Industrial Loco Updates

Given the number of these locomotives that are preserved (76 if I have counted correctly and the information to hand is correct) there will be more than one of this type needing a new block and indeed this is the case. A glance at Branch Lines for the current month shows that the Mid Hants is working on obtaining a block.

It might be beneficial to make contact with all owners of this class of locomotive because cylinder blocks coming to their end of life is a reality and will become more frequent until a significant number of new blocks are in service. The cost saving per unit in having a batch produced could well be attractive. Getting enough cooperation to allow this to take place is another matter.

 

Hunslet 0-6-0 King George has recently been out shopped at Didcot… can anyone tell me what its intended use is and why it’s been converted to a side tank? Really hoping it’s not what I think it is…

 

That rather depends on what colour they've painted it ..... though for the record, I tend to agree with your sentiment.

 

It was, but not any more it seems. Though why then give it side tanks and paint it blue?

https://chimewhistle.co.uk/page/blog

Launch of King George

Hunslet 2409 'King George' is expected to be launched int service on 23 July – Didcot Railway Centre's 'Paddington Bear' day. The locomotive was originally going to be a 'Thomas' locomotive, but in the finality this project was cancelled and it has been restored as a conventional locomotive, albeit not to original condition.

 

It's earning potential would have been much higher as a Thomas look-a-like (and saved fees hiring in suitable locos for Didcot's own Thomas events if it did not itself get hired out to other railways). I don't know why they have not continued along those lines, but perhaps insufficient demand. . .

 

...Didcot don't have any Thomas events listed (for this year).

 

I wonder if the GWS have decided that Thomas events aren't economic any more. If so then when that decision was made it would be sensible to complete the locomotive in the most economical way.

 

It wouldn't be Didcot's decision to make, at least not on their own. The rights owners would have to grant a licence (and I don't imagine they are given away!).
Pat

 

Thanks to the licencing fees, Thomas events are much reduced from what they were 20 years ago. I’m guessing 2 or 3 Thomases across the country are sufficient. Plus the MHR one is the only one that actually looks like the TV series Thomas.

Knowing that Thomas was the original plan, I suppose it makes sense that if they had some side tanks ready to go, they used them rather than spending extra money to refurbish the saddle tank.

 

I think you must have forgot about Thomas(HC 1800/1947 ) on the Nene Valley Railway .This was the loco that the Rev W Dwdry based his books on ,after seeing it shunting at Peterboro' sugar beet works.NVR pay no licencing fee's for Thomas events,they won a court case regarding this several years ago ,Photo attached taken at Wansford NVR 30/10/2021.

 

The Law may be on their side, but Thomas with outside cylinders? News to me.
Pat

 

It's Thomas, rather than Thomas the Tank Engine, hence how they can use it without paying any royalties. That's why the faces are flat pieces of plywood rather than 3D fiberglass mouldings.

 

I've seen various comments that they can use the name without royalties because Awdry himself named the engine, which apparently is why the court case went nowhere. They don't hold Thomas themed events as such, so no problem with licences there.

Information gleaned from the NVR website, and from the entry on Wikipedia (I know, I know) on the NVR.

Steve B

 

Word from the EVR group is The Duke is starting to see filler, primer and base added to the super structure. FBs recs get weird but sometimes throws up interesting tidbits.

 

Thomas Day Out 2022 is provisionaly advertised,if loco' boiler repairs are done.Customers are recomeded to e/mail the railway for info'.I hope the above post has not put anyone off visiting.

 

Apologies if I have misled anyone. What the entry on Wikipedia says is:

"The replica engine runs at certain special events, weekends and bank holidays; however, the Nene Valley Railway does not host official 'Day out with Thomas' events as many railways do. Unsuccessfully, HiT Entertainment tried to sue the Nene Valley Railway on the grounds that their Thomas locomotive was breaching their trademark, but they lost the case as the court ruled that it was not breaching HiT's trademark because the Hudswell Clarke locomotive was given the name "Thomas" by the creator, Rev. W. Awdry."

If this isn't correct then maybe someone from the railway could get it corrected. Again apologies.

Steve B

 

There's a difference between having days out with 'Thomas' and days out with 'Thomas the Tank Engine'. The latter requires a licence, as would having a Fat Controller, Toby, Duck or any other of the TTE characters.
Not certain why it is referred to it as a replica, though? It's original, through and through.

 

Kerr Stuart 4388 hauled it's first train at Foxfield for around twenty years last night, on a test run with two MK1 coaches to Dilhorne Park. All being well it should be released into traffic soon, joining Beyer Peacock 1827 and Hawthorn Leslie 3581 "Marston Thompson and Evershed Ltd No 3" to cover the summer services.

4388 is a very local locomotive, having been built in Stoke, worked at Etruria Gas Works then at Brookside Foundry (the former Kerr Stuart works).

Public running for 2022 resumes at Foxfield next Sunday (17th July) after an extended winter closure to allow for essential infrastructure renewal.

 

The photo below taken at the derelict works in March 1983 shows KS4388 before restoration. Glad to see this rare beast back in steam.
Ray.

 

Nice. Curious design without a running plate, any idea why?


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