Mr Bunch's next loco

What did he buy, any ideas? Class 4 is all I know.

 

As nothing has been announced yet, we are all in the same boat.

 

There are a few clues which might help arrow it down a bit:

Steam Railway quotes Mr Bunch saying that 'it is a class 4, in full working order, and presently on hire to the railway which has been running it'
SR seem to have added to this quote by saying it is an ex-mainline loco, although whether Mr Bunch said that is anyone's guess.
He is planning to move the loco to another railway where he can be involved with it and do spot hire.

The statement about moving the loco so he can be more involved with it implies that it is currently a fair distance from wherever Mr Bunch lives - that might give a clue for those who might know where he lives (please do not disclose the location if you know)

A stab in the dark - 80078?


Keith

 

Boat? Merchant Navy then !

 

Most likely to be ex-Southern or a BR Standard, most of his locomotives have moved to the Swanage Railway, so at a guess he has brought out the owners of 76017 (especially as the deal that has been done with the MHR concerning 76096) and it will be heading to Dorset?

 

8

Try+2 more likely

 

No

 

I had thought of that one and I suppose anything has its price, but I always thought the PRCLT operated the 2 tanks quite well and presumably made enough money to cover most of the costs.

If 76017 is correct then I doubt it would be moving anytime soon as I understood there is a contract with the MHR. After all the MHR has just spent a lot of money getting it back into good condition, I doubt they would do that if they didn't have a contract to recover their investment.


Keith

 

unless it was aprt of the deal with 73096 (doubtful I think

 

Interesting that Mr Bunch has managed to purchase a Class 4!

As to guesses of identity, I'm assuming that it won't be LNER or GWR, not currently part of the National Collection, has to be in ticket and is ex mainline registered during preservation. I don't believe there's any SR Class 4 loco's that have been mainline (only the N and U Classes?) that aren't already owned by Mr Bunch.

This therefore excludes the following

LMS

1000
42968
43106

BR

80079
80080
80098
80105
80135

75029
75069


I think this limits the options to only the following.

BR

76017 (Subject to hire agreement with the MHR)
76079 (Owned by the NYMR)
76084 (Recent change of ownership, confirmed as staying at the NNR)

75014 (Owned by the PDSR)

All of the above seem to have a certain amount of ties, NYMR very unlikely to sell an in ticket engine, 76084's future recently secured, PDSR unlikely to see as asset certainly with Jeremy Hoskin on the board.

Surely 76017 is potentially the most viable option, with as suggested, the MHR work being the purchase price for 73096? 75014 is my potential outside bet.

 

Why have you excluded 80080? It seems to fit all the criteria mentioned.

Also why include 76017? It's never been mainline registered.

It hasn't taken Mr Bunch long to spend the proceeds from 73096. Will be interesting to see which loco it is and where it will move to.

 

Given recent experience with Steam Railway its just as likely that its any class other than 4, not in working order or not on hire to a railway.

Or it's on a railway where he doesn't feel welcome ?

 

60103....

 

I read ex-mainline as not in preservation?

Chris

 

Why assume that? You could interpret the comment that it is "ex-mainline" simply as meaning it was an former BR loco, rather than an industrial.

Tom

 

i'm not so sure, saying it's a Class 4 implies it's an ex BR loco.

 

Unless of course he's seen the light and gone for a Derby 4F..!!

 

Anything that would rule 80136 out of the frame?