'Sensible' New Builds

I don't know how many sofas at York or Kew remain unchecked, but given Brighton Works was going quite late (last loco built there was an 80xxx), I'm surprised (and not in a good way) that so much seems to be missing. You have to wonder whether somewhere round the back of somewhere, someone occasionally looks at some manky old office furniture and wonders (a) what's in them and (b) who the hell has the keys!

 

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I used to be all aboard the idea of the Victorian/ Edwardian 4-4-0 with some modern additions. But the more time rolls on the more I think the Standard 3 in its hatchback and estate variants is already that essentially. I probably have openly pondered the idea of what a second STD 3 tank would cost to build here too.

 

I should have said: "no unlike button"

 

The group building 82045 have stated in the past that anyone looking for an 82046 is welcome to come and look at the hard work they’ve done.
From memory though I recall both Standard 3 types have different spoked wheels?
I’m not an engineer ( Although I did start off going down that route) But how do I put this? Certain Standards weren’t exactly what I’d call ‘Standard’

 

Definitely something odd going on there but if you're worried about things that matter the difference of a spoke won't make a jot of difference to performance.

 

Yeah but if your going to do something…

 

Completely dependent on how many volunteers you have to help. If its a paid job from the start then multiple millions will be needed even for a small tank. The same amount of money would cover the overhaul of 2 or 3 standard 4 tanks at least that we already have around, and be more powerful for things like the santas. 82045 may be fantastic to fill a gap in preservation and i cant wait to see it, but this notion of building more than one is where it doesnt add up financially

 

Indeed. The 77xxx was pretty much the antithesis of the concept of standardisation. There have been at least two serious attempts to get a newbuild off the ground. Both stillborn, for whatever reason. TBH, unless either someone runs some convincing simulation proving a quality making them significantly better than anything else, or an eccentric millionaire falls in love with the design, I rather doubt we'll be seeing this one again.

 

That's an interesting thing to look at. What would cripple a professional new-build is the combo of sunk design costs and blind alleys that most new-builds go through.

If anyone could get all the design, jigs, moulds etc *and* the production know-how from a built new-build, and a written guarantee from the ORR that nothing would prevent acceptance, I reckon the cost/time payoff of 100% paid work vs volunteer build could well tip to the professional. Material costs would be the same, build time-table could be optimised, assembly time (and so some prelim costs) would be less, etc.

The people who will know this (in some years time) will be CTL steel

Mike

 

Mike, as I’ve said those in charge of building 82045 have said they’re willing to let anyone stupid/willing to batch build 82046/51 are more than welcome to the paperwork, patterns and hard work they’ve had to put in.
Nobody’s done that yet but it would be interesting to see what would happen if it did.

 

That's nowhere near as 'leftfield' as it might at first sound. We're already seeing pointed questions asked about the acceptability of what it will increasingly take to keep ever more ancient machines in steam.

 

I don’t disagree with that, I’m just saying there’s an offer on the table should someone wish to take it up.

 

Possibly, although the records at Kew in particular can be subject to winnowing before they get in.


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