New builds - how many will ever really work?

Its not just about being set up right. It also involves trust between the members and the guys in charge. Weather or not anyone wants to see the loco built in the first place and how much effort the guys in charge put in to get it built.

 

very true there gav

 

So presumably you've done that?

Here's a checklist for you:

1. The plans still exist for the intended loco, and can be obtained easily at minimal/no cost
2. You've established a committee with a proper constitution and modus operandi
3. The experience of each committee member is known, and is appropriate to the project
4. There is the support of a well known preservation name or the backing of an established railway
5. You've agreed a base to work from, that has appropriate workshop facilities
6. The legal structure has been established and is freely available for would-be donors to check
7. You have a well presented website ready to go and a method for online/offline donations with the appropriate admin backup
8. You've done market research to establish if enthusiasts would want to contribute to this loco project and if so are there enough contributors who would be paying in enough to make it viable?
9. Would railways would want to hire your loco, and if so how much they would pay - is that enough to cover maintenance/overhauls?

Once you've put a tick beside each of the points above, then, and only then should you launch the project, make the website live, and reveal all the above information to the general public.

As it stands I think the Claud/J39/L1 projects have all picked a loco, launched a project and are now trying to fill in the blanks as they go along. If they had followed the established routes of the Grange/82045/Patriot projects I believe they would have more support and would have made more progress.


Keith

 

Excellent post Keith, in my opinion. I think those nine points are a benchmark for the future of newbuilds. Were I ever to seriously consider founding a newbuild project, I would use them.

Naturally, this all goes out the window if you've got a rich sugar daddy. That's the road I'm planning on going down for my Jersey Lily project :biggrin1:

 

we are currently working through these 9 points and just to clarify even though we have picked a locomotive we are not launching the project till we have completed all these 9 steps.

stuart

 

If that's the case then can I suggest you replace your website with a simple holding page and disable your facebook page. As both of these are currently active, it gives the impression of a project that has launched and is current.


Keith

 

Maybe a bit unfair. Certainly to my eyes the drawings were, frankly, unredeemedly ugly, but what you are used to is a suprisingly large lump of what looks good, and I shouldn't be suprised if it looks a lot better to people whose eyes are more attuned to say African and American steam, much of which also looks ugly to me.

I don't suppose it would be remotely practical, but I was idly thinking the other day that a specialist built "support coach" with a few thousand gallons of water and a full set of electric traction gear might be one way of keeping steam running on the mainline longer. When all the big lines are electrified something like that might be able to give a big boost to acceleration - and thus ability to keep the line clear - without being as obtrusive and unpleasant as a diesel. Investement probably prohibitive of course - as I say just an idle thought.

 

Unless the coaching stock was formed of former EMU corridoor stock with under floor traction equipment but then would you want to ride in what would be an emu hauled by a steam engine? and you would still need driving trailors at front and rear the only other viable would be to use hastings type dmu power cars as support vehicles , im sorry but the best way is the current way, you hang a deisel on the back

 

I can't say I like the idea of mixing a few thousand gallons of water with what is essentially an electric locomotive being described. Just seems easier to bung a Diesel on the back of a train.

 

This is an idea id toyed around with , take something like a 108 dmu driving unit, alter the face so it looks more like an observation saloon build in some water tanks and you have a small but significant reserve of water, power and adhesion....
The down sides are that the support crew has to travel around in something like a generator car with the extra noise and smell, and although theres a little extra insurance against a water emergency, a tricky bank etc is it going to be enough to convince the powers that be not to stick a diesel on the back anyway ?
Note to self, upgrade 60163 tender with traction motors in case of tricky rail conditions...

 

Nice idea, but alas a DMU carriage is not a loco - at best a 1st gen vehicle may have been designed to pull a trailer and perhaps a small trailing load, but its never going to shift a 400+ ton train or even provide any meaningful assistance. i guess it might be possible to use the engine to provide ETH, but with purpose built gen vans already available i doubt there's any need.

Chris

 

It is not impossible to produce a new build that would not need assistance. Trouble is most of the folk who post here wouldn't like it on grounds of appearance or wouldn't believe it possible on grounds of being trapped in a mindset fundamentally dating from before 1929 as far as steam traction goes, same as most of the CMEs who worked for the railways of Britain. Gresley was ever so close to an engine that could produce close on 4000hp though. Shame we have not got it to develop it further today.

 

The latest new-build proposal is for a replica of 'Big Bertha'. The group say that they have located an authentic whistle & will shortly start fund-raising to finance the whistle operating chain. They hope to capitalise on the fact that this loco was a banker & hope that some of our overpaid bankers will contribute towards it from their bonuses, in the same way that the B17 group expect Man Utd supporters to finance their pipe dream.
The chairman expects to be able to launch a share issue as soon as he completes his 11 plus studies.

 

Joking aside (and I did find it amusing!) I believe that some parts of this unique loco did survive although the intention by BR was to preserve this 0-10-0 after withdrawal but thhis clearly didn't happen. Is this true or just another rumour/legend?

 

I believe it was intended that the cylinder block was to be preserved, but in the end it wasn't. Regarding other bits and bobs, I don't know.

 

I believe there were plans to save the cylinder block, but it was, unfortunately, scrapped. The smokebox headlamp was transfered to 9F 92079.

 

Very good!!

Incidentally I once knew someone who had fired this. He said it was an absolute******(insert profanity of choice). This being the case some dimwit is bound to want to build a replica.

P.H.

 

Oh so true!

CHRIS: