenger trains in the Up Yard on the following dates: 15 and 29 July, 12 and 27 August and 2 September before getting on that lorry again to be deleivered to Tunbridge Wells on 14 September. The second visit of 9466 to the Mid Norfolk Railway was a great success and the locomotive ran on 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28 May, 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 june and 1 July. AFter the success at Dereham 9466 was moved back to Quainton. Back at Quainton work continued of the new electronics systems and on the 4 May Thales came along to undertake the testing procedures for the TPWS system that resulted in the locomotive being awarded the all important 1st of class TPWS Test Certificate. this was a major achievement as no other tank locomotive of any size had at that point in time been fitted. It must be mentioned that all the work had been undertaken by ourselves. 9466 made an unscheduled appearance on the Up Yard passenger train service at Quainton on 7 May to cover for an unexpected failure of the booked locomotive. Immediately after running at Quainton the locomotive was on the back of John Antell's lorry again bound for Norfolk. The first visit away from the Bucks Railway Centre was to the Steel, Steam and Stars Gala organised by the Betton Grange Society at the Llangollen Railway. The event was held on 20 - 22 April 2007 was truly an incredible event that the Grange Boys pulled off in grand style. 9466 acted as yard shunter on 19 April to move what seemed like everything in and around the locomotive shed to place everything correctly for the start of the gala proper. In the evening 9466 worked an auto coach to Carrog which was a splendid trip in the late afternoon sunshine. For 9466 there were two highlights that weekend. The first was 9466's last departure from Llangollen on the Sunday when she took 8 coaches unassisted to Corwen. The second was the 11 locomotive cavalcade on the Sunday afternoon with 9466 taking position two in the line up. In the week after the gala 9466 was moved back to Quainton by John. 2007 started where 2006 left off. There was the general round of unexciting but routine maintenance including a boiler washout which is never a pleasent task in the middle of winter! the annual boiler cold and hot exams were completed. There was also more work on the TPWS and OTMR systems with good progress being made before John Antell moved the loco to Llangollen on 15 April. Click here to return to 9466 Home Page. Please e-mail me with any questions or queries. Bruce Murray Page updated - 24 April 2008. |