Vintage Trains
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Overview | |
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Reporting mark | TY |
Other | |
Website | www.vintagetrains.co.uk |
Vintage Trains is an operator of heritage railtours in the United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of Birmingham Railway Museum Trust, and is based at Tyseley Locomotive Works, the trust's other subsidiary.[citation needed]
Mainline Locomotives[]
Vintage Trains operates many steam and diesel locomotives on its mainline railtours.
Steam locomotives[]
Locomotives listed here are not all owned by Tyseley Locomotive Works as some are owned by private societies, but are made available to operate on the mainline by their respective owners (assuming they have the appropriate mainline certification).
All engines used on VT's tours are operated under vacuum braking, engines which do have dual/air braking fitted can be used on VT tours but only operated under vacuum braking (71000 being an example as it's fitted with air brakes).
Number | Name | Class | Livery | Owner | TOPS No | Max Speed | Location | Photograph | Present Status | Mainline Certified | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4936 | Kinlet Hall | GWR "Hall" 4-6-0 | BR Green, Late Crest (on completion) | Jon Jones Pratt | 98536 | 60 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Under Overhaul | No, to be certified | |
4965 | Rood Ashton Hall | GWR "Hall" 4-6-0 | GWR Green | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98565 | 60 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Stored | No, to be certified | Withdrawn from service in September 2019 |
5043 | Earl of Mount Edgcumbe | GWR "Castle" 4-6-0 | BR Green, Early Emblem (on completion) | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98743 | 75 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Under Overhaul | No, to be certified | Fitted with double chimney. |
5080 | Defiant | GWR "Castle" 4-6-0 | GWR Green | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98780 | 75 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Stored | No | Funding for overhaul underway by "The Defiant Club".[1] |
6880 | Betton Grange | GWR "Grange" 4-6-0 | BR Green, Late Crest (on completion) | The Betton Grange Society | 98580 | 60 mph | Tyseley | Under Construction | No, to be certified | New build of next member of class being completed at Tyseley.
Will use loaned tender on completion, will be mainline certified at later date. | |
7029 | Clun Castle | GWR "Castle" 4-6-0 | BR Green, Late Crest | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98729 | 75 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Operational | Yes | Fitted with double chimney. |
7752 | - | GWR "5700 Pannier Tank" 0-6-0 | GWR Unlined Green, Great Western lettering | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98452 | 45 mph | Tyseley | Operational | No | ||
7760 | - | GWR "5700 Pannier Tank" 0-6-0 | GWR Unlined Green, Great Western lettering | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98460 | 45 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Stored | No | |
9600 | - | GWR "8750 Pannier Tank" 0-6-0 | BR Black, Early Emblem | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98457 | 45 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Stored | No | |
45305 | Alderman A.E. Draper | LMS "Black 5" 4-6-0 | BR Black, Late Crest | 5305 Locomotive Association | 98505 | 60 mph | Loughborough | ![]() |
Operational | Yes | |
5593 | Kolhapur | LMS "Jubilee" 4-6-0 | LMS Crimson Lake | Tyseley Locomotive Works | 98693 | 75 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Stored | No | |
45596 | Bahamas | LMS "Jubilee" 4-6-0 | BR Green, Late Crest | Bahamas Locomotive Society | 98696 | 75 mph | Haworth | ![]() |
Operational | Yes | Only surviving jubilee with double chimney.
Returned to mainline on 15 Jan 2019.[2] |
6233 | Duchess of Sutherland | LMS "Princess Coronation" 4-6-0 | LMS Crimson Lake | Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust | 98834 | 75 mph | Butterley | ![]() |
Operational | Yes | |
71000 | Duke of Gloucester | BR Standard Class 8 4-6-2 | BR Green, Early Emblem (on completion) | Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust | 98802 | 75 mph | Tyseley | ![]() |
Under Overhaul | No, to be certified | To be based at Tyseley following overhaul.[3]
Will temporarily wear the name Robert Riddles for one month on completion in 2020. |
Diesel locomotives[]
TOPS Number | Class | Name | Livery | Owner | Status | Location | Photograph | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
47773 | 47 | - | BR Two-Tone Green | Tyseley Locomotive Works | Operational | Tyseley | Repainted in May 2021. | |
50033 | 50 | Glorious | BR Blue Large Logo | Tyseley Locomotive Works | Operational | Kidderminster | ![]() |
On three year loan to the Fifty Fund.[4] |
20142 | 20 | Sir John Betjeman | London Transport | Michael Owen Railtours | Operational | Tyseley | On hire to Vintage Trains from July 2019 onwards.[5][6] | |
20189 | 20 | - | Blue | Michael Owen Railtours | Operational | Tyseley | On hire to Vintage Trains from September 2019 onwards.[7] |
Also in previous years Vintage Trains has operated charters using electric and diesel traction that hasn't already been mentioned above now back at other locations, including Class 86 86259 Les Ross, Class 47 47580 County of Essex, Class 50 50049 Defiance, Class 50 50007 Hercules,[8] Class 20 20007. The company has also used various other diesels, such as West Coast Railways' own Class 33 and Class 47 diesels.
Mainline Rolling Stock[]
Rolling stock listed here is not all owned by Tyseley Locomotive Works as some are owned by private societies, but are made available to operate on the mainline by their respective owners (assuming they have the appropriate mainline certification).
Number | Description | Current Status | Livery | Photograph | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. W96100 | BR GUV | Operational | Brown | General Utility van. Now converted as a water carrier for mainline steam railtours. | |
No. W35470 | BR Mk1 BSK | Operational | Chocolate & Cream | Support coach for Vintage Trains Locomotives. | |
No. W17018 | BR Mk1 BFK | Operational | Chocolate & Cream | ||
No. 335 | BR Mk1 Pullman Kitchen Second | Operational | Umber & Cream | ||
No. 349 | BR Mk1 Pullman Parlour Second | Operational | Umber & Cream | ||
No. 353 | BR Mk1 Pullman Parlour Second | Operational | Umber & Cream | ||
No. 311 | BR Mk1 Pullman Kitchen First | Operational | Umber & Cream | Named Eagle. Restored in 2018. Restoration featured on Channel 4 TV series 'Great Rail Restorations with Peter Snow'. | |
No. W5157 | BR Mk2a TSO | Operational | Chocolate & Cream | ||
No. W5177 | BR Mk2a TSO | Operational | Chocolate & Cream | ||
No. W5191 | BR Mk2a TSO | Operational | Chocolate & Cream | ||
No. W5198 | BR Mk2a TSO | Operational | Chocolate & Cream | ||
No. W5212 | BR Mk2a TSO | Operational | Chocolate & Cream | ||
No. W9101 | BR Mk2a BSO | Operational | Chocolate & Cream |
Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society[]
Until late 2017, Vintage Trains operated its railtours with West Coast Railways providing the crews, WCRC being the only charter operator available who would operate vacuum braked trains as none of the engines based at Tyseley are fitted with air brakes. But from 2018, it was announced that due to a falling number of crews being available, WCR said they were unable to provide footplate crews to operate VT's trains and as a result of this, the early 2018 railtour programme which had been planned including the planned debut run of 7029 Clun Castle had to be cancelled.[9]
In late 2016, Vintage Trains lodged an application with the Office of Rail & Road to operate trains in its own right.[10] To come up with the £800,000 required for the licence, a share float was launched with Adrian Shooter named as chairman.[11][12][13] Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society was set up in late 2017 as a publicly owned company and in order to fund the company began recruiting members of the public to become shareholders in the company by purchasing shares (minimum available for purchase being £500 per share).[14] The licence was granted with its first train being a test of a Class 230 between Bedford and Bletchley on 27 September 2018 for Vivarail.[15][16]
References[]
- ^ "5080: Defiant Club".
- ^ http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t19/t0115q.htm light test run
- ^ https://www.theduke.uk.com/2018/03/30/agreement-vintage-trains-br-class-8-steam-locomotive-trust/
- ^ http://www.fiftyfund.org.uk/index.php/2-uncategorised/93-class-50-alliance-acquires-50033-glorious-on-three-year-loan 50033 on three year loan
- ^ @Vintage_Trains (20 July 2019). "Our sturdy Thunderbird on the back!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Class 20 'Birmingham Balti Bash' - 22 September".
- ^ @RandomRailways (28 September 2019). "Another great open day at Tyseley with @Vintage_Trains Clun Castle, GWR pannier, Sir Keith Park, lots of traction e…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Autumn Diesel Gala - the Ticket Office - Severn Valley Railway".
- ^ "Railtour Update from Vintage Trains". 9 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ Vintage Trains seeks operator's licence Rail Express issue 248 January 2017 page 10
- ^ "Vintage Trains Share Offer". 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- ^ Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society Share Offer Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society
- ^ Vintage Trains outlines its future as a Train Operator Railways Illustrated issue 189 November 2018 page 13
- ^ "Vintage Trains Share Offer". 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- ^ Vintage Trains awarded TOC status by ORR The Railway Magazine issue 1411 October 2018 page 12
- ^ Vintage Trains Ltd runs its first official train Rail issue 863 10 October 2018 page 10
External links[]
- Railtour operators of the United Kingdom
- Post-privatisation British railway companies