47298 for sale

Mr Riley?

 

Makes sense, there's a long good history there. (76079 used to be owned by the same person as 7298 at the time) dare we consider a mainline Jinty ?, it has been off the beaten track before (Port Sunlight, Padiham and Rainhill).

 

Great news. A couple of years ago I heard a rumour the Japanese were interested in buying it and taking it abroad to create some kind of Thomas theme park in Japan. Thank God that hasn't happened.

I wonder what it's future as Thomas holds. The Spa Valley had provisionally booked it for next year's events on the understanding things could change under a new owner. Because of this I hope it remains as Thomas, as the Jintys are about the only suitable loco for how we now run our events. With 47327 now returning to its original origins, 47298 is the only one left... I also prefer them in black don't get me wrong, but I also look at the operating issues for our little blue engine events and like an easy life when hauling 5 coaches and a diesel!

Matt

 

Thomas the tank engine has been bought by Mattel so the future is very good!
And there is already a theme park in Japan!
Nice that it is going to Riley's operation!

 

Llangollen Railway / engineering and mr pierce, are converting Jessie back to a Thomas again. Much more powerful and better looking as a Thomas, compared to the jinty.

 

I do find it strange people consider Jinties the only viable Thomas impressionists (the implication being most Industrials modified for the role lack power or range), why not just tuck a Diesel in behind to do the work ?, I can't see there being a toddler Mike Notley not happy with assistance given on Berwyn bank!.

 

Perhaps not, but it's a delightful mental image...!

 

"Thomas achieved a maximum of 850HP at the drawbar, falling back to a minimum of 12.5MPH at milepost 3, which was the second fastest climb recorded by a Sodor Locomotive, the Fat Controller was very proud of him and gave him a big drink at Carrog".

 

Of the 3 'Thomas' engines I've fired only 1 was a Jinty and it was by far the worst. What a dog of an engine it was.

 

I remember hearing Christopher Awdry speaking at an event to mark 150 years of the opening of the railway to Eastbourne, and he informed us that Thomas was apparently originally an LB&SCR E2, niot a Jinty. Another new build, someone????? (Incidentally, what class was James the Red Engine meant to be? I can't think of any inside-cylindered 2-6-0s apart from Irish locos.)

 

Its already been done, 4 brand new Thomas's scratch built in standard gauge

http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/mechanical-new-construction.php

Whilst Thomas is non working, the railway is doing a new working new build of a 19th century loco, from only dismantled scrap yard photographs and one drawing... Impressive.

 

Yes, that's right (about the E2). Strange prototype to choose, in a way, as that was a very small class. Most of the engines have recognisable prototypes but not James, AFAIK. In the 1970s Hornby had a model of an E2 in their range, and when I guess they thought whatever sales they were going to have were played out, they altered the mould to make their Thomas.

Incidentally, anyone else notice that after Henry's crash when he goes to Crewe to be rebuilt, he goes into the works as a 4-6-2 of vaguely LNER outline and emerges as a 4-6-0 of definite LMS outline. That looks like an "accountancy rebuild" if ever I saw one :smile:

Tom

 

Was Henry rebuilt as the Rev Awdry was not happy with the artist making Henry and Gordon look too similar?

 

Wikipedia is your Friend!

James is based on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway "Class 28", an 0-6-0 mixed-traffic tender engine of 1912/13, designed by George Hughes and based on the earlier Class 27 designed by John Aspinall. According to the Rev Awdry, the Class 28s were powerful goods engines but had a tendency to be nose-heavy, especially when used as relief engines on excursion trains, as they often were, and driven at speed.[SUP][1][/SUP]
In the book The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways, Awdry explained the difference in James's appearance from a Class 28. James was built by Hughes as an experiment to see if the nose-heaviness could be counter-acted. The locomotive was fitted with larger (5' 6") driving wheels and a pony truck, making it into a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement.[SUP][1][/SUP] (The real Class 28 has 5' 1" wheels[SUP][citation needed][/SUP].) James is also missing the prominent front sandboxes fitted to the Class 28s.[SUP][2][/SUP] The improvement was not as great as hoped for, and after the grouping, the LMS sold James to the Fat Controller's North Western Railway.[SUP][1][/SUP] As with most of the early Railway Series characters, which were not so closely based on real locomotive classes, Awdry's explanation is a case of retroactive continuity.

 

I had heard Thomas was based on an LBSCR E2 tank (although it looks like the side tanks were modified at somepoint). I think the Mid Hants probably have the closest to a New Build E2 in their Thomas. One would certainly look at home at Sheffield Park, Ropley or Tunbridge Wells West.

This site gives an idea on what locos in Thomas are based on real engines Identifying the Engines of the Rev. W. Awdry

Quite interesting IR has bought 47298 though.

 

What about the Mc Intoch class 34 Superheater Goods 2-6-0 of the Caledonian Railway, Pickergill also proposed a 2-6-0 as well but it was never built.

 

It is reported in Steam Railway this month, that Ian Riley has sold 47298 to a private buyer and it is to be delivered in full working order to the buyer's railway of choice next year (I think it said Feb/Mar but I could be wrong). No clues as to who has bought it or where it might end up, except that David Smith (WCRC) has issued a firm response that he has not bought it and it definitely won't be going to his recently purchased station at Aysgarth.

Let the rumours begin...

Keith

 

If 44767 is anything to go by it's David Smith, then!

 

Old Mother Riley...