7027 Thornbury Castle

That is the cheap bit. What will the cost of a new copper main steam pipe be?

 

I don't know about how true some of the below is though - I'm merely a member who used to live on the doorstep but probably goes there more now I've moved away than I did before. I think some of it I would have agreed with in say 2017, but it's like turning round an oil tanker. Things have massively improved IMO since the appointment of museum professionals to run the place day to day. I'm less convinced about the costumed re-enactors but they seem to enjoy themselves and actually aren't really harming anything I suppose. FWIW either side of Covid it has felt much more professional, and more on the up again. I voice that opinion about the site as a whole, not the organisation/s in the background, and not as a comment on the current activities re 7027. I've taken the liberty of replying in bold italics to bits of the quote within the quote itself. Basically there was a period post-2012 when I was a bit worried about the future of the place, whereas (7027 notwithstanding) I'm not quite so much now.

Bottom line on all that is I think Didcot managed to stagger on for a very long time as a sort of workers co-operative, and came late to the table of trying to professionalise. But at a 'museum' level it is making good and appropriate strides in that direction. Unfortunately around the margins (quite broad margins with a fair amount of sway) it's not there yet.

But that's just the views, as I say, of a country member.

 

32,322 visitors to 31 Jan 2022, entrance fee income up 76.1% versus prior year at £474k. The majority of visitors now are families - hence why Paddington events have been a resounding success this summer.

 

Do I recall some slight issue concerning the year prior to 31 Jan 2022 rendering it somewhat atypical?

 

I don't have the most recent figures, but over 1998-2016 there were an average of 40k visitors p.a. During this period there were a couple of highs of around 45k and 47k, and a couple of lows of around 35k and 34k. Obviously it's a bit difficult to make sense of things since 2020. (And yes, before anyone says, I know visitor numbers are not the be-all and end-all.)

As someone who had long advocated this, I wish I could agree. Sadly once you blow the fluff away, the reality is quite different.

 

DRC remained closed until mid April 2021 (National Lockdown) so in fact for year to 31 Jan 2022 there were no visitors in Feb, March and first half of April. Comparable figure would be for y/e 31 Jan 2020 (pre Covid days!). This had visitor income of £429k so 2022 was up £45k on that.

 

Cheers for clarification .... those were certainly two years I can well understand anyone not wanting to remember!

 

The impression given by some posters on NP was that 7027 was well along the lines to being restored, but I see from the article in the most recent Trackside mag that 7027 is missing all its motion. Perhaps I missed something about this in the deluge of posts in this thread.
This news does put rather a different complexion on things as far as I am concerned. 7027 is not well along the lines of being restored, but at the start of an extremely expensive process that the (previous) owner was presumably not intending to finance (figures in the article quote £2m+). I can see how that makes it a more appropriate target for breaking for parts to be used on other projects.

 

The set of missing motion parts can be sourced and manufactured rather more easily than a whole boiler. The locomotive does also have its tender and other associated components not lost to the passage of time - it is rather more complete as a locomotive than some of the Barry wrecks that have now been restored to steam.

I disagree, the fact it was being worked on actively and money being spent on it shows it in a favourable light, not as a "breaker".

By that logic, everything up and down the country that isn't working or on active display should be broken for spares for "other projects" (whatever they may be). Where is the line drawn for "railway preservation?"

 

I said nothing about 'should'.

 

Did Trackside enquire about the motion from the owner, or did someone simply look at the frames being worked on at the GCR and decide that because the motion wasn't fitted then it mustn't exist?

 

Missing motion isnt the end of the world, lets face it all current working locos will need new motion, frames, wheels, cylinders and boilers at some point in the future as parts become life expired.

 

Coupling rods and outside crossheads are all that is on 5043.....

 

Like 4709 then?

 

This has been done to death on here before, but I think the problem with DRC is who does it appeal to?

We went in the spring, first time I have been for probably nearly 20 years despite having been a paying member all those years, and whilst it was interesting to me, both my daughter and wife (both of whom will happily come on a rail tour, watch a steam train through on the mainline and visit a preserved line) were pretty bored rigid with the whole place, so I can see the events getting boots through the door, but I would be interested to see the number of repeat visits they get beyond the preservation fraternity.

 

What are these lumps photographed by Flying Phil in post #1274 then?
https://www.national-preservation.com/attachments/dsc00301-jpg.70738/

On top of which, the restoration blog on FB stated in Feb 2020 that they had the original outside connecting rods.

Seems to me that a fair bit of motion is covered right there.

 

Then obviously Trackside mag got it wrong (Which leaves me wondering where their £2m+ figure came from (thin air?))