Recent content by gingertom

agreed. Best you're going to get is about 2.7t across the set and lose the ability to sensibly climb hills in the process. Not going to happen.

took a bit of finding but the difference in weight between the 750BHP Cummins and the 422BHP MTU is about 900kg. That would help with the axle loading but I doubt it would be enough to enable MU speeds.

Indeed! But where best to make use of their hill-climbing abilities, for which they were designed with the 750bhp 19QSK engines? Devon banks services look to be a good fit.

I previously mentioned Westerton, where at the west end the straight ahead route takes you to Dalmuir & West Highland, and the right turn route takes you along the branch to Milngavie. Heading east you have the option of Anniesland or Maryhill. Anniesland itself I think qualifies. To the north...

I'm wondering how 89001 would fare.

Westerton.

isn't it the case that a new tunnel will also encounter the same underground river?

soon to be Leven branch.

that's progress- I'll take that.

IIRC the tunnels were cut and cover and have been built over in places. That would make "doing a Farnsworth" a rather expensive engineering challenge.

I think Raith's farm could be used as a turnback, if it hasn't already been used as such. At Inverurie, you have to head north a bit to get to the turnback crossovers. Not sure if there's a siding to get out of the way of other traffic there. It takes time to get there, time for the driver to...

there's certainly plenty of space on the eastern side to create a turnback bay platform- there was quite a formation way back in the day. A lot of civils required, new footbridge, lifts. I do have to ask though, what problem are you trying to solve that justifies the (considerable) investment?

Thought it possible to turn services back at Kittybrewster, Dyce or Inverurie, the latter two being potentially more useful.

and of course the costs involved with whatever intervention is necessary. No doubt there will be options, like track lowering, slab track, Farnsworth-like rebore, and the cheapest will win. W12 Gauge clearance could be handy too.

i would be interesting to see how 89001 performs with its 6 powered axles and a 7 car MK4 rake.