If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

7027 Thornbury Castle

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by svrhunt, Jan 18, 2015.

  1. std tank

    std tank Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2005
    Messages:
    3,808
    Likes Received:
    946
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Liverpool
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    That is the cheap bit. What will the cost of a new copper main steam pipe be?
     
  2. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,498
    Likes Received:
    5,455
    No idea but not cheap, it wasn’t idea just mentioning it!!!
     
  3. gwralatea

    gwralatea Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2014
    Messages:
    469
    Likes Received:
    929
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    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.
     
  4. Lord Belborough

    Lord Belborough New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2022
    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    138
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Berkshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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.
     
  5. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Messages:
    12,172
    Likes Received:
    11,493
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Brighton&Hove
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Do I recall some slight issue concerning the year prior to 31 Jan 2022 rendering it somewhat atypical?
     
    GWR4707, GWRman and ghost like this.
  6. Mr Valentine

    Mr Valentine Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2018
    Messages:
    235
    Likes Received:
    815
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Titfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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.
     
    ross likes this.
  7. Lord Belborough

    Lord Belborough New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2022
    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    138
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Berkshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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.
     
    30854 likes this.
  8. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Messages:
    12,172
    Likes Received:
    11,493
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Brighton&Hove
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Cheers for clarification .... those were certainly two years I can well understand anyone not wanting to remember!
     
    Lord Belborough likes this.
  9. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    Messages:
    1,653
    Likes Received:
    2,564
    Occupation:
    UK & Ireland Heritage Railways Webmaster
    Location:
    Ruabon, Wrexham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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.
     
    Mrcow likes this.
  10. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,635
    Likes Received:
    8,303
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    that also means no set of motion availble for the star conversion either so any illusion that this is a cheap project also goes out of the window and maybe is little more than a smokescreen . What scares me slightly is under your logic any engine needed an expensive overhaul should also be broken up for parts rather than spend £m on it . Should DMLL have scrapped 3850 as its cylinder block was cracked ? same with 4930 . Just because something is expensive is not a reason to not do it ? The question is how do you come together and create a fund raising route to make it happen
     
    Wozzy18, Gareth, ross and 7 others like this.
  11. S.A.C. Martin

    S.A.C. Martin Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2010
    Messages:
    5,591
    Likes Received:
    9,325
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Asset Engineer (Signalling), MNLPS Treasurer
    Location:
    London
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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?"
     
    Dan Hill, Wozzy18, Gareth and 4 others like this.
  12. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    Messages:
    1,653
    Likes Received:
    2,564
    Occupation:
    UK & Ireland Heritage Railways Webmaster
    Location:
    Ruabon, Wrexham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I said nothing about 'should'.
     
  13. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
    Messages:
    3,967
    Likes Received:
    5,064
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    N.Ireland
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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?
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2022
    pmh_74 likes this.
  14. Simon Smith

    Simon Smith New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2022
    Messages:
    93
    Likes Received:
    60
    Location:
    South West
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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.
     
  15. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,635
    Likes Received:
    8,303
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    There was I believe more motion with the engine which unfortunately went astray. Others can expand on the what happened . A lot is on 5043

    new motion is expensive but not the end of the world
     
  16. Argus

    Argus New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2010
    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    30
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Coupling rods and outside crossheads are all that is on 5043.....
     
  17. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    May 12, 2006
    Messages:
    18,046
    Likes Received:
    15,736
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cumbria
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Like 4709 then?
     
    Gareth and ross like this.
  18. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    May 12, 2006
    Messages:
    18,046
    Likes Received:
    15,736
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cumbria
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    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.
     
  19. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2009
    Messages:
    2,217
    Likes Received:
    1,456
    S.A.C. Martin likes this.
  20. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    Messages:
    1,653
    Likes Received:
    2,564
    Occupation:
    UK & Ireland Heritage Railways Webmaster
    Location:
    Ruabon, Wrexham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Then obviously Trackside mag got it wrong (Which leaves me wondering where their £2m+ figure came from (thin air?))
     

Share This Page