Train of the day is: MÁV 424 "Bivaly / Nurmi", which turned 100 today! ( X )
The manufacturing of these locomotives began in 1924 and went on until 1958, with a total of 514 made, 149 of which were foreign orders. It was a universal, main line locomotive used for freight, stopping, and express trains, with a wheel arrangement of 2'D/4-8-0, and designed to burn coal. In the early 1960's, a handful of these units were converted to burn oil, which did increase their performance, but not nearly enough to compete with MÁV's diesel locomotives at the time, the M61(NOHAB) and M62("Sergey"). This, coupled with the rise of electrification, decreased their role significantly, and in the 1980's they began scrapping them(and with it came the end of steam traction for passenger trains in Hungary in 1984). 9 of these were put on display, and an unspecified number were turned into rolling furnaces for heating, with 2(424 009; 424 247) remaining operational today and used on nostalgia events only.
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It wasn't that Ridcully was stupid. Truly stupid wizards have the life expectancy of a glass hammer. He had quite a powerful intellect, but it was powerful like a locomotive, and ran on rails and was therefore almost impossible to steer.
Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies
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pioneer zephyr and silver pilot
drawn for @monstroso and @djangodurango for their ongoing project The Future Is Still Silver And Black
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On 24th February 1923, the world famous steam train, the Flying Scotsman, went into service.
From the 1920s the train was considered the height of luxury. Onboard there were first-class restaurant facilities, a cocktail bar and radio equipment, so passengers could hear the horse-racing results.
There was even a hairdressing salon where men could have their facial hair shaved with an open razor, made possible because the barber's chair was set in such a position that there would be "no jolting". I'm not sure I would have a shave in a moving train!
The train's hairdresser was reportedly known as "Sweeney Todd of the Rails", given his precarious trade.
In 1928 the train broke the record for the longest regular non-stop train journey in the world, when the LNER ran an express service for the entire 393-mile route.
This record would last until 1948, when, unintentionally, the train broke its own record. The Flying Scotsman ran for 408 and a half miles in May of that year when flood damage to the main line caused diversions via St Boswells and Kelso.
Throughout World War II The Flying Scotsman was one of the few titled trains that continued to operate along the East Coast - it carried troops between London and Scotland, although the headboards and roofboards were removed for security.
And, on 21st June 1958, in a historic move which would signal the decline of steam, The Flying Scotsman was hauled for the first time by a diesel locomotive.
The service is currently run by government-owned East Coast.
In May 2011 they relaunched the service, painting one of their locomotives, the Class 91 No. 91101 with Flying Scotsman branding.
At the launch East Coast said the move was "part of our policy of bringing back train names and restoring pride, passion and even a touch of glamour and romance back to the East Coast railway".
It's not all a romantic journey though, just last September there was, what the called a "slow speed” crash with another heritage train hours before visitors were due to board it.
It happened lwhen the ocomotive was being shunted into place to be coupled with the Royal Scotsman train carriages, which were stationary.
A spokesman for Royal Scotsman train owner Belmond described the collision as “minor” and said there had been no major injuries.
"We are grateful for the prompt attendance by paramedics who were on site to assist the few passengers and team members who sustained minor injuries,” the spokesman said.
"One passenger and one team member are attending hospital for a precautionary check-up.
"All passengers have been transferred to a hotel where our team is on standby to offer support and to assist with our guests’ onward travel arrangements."
Last year ater travelling 10,000 miles across the UK as part of its centenary celebrations, world famous locomotive Flying Scotsman will spend the first part of 2024 on static display at the National Railway Museum in York before resuming rail tours later in the year.
The custodianship of The Flying Scotsman is up for tender later this year, so by this time next year I may be telling you about new "owners"
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