John Bunch & his locos currently based on the Mid Hants

sensible option? oh well, bin that one straight away!

Maybe the N might go to Ireland and be re-gauged.... now that would be popular, but not in this country!

 

Have to agree with you there, the U is a great size and easy to drive and maintain. As for the N, I can see why the NRM would be interested, also as a Woolwich engine would have a little extra to its story with, as you say, the hints of standardisation/nationalisation years before it happened.

 

It would be a shame to see the Locomotives leave the Mid-Hants as loco"s like 34016 Bodmin and 73096 are so associated with the line when i think of the
Mid-Hants i straight away think of Bodmin. Dialogue is whats needed if Wars can be stopped with Dialogue {well some of them} then i hope as proberly a lot of people do that hopefully we might get a result with this one.

 

Anyway if as they say the World ends tomorrow we wont have to worry about the engines leaving the Mid-Hants..........

 

And who would have considered a couple of years ago that the WHHR/F&WHR would be able to make a start on improving their relationship, but skip forward to this year and the WHHR ran their AGM train on the Rhe and both parties were working together to deliver the Quarrypower Gala. No relationship is beyond all hope of a successful resolution...

 

I'll beat a path to your door for that! I loved the old withered arm and consider myself very privileged to have travelled behind several 'N's to places like Padstow, Plymouth and Ilfracombe. They were the salt of the earth, and I really hope that 31874 will sometime steam again; Swanage wouldn't be a bad place. Did N's ever work to Swanage in 'real steam' days?

 

You'd have to ask the man himself and the powers that be at the MHR for the answer, for I know not - and even if I did I probably wouldn't be able to say.

 

From what I know, the N is completely shot and basically needs putting in a blast furnace so you can start again, so a static exhibit at NRM would be a sensible option, now whether John Bunch would gift it to the nation is another matter.

 

I can't see that being the case. It may need a complete rebuild, but that's everyday nowadays.A unique engine with a good story.

 

I have heard that it is particularly tired both mechanically and in the boiler. Megabucks!

 

Why not?, my understanding is that 31874 requires a brand new tender tank, a brand new boiler barrel and the loco frames need serious replacement and thats just for starters.

I would say that Duty Druid has hit the nail on the head with what he has said.

Regards
Chris:

 

31874 had a new tender top fitted, the boiler needs a new firebox,or extensive copper welding, there is a patch from BR days that failed, a frame crack behind one of the drivers, and a general overhaul , 31625 needs boiler work but was thought to be good mechanically , because the original plan wasnt to restore 31806, but to swop the boiler into 31625's frames , 31806, is in service
73096 needs a full overhaul the boiler when rebuild was done so it should be ok for 20 years and so might not need much doing, the rest should be good as she had a lot of work done i believe when the cylinder went ,
34016 in need of full overhaul as with 73096 the boiler was repaired to be able to be good for 20 years, i think it needs crown stays and welding around the thermic sythons , but also needs a full mechanical overhaul ,
this was the situation as i understand it from chatting with my old friends there,

The reason why no engine has been released from the agreement is probally down to the wording of the original hire agreement, it might lead to the MHR having to pay a fee, to Mr Bunch or vise versa either way , it must be in each others interest to allow the situation to remain as it is because to move 4 engines at once isnt cheep, and whilst 31806 is in traffic, i would assume he is getting a steaming fee . if as romoured the 5 and Bodmin are to be disposed of to west coast, then there must be a clause somewhere that prevents the sale of any of these locos, unless its too the MHRPS , until after the agreement runs out, thats the only answer i can think of, but as both parties remain tight lipped, thats all we can do, guess.

 

Tender tanks and boiler barrels are pretty simple things to replace. Frames will depend on what is required. Expense generally comes with firebox work, especially where copper is involved.

 

We've no had the N offered, so I wonder where that idea came from? Interesting though...

 

Anthony, do you need to ask - this is NatPres, the home of copper-bottomed rumour and speculation.

But seriously, as I am sure you are aware, the N was hugely influential in the way British locomotive practice turned out, so as a class, would certainly deserve a prominent place in the NRM. You could argue that the class set the template for the Black 5, the later Ivatt designs and ultimately the BR standards.

Tom

 

Anthony, I very much doubt that the owner would offer it for free

Regards
CW:

 

Is that why you enjoy Nat/Pres so much then Tom

Regards
Chris:

 

Thanks, I wasn't suggesting that the owner would offer it for free - but was intrigued to read of it as a possibility here first. Still an interesting idea, not that we have any money to go buying locos!

 

No, I hate it here, I just take my place in the Bluebell Railway Rapid Rebuttal force through a sense of duty and gritted teeth...

Tom