Drummond T9 No. 30120

May have been mentioned before, but I have just had a look at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway site, and they have announced that the NRM's T9 (out of steam for almost two decades) has been given the green light by all concerned for an overhaul. It is intended to be turned out in BR lined mixed traffic livery (probably with early crest) to match the Beattie Well Tank 30587. The chaps at the Flour Mill anticipate a fairly quick turnaround, which has been greatly assisted by the locomotive's storage under cover at Sheffield Park, so all credit to the Bluebell as custodians of what was a defunct locomotive when in their care. This is one locomotive I'm looking forward to seeing and experiencing in steam!

 

Now that is something to look forward too, especially in that livery.

 

i remember seeing 30120 at the MHR in the mid 1980`s, a fine machine, but not suited to anything more than a three coach train over the Alps. There are two things of interest in the loco being returned to working order.

1) How much use are the B&W going to get out of it?. As they have a climb from Bodmin Parkway much steeper than the MHR.

2) It was mentioned somewhere in the railway press that the MHR had expressed an interest in taking the loco on, as one of the bidding parties. Strange if true, as the Urie locomotive society had previously handed the loco back to the NRM with several years left on the boiler ticket, the first time round, mostly on the grounds of its limited use. It finished its previous certificate at the Swanage Railway.

However it will be great to see the old Gal back in action, and maybe visiting the MHR for a gala on light duties. Also BR lined black always in my opinion suited the loco better than the Southern Green applied for Woking 150.

 

Brilliant news, used to always ensure I had a good look at her in the Bluebell sheds, if only she could have been overhauled for use at the Bluebell where I could regularly see her.
Anyway, will be great to see her in steam.

 

If I remember rightly not all the bidding parties had plans (certainly not short term plans) to return the loco to steam, more that they where happy to look after it.

Agreed it would be splendid at the MHR or the BB but anywhere in steam is good for me. There where some lovely pictures of it at the MHR when they had red/cream stock, luckily Bodmin can offer that!

 

I'm glad the B&W have it. Call me partisan, but as a Southern enthusiast it provides me with an ideal excuse to fork my hard-earned money out to get down there sooner rather than later. Their galas should be pretty excellent with the potential for two ex-LSWR locomotives in steam on a line with which they became synonymous.

I wonder if the problem it had with the cylinders had any bearing on its 'weakness'? I know it has been repaired before, but it's a thought. They were classed as light passenger towards the end of their working lives, and with 6'7" driving wheels for high-speed running, they probably don't make the best hill-climbers. We shall see, however!

 

I'm sorry that 120 wasn't done at the Bluebell, a pre-grouping 4-4-0 would have added so much to the collection. I'm also sorry to see her going back into black, but I'm glad she'll be in steam. I hope she makes a visit to the Bluebell, hopefully by then the Atlantic will be running, and in a matching livery. Particularly appropriate as both classes worked the Bluebell in that Livery in BR days.
Daniel

 

Yes it's wonderful news that the T9 will steam again and in BR lined Black it will look stunning. Let's hope the Bluebell can hire her. The prospect of two lined black 4-4-0's running together is mouth watering, I think Beachy Head is guesstimated to be completed by 2012/13 so there's every chance we could pair the two locos together.

 

Excellent news about the T9. I didn't expect her to return in BR livery though.

 

Of course if we could pursuade the Bluebell to get the Adams Radial returned to steam and also outshopped in lined black first, what a pairing those two would make together.

 

Two lined black 4-4-0s?

Last time I checked, Beachy Head had an extra trailing wheelset!

Tom (Turning pedant mode back off)

 

Ooops your right, it's a 4-4-2. I must have had what my wife calls a "senior" moment lol. Joking aside what a sight it would be to have the T9, Beachy Head and the Adams Radial in steam together all in matching lined black livery on the Bluebell.

 

Even I would pay to see that (pay? I need to go and lie down now)

 

Although I been told, you need to get a brand new boiler for the 'Radial' (perferably with a new copper rather steel 'box') before that could happen. I wouldn't be surprised if the new 'Alantic' is finished and in traffic before the 'Adams' goes anywere near the workshops...

 

Thinking about it with the new 'Hornby' T9 out, how much are you willing to bet there be a speical edition of 30120 when she returns to action.

 

These days, a complete new boiler/firebox is not out of the question; take 80072 on the Llangollen, for instance (new conical boiler, the Radial, if memory serves has parallel, so in theory should be cheaper to do? New fireboxes are fairly regular fixtures as the ones on the former Barry locomotives are becoming care-worn). As usual, it depends on how many like-minded individuals want to see it in steam enough to fork out the hard cash to do it. I just wish I had the money to do so, as I'd happily donate a couple of grand towards it, as the Radials are a particular favourite of mine. However, with the wages that a certain high street catalogue retailer are giving me, that's a bit difficult at the moment...

 

Great news that 120 is to be repaired. I remember her taking 4 on the MHR in the late 1980's, but that was quite a struggle sometimes! She's not the ideal choice for the B&W as it stands at the moment, but it will be great just to see (and hear!) her in action again. I don't suppose she'll be able to run to Wadebridge, let alone Padstow, on her next boiler-ticket, but I hope she will one day during my lifetime!!

 

I have fond memories of firing and driving 120 at Swanage in the early nineties and am very pleased to hear she will be returned to steam. I'm also sure Tony Hallworth will show the Bodmin lads how to get her up the bank from Parkway! Lets hope we can have her back at Swanage again for a another Gala pairing with no.53.

With regards the livery, I thought she looked good in Maunsell olive green................no not another livery debate please!

 

My take on this is that I personally prefer SR olive green BUT BR black will match the Well tank and its that she'll be running black or green, besides its only paint when all said and done.

 

I agree. My preference is BR livery, but I'm happy just to see them in steam. Even if there were T9s for every livery variation of the class in preservation, some bright spark would probably be discontent for No. "NNN" not being in such-and-such livery or numbered 30NNN. At least this way, the B&W will have a matching fleet of historically appropriate locomotives with liveries that generally suit the carriages (although does the B&W have Southern Region Mk. Is?).