GWR 'Dean Goods' no. 2516 - suggested restoration in Steam Railway issue no. 401

Hate to say it David, but FR20 visited the SVR last year

Anyway, enough of this umming and aahing and "someone else can do it" - let's have some action! It doesn't appear that there is currently an active group pursuing this - I haven't the knowledge to run a newbuild project but I might be able to find a little time for it - who is with me potentially for a newbuild Dean Goods utilising the available boiler?

 

How the hell did I miss FR20 at the SVR ?, I would of almost certainly gone for that so no idea how it slipped under the radar.

Liveries aside, I'd be happy to put a few quid towards either restoring 2516 or a replica, sadly lack the expertise to do more than that mind.

 

It was there for the Victorian weekend along with a couple of other Victorian wonders, and also pulled the Duke of Gloucester's train to Bewdley to unveil a SVR150 plaque.

Anyway, 17 odd hours after my last posting, I think we've found the answer to why there isn't a group planning a Dean Goods - apathy. One (appreciated) offer of a few quid, otherwise zilch.

 

Much as I suspect a Dean Goods would be an ideal sized loco for many preserved lines, you will always be fighting an uphill battle for a new build of a class that already has a preserved original. The only exceptions to that I would have thought would be very early locos (such as Rocket) where it is obvious that the preserved member will never steam, the historical significance is high and the costs in constructing a replica are moderate.

The second problem with a Dean Goods is that even once you are over the hump of "why? one already exists", you then run into the issue that it is a vernacular 0-6-0 goods of primary interest to GW fans. Personally, I'd like to see a Drummond Black Motor or an LBSCR C2. I'm sure others on this forum would have equivalent LMS or LNER humble goods engines they'd like to see. So the potential support for a Dean Goods is spread pretty thin, probably largely confined to a subset of people who are likely to be members of the GWS, SVR, SDR, Llangollen and one or two other societies. Three of those organisations already have active new build projects underway and are unlikely to want to take on another one right now, especially just to create a loco that already exists, however useful such a loco might be in traffic.

So I think getting this one underway is going to be a mighty struggle, even though the likely cost will be smaller, and the end result more useful, than some other new builds that are currently further advanced.

Tom

 

To be fair Jamie, if you were going to ask the question if anyone would donate towards a Dean Goods, I'd give it a bit longer than 17 hours, a large part of which was overnight in the UK, you could well be right about apathy, but does seem a little quick to come to that conclusion, and no disrespect to Nat Pres, but how many enthusiasts read this forum, let alone this thread ?.

I just think if you going to "test the water" as it is, it really needs a wider audience to get a truer representation of if there's enough demand there.

 

Fair points both.

Tom, I think your point that there are a fair few GWR new-build projects already underway is a convincing one. Likewise that there is an extant member of the class - to you and me and some others, the idea of keeping 2516 in Swindon and building another is appealing from a conservational point of view, but others would ask a Dean Goods newbuild project, "Why? There already is one".

Shame though, as it'd be a nice loco to have about.

David, fair point, although my post did sit through NatPres' busiest period - evening in the UK. But if I or anyone else is going to test the water more thoroughly, they aren't going to do it alone. That is why I made the simple and very tentative step of a single post asking for people prepared to give some time to this to get in touch.

 

It's ok, I'm surprised the lack of interest there is on Taff Vale 28 despite us trying to do something positive about it.

 

A salutary reminder that there are, for want of a better word, "genuine" engines out there crying out for attention - interesting, rare and useful ones at that.

 

One could that interest in consituent companies is rather less in GWR circles than for other lines, and that South Wales is a relatively small area, so the "catchment" for enthusiasm is particularily small, but I agree its a crying shame that there doesn't seem to be more support for what is a pretty special piece of kit and a remarkable survivor...

 

probally because its not some named sexy express loco, the preserved railway world can be very strange at times,
Getting back to 2516, When the as then new Steam museum was built, it was clear that once in no exibit was going to be leaving without demolishing half the building,
totally short sightedness on Swindon borough council planning , i for one would like to have seen 2516 removed and City of Truro go to swindon.
That would enable the museum to give the engine a though look over , and do someting about the poor state of the paintwork , when i last saw it, it had been patch painted with differing shades of green, and the pannier was in need of attension also .

Getting onto taff vale 28, the engine has been in open storage stripped down i believe, that might be whats putting some people off .
Rolvendon seem to collecting quite a collection of welsh tank engines of 0-6-2 wheel arrangement ask if they can take one more who knows, what could york do with in return howabout the ford deisel, or the prototype SECR pmv ,.
p

 

You've missed the point, an appeal has been launched but I'm guessing the initial response hasn't been that high. Hopefully once it's been in the mags things may pick up for her.
http://railways.national-preservati...263-taff-vale-railway-no-28-a.html#post535504

 

No i hadnt read the taff vale postings, so i thought that what was meant was that the engine was still looking for a home, i,ve read them now, pity its only a cosmetic overhaul, but at least she will be lookeded after now.

 

Genuine question, but is there much difference between 28 and 85 on the KWVR ?, if not it could well be the same issue as some have highlighted with the idea of a replica Dean Goods with one already in existence, though 85 does get out and bout when Keighley have chance to overhaul it.

 

Different builder, different class, different bits and bobs technical specs etc. I think however they properly fall in to a bit of GWR style where they look vaguely similar from the same company so people assume there the same!!!

 

28 is an 01 class, 85 is an 02. Cylinder dimensions and driving wheel sizes are the same and that's it. 85 is heavier, has a higher boiler pressure and more oomph.

 

Fair enough then, can't really say I'm well up on Taff Vale and other Welsh machines.

 

And you weren't far wrong! Just hope they haven't been to the same school as the J39/V3/L1(LNER & SR versions). Suppose it has been a while since the last facebook new build...

 

Funnily enough, there IS one...

I'm James Littlewood, just stumbled upon this thread whilst researching for possible sources of input, membership etc for my project - which just so happens to be to build a new Dean Goods.

Rather scarily this was set up the day before you made that post!

In the 8 days the group has been set up on Facebook we've attracted over 130 members and attention from much of the railway scene, and are now working together with the likes of David Bradshaw (Patriot and County projects etc) and artist Ian Cryer. Unlike many other new build projects we actually know what we're doing, and have already found a boiler (the one at the P&BR mentioned in this thread), plus a possible source of tender frames and axleboxes, sources of drawings and more, are building up huge lists of contacts and have created a rough plan of action for the future.

Our Facebook group is here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/deangoodsproject/

And we are currently in the process of setting up a website, which will be at:
www.deangoodsproject.co.uk

I can currently be contacted via Facebook, PM on here, or by email at:
jameslittlewood@deangoodsproject.co.uk

Once again, this is a totally serious project with a dedicated board and memberbase that is headed in the right direction with the right priorities. We are not another of those groups of kids that start a group to build another of their favourite class and spend weeks deciding what livery it's going to be in before buying some random part because it might be useful...!

We are currently debating choices of number for the loco and artwork for the project in the group if you wish to voice your opinions on those, and will of course always welcome any new members no matter what they can offer - donations, skills, time, or even just a little support.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have if you contact me by any of the means above.


James Littlewood
Chairman
The Dean Goods Project

 

Many thanks indeed Martin! Any and all advice is of course greatly appreciated. While we're quite nicely set in our plans for the future, we understand only too well the important of input from the experts, memberbase etc and so nothing will be ignored.