oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Regrettably I have nothing to support this post but needed to share my experience yesterday.
A long time colleague at the GCR celebrated his 80th birthday at the railway. He hired two coaches specifically rebuilt internally for corporate entertaining, one of which has an open balcony at one end, buffet and drinks were included. We made two trips, on the first of which I have to admit to stuffing my face. On the second I could do the enthusiast thing, 'er indoors having renewed acquaintances with the wife of another long term supporter.
On the trip to Leicester North the balcony coach is at the rear of the train. On the return, however, the loco is attached to the balcony vehicle. Now, I've heard any number of steam locos from the adjacent coach and traveled in cabs too, but I've never been quite so close to the working end over an operating sequence.
Our loco was Standard 5 73156 and those who know the GCR will be aware that the crews like to work the locos as hard as they can up to the nominal operating speed of 25mph. The noise so close to the working end is phenomenal - a real assault on the senses, hence OMG. With the loco accelerating from stations it was impossible to make oneself heard. Naturally I tried to record some footage of this, but on playback the sound has been compressed to within an inch of its life, and in truth it sounds nothing like the extreme volume experienced. The nearest I can get to it in volume terms is Queens of the Stone Age at the O2, which comes with a health warning, but even that pales in to insignificance.
For those like me who love the sound of steam locos working hard should you, by any chance, have the opportunity to experience something similar grab it with both hands.
Brian
A long time colleague at the GCR celebrated his 80th birthday at the railway. He hired two coaches specifically rebuilt internally for corporate entertaining, one of which has an open balcony at one end, buffet and drinks were included. We made two trips, on the first of which I have to admit to stuffing my face. On the second I could do the enthusiast thing, 'er indoors having renewed acquaintances with the wife of another long term supporter.
On the trip to Leicester North the balcony coach is at the rear of the train. On the return, however, the loco is attached to the balcony vehicle. Now, I've heard any number of steam locos from the adjacent coach and traveled in cabs too, but I've never been quite so close to the working end over an operating sequence.
Our loco was Standard 5 73156 and those who know the GCR will be aware that the crews like to work the locos as hard as they can up to the nominal operating speed of 25mph. The noise so close to the working end is phenomenal - a real assault on the senses, hence OMG. With the loco accelerating from stations it was impossible to make oneself heard. Naturally I tried to record some footage of this, but on playback the sound has been compressed to within an inch of its life, and in truth it sounds nothing like the extreme volume experienced. The nearest I can get to it in volume terms is Queens of the Stone Age at the O2, which comes with a health warning, but even that pales in to insignificance.
For those like me who love the sound of steam locos working hard should you, by any chance, have the opportunity to experience something similar grab it with both hands.
Brian