Nameplates back on black Dukedog

Hi all

Just received a phone call from a mate saying that he's at the Bluebell today and the nameplates have been put back on the black Dukedog. Is this true? If so why wasn't any announcement made via the web site stating this was going to happen and so giving the enthusiasts some forewarning.](*,)

Bearing in mind we have our biggest enthusiast gala coming up next month surely the nameplates should have stayed off just for those 3 days so anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to photograph the black Dukedog without those silly nameplates can do so at Giants.

Cheers

David

 

Just because the 'plates were on today or yesterday, doesn't mean they'll still be there in 4 weeks time, or whatever it is - does it? Why not have a whip-round amongst your photogtapher chums and offer to "sponsor" removing them for the gala?

 

Shame I couldn't manage to get any footage of it this summer without the plates but I think the plates add to the shape and flow of the boiler, it doesn't look right to me without them.
Surprising if a permanent move has been made without warning but I don't really mind.

 

Hopefully those silly nameplates are temporary but the point is 9017 was in green with fake nameplates since 2003 up until April of this year. So we've had barely 5 months of this loco in black and finally looking correct without those nameplates, is that long enough - no not really is it. At the very least some initiative could have been used by holding back and waiting until after Giants was over to then put the fake nameplates back on. Is there people wanting to see 9017 in black and with fake nameplates, maybe, but my guess is you can probably count them on one hand. Personally I feel the huge selling point of this loco in black has just diminished now the nameplates have been put on which is a great shame.

 

Seems like the same old problem. The management always knows best and don't consider anyone else.

 

Surprised she's still black

TBH, I'm surprised she's still black. I thought the Betton Grange mob had an "exclusive" arrangement and were supposed to return her to GW green before or soon after her return to the Bluebell. Rather than "only 5 months" it seems to me like an "extra" 4 months.

What other liveries are prototypical for this class (not necessarily 9017 herself)? Not BR green, I suppose. Lined black? GW wartime black?

 

Instead of moaning, why not do what Steamage said?

End of the day they are only nameplates... doesn't take weeks to remove them if enough people requested. And if they don't get removed what is the problem? It will surely be coupled to SR green stock so no authentic pairings anyway.

 

What you you prefer - the workshop spending time on repainting an engine (taking it out of service in the process) or spending time on getting with the repairs to the E4 so that it can come back into service later this year?

Gavin

 

Clearly there isn't much going on in the world at the moment... :-/

 

Not footage, but some photos taken a couple of weeks ago.

 

Who cares?

 

I would like to say:

DOES IT REALLY MATTER!

As it already been said they only bolted on so surely they can be taken off again quite quickly. Any way I prefer the name if only cause it annoys people. I call the locos at Swanage names sometimes, as numbers are boring and it pleases the kids who travel on the train. I call our engines Manston, Eddystone (obviously), Drummond, Taffy, Bob, and Riddles (guess which locos they are).

 

The nameplates aren't really silly though are they!!!

If they said 'Bouncy Castle' then they could be rather silly... But as the name 'Earl of Berkeley' go's it seems rather sensible to me...

 

And at least 9017 is carrying the name that she should have carried but was never put on!
Not exactly a major not correct or authentic thing is it!
Just glad that she's steaming and healthy, I personally, like the name, gives it some character.

 

Earl of Berkeley

Troll?

Looking for guidance from GWR experts, here: I have not seen 9017 since the plates were fitted, but I imagine they are genuine (ie not fake) ex-Castle Class 5060, or at least replicas. As I understand it, the Dukedogs did carry "nobility" plates until the late 1930's, when they were transferred to new-build Castles, as the nobility objected to their names being on "Victorian" locos. The ex-Dukedog plates are distinguishable from other non-"Castle" names carried by Castle class locos, such as "Hurricane", in that they do not have the "Castle Class" subscript.
Would be grateful if "an expert" could tell me whether 9017 was ever "Earl of Berkeley", and I assume it would have been in GW green!

 

As far as I know 9017 was due to be called Earl of Berkeley but it never happened for whatever reason and they where not applied to 9017 until preservation.

 

If you can remember or look at photos of the nameplates of the "Earl" series of Castles which had nameplates removed from the Dukedogs, you will see that the radius of the nameplate is different than the radius of the splasher. Therefore the nameplate mounting backplate has unequal curvature ie the centre is wider then the ends ("normal" Castles had a parallel curvature on the mounting plates). Can't remember what 5060 was like? Are 5043 & 5051 original Dukedog Earls?

 

Why are you worrying about inauthentic nameplates on a BR Black Dukedog when in all probably the rakes of anciant Southern Liveried stock behind the tender will make authenticity pointless ?.

 

Well... the Dukedog might be hauling the proper set? I must say I have seen the Dukedog and I prefer her in green with the nameplates on! I'm down on Wednesday, so I'll take a few shots then...

 

Footage of 9017

One of my videos has footage of a nameplate-less 9017. I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kOWf20MdxU

Regards