7027 Thornbury Castle

Well I could afford to but the scrap 7027. But to run it, youch!

 

Just 4270,6960,5029 and 6024 plus possibly any of the recent Paignton additions .

 

I believe 5029 will be slightly modified regarding its superheater when it returns to traffic.

 

Yes, I believe they've finally managed to get a design that's acceptable to Network Rail et al and I think have secured planning permission. There are also plans for a visitor centre at the entrance.

 

Problem is we can't keep turning to one man any time a loco becomes available, because they're the only one with significant finances to do it.

As has been stated Jeremy Hosking/LSL already have a Castle under overhaul so no guarantees he would want to buy and restore 7027 (even though he does own 2 Merchant Navy's) , plus he recently bought Steam Dreams and got 61306, it's support coach and a further carriage as part of it, so probably wouldn't want to make another significant purchase so soon after if he was interested.

 

In what way- sorry just curious, I was under the impression that its a fairly big task to change superheater configuration?

Chris

 

Would the castle be any good to the DSR? Hosking is a major shareholder in DSR, they could then, send it to Cranmore, to be restored, get it back in about 3 years, Plus if they so wished, it could operate as part of LSL,as part of the Torbay limited pool alongside 6024 and 5029 giving an all GWR loco allocation.

 

Those purchases were probably small fry compared to the nearly 5 million pounds he set fire to trying to elect the talentless Laurence Fox to London Mayor. And the 10k he lost in deposit.

 

Which assumes, within the bounds of his overall wealth, that money spent supporting one set of interests draws down from money spent supporting another. It's clear that he is committed in his interests in railway heritage (LSL, his fleet, etc.) and a particular brand of right wing politics.

 

My point is that he has a list of interests and he clearly values them all, so assuming that money spent on one could be diverted to another is implausible.

All of which is said without comment on the virtue of his interests.

 

The rumour is the 2 row is being replaced with a 3 row (thus, coincidentally, bringing the boiler in line with that fitted to 7027), albeit I have no idea as to the truth of the rumour.

 

Curious. If true I wonder why not the 4 row.

 

I guess but you have to believe hes a good person at heart and not a hardcore capitalist. The preservation movement gets all doe eyed about him and we all know the way to make a small fortune off steam locomotive is start with a large one but hes just another Waterman with more money and more business acumen and he isn't going to save every basket case locomotive just because people pray at the altar of Hosking.

 

I don't have any view of whether he's good or bad, but completely agree that he isn't credible as a saviour for all those projects.

However, him being a hardcore capitalist is how and why he has those resources, and has been able to invest what he has.

 

The only way to convert from 2 row to 3 row would involve having new firebox and smokebox tubeplates made and fitted. Doable but not cheap. I suspect that it is just a rumour but you never know.
Ray.

 

Well tube plates dont last forever and tubes need replacement anyway , so just the small matter of a superheater header and if there were problems with that anyway.... and if there were t could always give the old one to 4709 / 7027

 

Steady on with the old biting the hand that feeds folks... As far as Mr Waterman is concerned I think the hits dried up and so he's cut his cloth to suit.

 

If memory serves, his interest also waned with the unfortunate death of his son....

 

I get the impression Pete Waterman is quite happy pottering about with his models and occasionally displaying them at Chester Cathedral.