80097 New Year's Summary

Thursday, 9th January, 2020

BR Standard Class 4 mt  2-6-4T  loco   No 80097

80097 has completed her first year as part of the East Lancashire Railway’s loco fleet.

She has completed 89 steaming days since officially entering traffic on the 1st March 2019, of which these are comprised of:

                        57 ELR normal service days

                        9   ELR Footplate Experience days

                        5  ELR Steam gala days

                        3  ELR 1940’s event days

                        3  ELR  Day out with Thomas event days

                        3  ELR  Dining with Distinction trains

                        9  ELR  Santa Special days

These amount to a total of nearly 6000 miles – quite a good first year !!

With the reduced running timetables at the beginning of the year, the opportunity is being taken to service 80097 ready for another busy year on the ELR. This work includes:

                        Servicing the blowdown valve and silencer

                        Shortening the speedo cable

                        Identifying bedding in leaks which will be fixed

Pictures are:

            80097 in good company preparing for another day on the ELR Santa Specials  (photo by Carl Liddy)

            80097 cladding removed for servicing   (photo by Allan Schofield)