Didcot "we need small engines to survive"

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5227

 

There is a big difference between "main line ticketed" (i.e. able to move under its own power, with a cab load of electronic gizmos) and "able to be towed on the mainline by another locomotive" - witness the mainline move that saw the Bluebell's C class go by rail to Kings Cross. It couldn't have gone on its own, but was able to make the journey (in steam, as it happened) under haulage.

Tom

 

Wow, that escalated quickly!

Without knowing the source, accuracy or reasoning behind the original comment, you have a go at the entire railway presentation movement, its management and the current volunteers. Nice one!

Will Natpres become a negative, over-sensitive and hypercritical forum? Let's hope not!

 

I'm afraid it already has, but only on a couple of threads on NGC!

 

This sort of thing will spread to lots of places when the cost implications of major repairs begins to sink in.

PH

 

Of course!

Just thought it was rather a novelty an industrial being on the ML- albeit only briefly and being towed!?

Thanks for the responses re: locos not steamed too!

Chris

 

The railmotor is quite worth a trip on its own, a wonderful bit of kit!

 

Agreed - I'd like to see it out and about a bit more and able to stretch its legs over a decent length, though I can understand that for any prospective gala organiser, the costs of a move must be quite high relative to the number of seats that you could actually sell tickets for, when set against moving a locomotive that may well come with similar or lower moving costs and more haulage ability.

Tom

 

I think you have misunderstood what I meant, nothing wrong in running these events to raise cash, but what has a class 14 and industrial tanks got to do with the Great Western?

 

Some management yes , certainly not the volunteers, it was just a comment on the fact that some in the preservation movement are drifting into areas I think are detrimental to the original intentions. Heritage Railways are and should remain working museums.

 

I am sorry but Didcot is in competition for visitors with e..g. Waddesdon Manor or Woburn House to quote two examples in your locality. It is a site awkward of access and can only offer rides of limited length. Not easy to do economically.

PH

 

How many heritage railways / museum sites exist for the sole benefit of railway enthusiasts / purists? The answer is none - because they would soon go bust.
If using an industrial loco to keep costs down is what it takes then people should be grateful that it is helping to ensure the survival of the rest of the exhibits.

Bob.

 

but the ethos of the Society will be lost, does that mean nothing?

 

Not if the site cannot pay its bills otherwise. The normal "fault" of steam centres/tourist railways is operating stuff which is far too large for the job. Inauthentic in a different way.

PH

 

Er. how? An "ethos" isn't a black and white rule about which locos you have.

 

The GWR absorbed lots of locos built by "industrial" suppliers.
Guess where the Class 14s were built? Guess where the Class 14's were allocated?
They've also got a Class 08 shunter. Oh, and a gas turbine loco built by a Swiss manufacturer. Should they scrap them?

Their website says "Broadly, '[the collection] spans the period from 1833 (the First GWR Share Prospectus) to 1977 (when Diesel Hydraulic locomotives, unique to British Railways Western Region were withdrawn)".
Notice the first word.

 

I am not clear what Didcot's objectives are. I am currently seeking a drawing of the bracket on which Great Western whistles are mounted. Would Didcot be able to provide that or should I send my £25 to the NRM and hope that the vague catalogue description includes what I looking for?

 

I agree that Heritage Railways should operate as working museums. However, they do need to be careful about which bits of history they wish to represent: generally, I'd prefer that not to be the "no trains running and weeds growing up through the tracks with closure notices peeling on locked doors" (*) phase of railway history.

Being slightly more serious, the working museum analogy is an interesting one to pursue. A few weeks ago, I happened to visit Beamish, which is definitely in the working museum category. Now, at one level, you might think it a bit twee, and a bit too "picture postcard" perfect, at least if you got your camera angle correct. But what struck me was a focus on the whole presentation. As a small example - all heritage attractions have restaurants. But at Beamish, the staff were in period costume just as much as the bus and tram drivers or the others acting as explainers. I sometimes think on railways we can be guilty of assuming that the train journey is so attractive that we don't need to concentrate too much on anything else. Whereas if we took a museum view of the attraction, surely it should be possible - whether in costume, or signage, or other areas - to leave the 21st century behind when going up the station drive and not returning until walking back to the car park.

(*) Or the "Wilcock's wet dream" era, as I believe it is also called.

Tom