Quick question about Stanier 8f 48518.

Why was it scrapped?

 

As I understand it, it hasn't actually been scrapped. Its boiler has gone to Didcot for the new "County" project (which is coming on very well) and the Patriot Group will use its pony truck wheels (they will need another pair of course). All the time 48518 was at Barry Scrapyard it was passed over and, regardless of peoples' views on the subject, 48518 has not survived as a complete loco. However, that is not to say that it will always be a dismembered hulk. It hasn't been scrapped.......yet.

 

Right, thank you, I was aware that it hasn't been fully, but never to why it was never restored. was it because of money or that it was so few parts ?

I am happy that its is being used in other plans.

 

I believe the driving wheels are earmarked for another preserved 8f.

 

i don't know that's a question that there can ever be a meaningful answer to is it? It hasn't been restored because it hasn't been restored... If you sent a questionnaire to every member of every active preservation team I'm sure you'd get an immense range of answers from "we considered it but we decided xyz was a better option" through to "I'd rather eat worms than work on an LMS design, especially one that has Western ancestry and was built by the LNER". All the answers would be equally true...

 

48518 was not restored as she was part of the Barry 10, and so any potential restorer needed the permission of her owner the Vale of Glamorgan Council. However restoring steam locos was the least of their priorities as they had other issues to deal with. In the end though the Cambrian Transport Group led by John Buxton IIRC were assigned the task of finding 'homes' for the Barry 10 which they have done over the last 6/7 years. Its taken so long because there was an awful lot of red tape to get through and it has taken an awful lot of work to gain release for all 11 (inc 5539).

The 8F thus donated its boiler to 1014, and the pony truck to 45551. She still has a good set of tyres and a few groups have made enquiries for them from what I've heard but can't confirm this. There was a suggestion to import a Turkey boiler to restore her in her own right as a lot of people moaned she was the sole surviving LNER built 8F. This though seems to have fallen beside the wayside.

 

IIRC she was the subect of an appeal by Peak Rail, or a group based there, in the late 70's early 80's. I shelled out for a print by Peter Annable? in support of this. In the end the appeal was scrapped, due I think to a poor boiler report?

 

My answer would have been that the GWS wanted a lookalike boiler for a County lookalike. There, I've said what I have been wanting to say for some time about the county project. If there is anything useful sell them for spares, then put the poor old wreck out of it's misery. I'll get my coat and go to my Nat Pres bomb shelter, bye bye...

 

Great knowleadge from people, filled in some mysterys from my side.

Also interested in the barry 10, whats the deal?

 

How can you say that they have been found homes? Only 80150 has been found a home. Other than the 56XX, the rest of the GWR locos are to be destroyed to provide parts for "projects". None of the locos have ever been advertised as being for sale.

 

Is it really worth rehashing this yet again? They had all been "for sale" for over twenty years (although I don't remember hearing much talk of Woodhams advertising them for sale) before in what must have been a rather dubious use of public money the local council took them on. That apparently complicated further ownership changes because of the inevitable bureacracy, but I can't help thinking that given the state of the locomotives the bureacracy was and is the least of the problems to be overcome.

 

Didnt want a fight, just wanted to know why these 10 have been kept or are special.

 

It does appear that it depended on you being lucky and getting the timing right as to when you asked if any of the Barry 10 were available as to whether you got anywhere - given they were "public property", I would have expected advertised sale by tender to have been almost compulsory, yet the processed followed seems to have been all but the exact opposite.

Steven

 

Lewis, as you can tell that are some strong views on what has happened, but basically Barry Council bought 10 locos for a proposed museum that eventually came to nothing. They were 80150, 5539, 92245, 2861, 4115, 5227, 6686, 44901, 7927, 48518. 5539 was later donated to the project with a wooden boiler as well but why this happened I can't say as I don't know.

As I said previously, with them being owned by the council there was a lot of red tape hence no-one was able to acquire them, until the council appointed the Cambrian Group to find new homes for them. Some of them have found new homes, with 80150 - MHR, 5539 - Llan, 5538 - Dean Forest and 6686 - Barry Island. 2861, 4115, 5227, 7927 and the 8F though have/are all donating parts to help some of the new build projects around.

This is where you get your split among enthusiasts, as there were some people who say they were willing to have a go at restoring some of the locos as they were, but there was no real opportunity for them to acquire the locos. I don't want to go over old ground, as we all have our own views and whether we agree or disagree with what has happened does not matter as the various agreements have been made.

 

Thanks, This is all I wanted just a simple explination of what they were, and here they are.

 

So they have all become one and all miss matched.
I just see that people Like the A1 trust are spending millions to get new builds but here we are scrapping some / spares which are half way there and have the history.

 

Earlier in this thread Sheff mentioned that 48518 was earmarked for Peak Rail, quite right but when the boiler condition was discovered they changed to 48624, by then though the group was called the 48518 Locomotive Co. Ltd., needless to say they changed the name in due course.

Dave
PS I can't get 'reply with quote' to work.

 

I can

Thanks for confirming my shaky memories - I thought it was as boiler problem that put paid to the Peak Rail bid.

Iain