Building a replica Darjeeling B Tank

Hi all

Just to let you know that there are now plans to set up a group to build a replica Darjeeling B tank for use around the narrow gauge railways in Britain.

The contact for this project is Cedric Lodge

Please contact me off list if you want his email address

Regards

Colin Rainsbury

 

Sorry to be a bit miserable but I would have thought the Metropolitan Water Board 0-4-2T design to be a more generally useful machine of roughly the same size. There is after all a Darjeeling loco in the U.K. already.

P.H.

 

I've always wanted someone to build a replica of a Metropolitan Water Board loco...stunningly beautiful locomotives with a very Victorian asthetic.

 

Seems like an odd choice to me for the following reasons.

1) There are loads of them already including one in the UK.

2) They are too big for the small lines but not big enough for the likes of the WHR, VofR etc

3) Among other things the wheelbase is far from ideal for the fast running required by the bigger lines.

4)THERE ARE LOADS OF THEM ALREADY!

5) Folks are more likely to get enthusiastic about something missing like Beddgelert, a Darjeeling A class or the very nice Metropolitan Water Board 0-4-2T

Tim

 

Cough. Moel Tryfan. Cough.

 

cough, I agree, cough, cough

 

Thirded - or an original condition England...

 

There are some beautiful narrow gauge locomotives that are greatly missed and should grace the world once again. That said if their passion is for a B Class, then a B Class it is. Though wouldn't it be cheaper just to import one?

 

I would have thought that a Leek and Manifold Valley loco would be of more interest after all they ran for 30 years here and they have an Indian flavour.

 

I think most of them are bound in place by the UNESCO deal. Wouldn't it be cheaper and easier to not bother? Not that I expect it to go far!

 

A roving for-hire NG locomotive is an interesting concept. Is there any railway that suffers from a shortage of steam? Most established NG places have an inherited supply of steam, locos brought in from elsewhere or are building up their own fleet internally (Corris for example). The small railways seem to have a need to hire-in for a short while but all the major places - Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland (C), Talyllyn, Bala, Welshpool etc have enough to keep them ticking over.

 

New examples of the B class have already been built for the DHR in recent years, so presumably it wouldn't be hard for them to knock out another! But, as there's already a B class in the country, why be a bit more advenurous and go for an A class. Might be a bit more suited to use on most British heritage lines.

My personal favourite is the Huswell Clarke 4-4-0 tender engine built for the Fiji Free Train.

 

Just to get it correct the loco's have nothing to do with the UNESCO status it is the railway, but Indian railways have stated they would not let any more leave, but i not sure if they have any control over the ones they do not own

 

Righty PJM.

On another note, the owner of the UK one won't be able to take it with him so it wouldn't suprise me if you were able to buy a Darj tank in 40 years time.

 

How about a replica of the original Ffestiniog double fairlie, Little Wonder(?)

 

I was wondering when the suggestion of a Double Fairlie would appear on this thread. If there was to be one built I'd like to see a James Spooner - I think it was the most handsome of all the ones built.

 

Lyn would be nice...

 

We could do with at least one Russell in working order!

 

Lyn is around 40% funded. See the Lyn website for a new incentive to buy membership in the next 2 weeks! www.762club.com

 

I have a drawing of an 0-6-0+0-6-0 Double Fairlie - two Moel Tryfans back to back - and very tasty it looks too...