European Railroad Discussion > The Underground gets ready

In the wee small hours yesterday London Underground ran another test steam train along the route of the 150th celebrations next month, this time with Metropolitan railway E class 0-4-4T no. 1 and the first class four wheeler rebuilt by the Ffestiniog Railway at Boston Lodge.

Not sure whether the content is viewable, if it is it is a treat.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20759707

That was a neat video of the old steamer.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

86235 Wrote:
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>
>
> Not sure whether the content is viewable, if it is
> it is a treat.
>

Definitely visible here in Canada ... tell us Nick, are you one of the lucky winners of one of the 300 tickets? (grin)

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

thehighwayman Wrote:
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> 86235 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> >
> > Not sure whether the content is viewable, if it
> is
> > it is a treat.
> >
>
> Definitely visible here in Canada ... tell us
> Nick, are you one of the lucky winners of one of
> the 300 tickets? (grin)


I agree, bloody good!


Bryce Lee,
Burlington, Ontario

No I won't be riding, but I shall definitely be watching. It's making a number of trips between Moorgate and Olympia / Edgware Road during the day, mainly in the evening. Sarah Siddons, the 1923 Metro Vick electric will be on the west end and no. 1 on the east.

There are several trips on two successive Sunday evenings - each with 300 seats, so several thousand in total. I've got tickets on the 20th Jan at 22.20 - I don't know when the last train will run. I'll have camera and video with me, and will post here of course, but I suspect Nick's pictures will be much better!

Very cool. But can nothing be done in the U.K. without those awful looking orange vests EVERYWHERE?

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Very cool. But can nothing be done in the U.K.
> without those awful looking orange vests
> EVERYWHERE?

Welcome to the 21st Century....

Just be thankful every steam train doesn't have a diesel right behind it in the consist, unlike here in America on mainline steam runs.

-M

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

This is a better picture of no. 1. It was one of 7 0-4-4T locos built for and by the Metropolitan Railway between 1896 and 1901 to the design of T F Clark, the locomotive superintendent. Four were built by experienced loco manufacturer Hawthorn Leslie, whilst three were built by the railway at their Neasden Works in NW London, no.1 was one of the latter. Btw there is no real significance in the numbering, no.1 simply took a vacancy in the Met's number sequence; Beyer Peacock 4-4-0T no. 1 having been scrapped following an accident. They were not actually built for service on the underground part of the Met, rather for the country services through what became Metroland, from Baker Street to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. they were displaced from mainline service in the early 1920s when the Met introduced their H class 4-4-4T, possibly one of the most handsome class of tank engines ever to run in Britain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Metropolitan_Railway_0-4-4T_Amersham_Metro_Steam_Day_1990.jpg

spflow Wrote:
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> There are several trips on two successive Sunday
> evenings - each with 300 seats, so several
> thousand in total. I've got tickets on the 20th
> Jan at 22.20 - I don't know when the last train
> will run. I'll have camera and video with me, and
> will post here of course, but I suspect Nick's
> pictures will be much better!


I confess, you just made me jealous. I know, I can't ride it anyway. Even if there was a ticket to be had, I can not afford to get over there, but I must say, if I could, that would be the date of my choice. January 20 just happens to be to be my birthday and London is the place of my birth. I hope that they do this again someday. Please do enjoy your trip! I'll be watching eagerly for your pictures!

Mariah Rich
Montana, USA

MRLfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> spflow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There are several trips on two successive
> Sunday
> > evenings - each with 300 seats, so several
> > thousand in total. I've got tickets on the 20th
> > Jan at 22.20 - I don't know when the last train
> > will run. I'll have camera and video with me,
> and
> > will post here of course, but I suspect Nick's
> > pictures will be much better!
>
>
> I confess, you just made me jealous. I know, I
> can't ride it anyway. Even if there was a ticket
> to be had, I can not afford to get over there, but
> I must say, if I could, that would be the date of
> my choice. January 20 just happens to be to be my
> birthday and London is the place of my birth. I
> hope that they do this again someday. Please do
> enjoy your trip! I'll be watching eagerly for your
> pictures!
>
> Mariah Rich
> Montana, USA


Thanks, I'll have my wife, daughters, sons in law and friends lined up to take pictures at various locations, so I hope we can deliver the goods!