Yesterday, on Monday 16th May 2016 35006 P&O made her triumphant return to steam after over 30 years of painstaking restoration by volunteers at Toddington on the GWSR. Thanks to the generosity (and slight disorganisation 😉 ) of my co-bloggers (thanks again chaps!), I went along to the shareholders’ and supporters’ launch ceremony. When I…
I was rather pleased to be on duty today, as it meant that I was around for the first public testing of 35006 P&O. Yesterday it was being tested as far as Gotherington, but today with service trains running it chuffed up and down the Laverton-Toddington section to keep out of the way of service…
Today we have received some fantastic news. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co. moved for the first time under its own steam in 51 years. 35006 becomes the fourth Merchant Navy class to be returned to working order in preservation and is currently the only one in serviceable condition. Other Sister locomotives that have run in preservation (35005 Canadian…
Good evening, Tonight we are pleased to report that yesterday 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co, passed her formal steam test with her insurance company. She has had a few trial steamings of her boiler over the last few months, enabling a number of minor niggles to be identified and corrected.This is a very significant…
Today the Heritage Lottery Fund announced that the Mid Hants Railways “Canadian Pacific – engineering a future from the past” bid has been successful in its application for funding. The project to overhaul the railway’s flagship steam engine Merchant Navy class No. 35005 ‘Canadian Pacific’ and restore two wooden framed Bulleid carriages will provide employment…
Good evening, It wont be a big surprise to regular readers that my latest post is about a Merchant Navy class locomotive but unlike most of them this isn’t about 35005 Canadian Pacific but rather her younger sister 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co. The project team were pleased to announce that on Wednesday 11th March, P&O passed…
Ahead of tomorrow’s forthcoming model announcements from Bachmann, Hornby have timed a new announcement that they will be crossing off another model from southern 00 scale modellers wishlists in 2016 – the original Merchant Navy class.
Good evening, Following the popular mini series looking at the history of 35005 Canadian Pacific (which can be found here), I was lucky enough to come across one of her former fireman on Facebook. As part of the Mid Hants “Canadian Pacific – Engineering a Future from the Past” project (if the Heritage Lottery grant…
Good evening, As part of the Mid Hants “Canadian Pacific – Engineering a Future from the Past” project (if the Heritage Lottery grant is successful) they will be creating a historic record (oral, video and displays) of how steam trains were used for evacuations from London in the Second World War, immigrants travelling from Southampton in…
The next locomotive in the series from Simon’s 35005 ‘Canadian Pacific’ is 35006 ‘Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co.’ (usually called P&O!) and is a rebuilt Merchant Navy Class. During its working life it had a very similar life to Canadian Pacific being rebuilt some time in the 50’s. 35005 was of course bought by Steamtown…
Loco Yard 