Flying Scotsman

An important factor that has been overlooked IMHO is the Sales side of the operation. On most steam-hauled railtours the loco-owning group have a sales team passing through the train and these sales are a valuable contribution to the income stream for the next overhaul. Given the more extensive marketing facilities of the NRM - and the fame of 4472 / 60103 - I think that income will not only be generated from marketing BUT also product licensing that should generate sufficient funding for future overhauls.

Allied to this income stream will be the fact that the current overhaul is so stringent that future overhauls should be easier to undertake and - if Bob Meanley's suggestion in his analysis of the locomotive are adopted - FS should be subject to a lesser degree of "wear & tear" that will also assist future overhauls.

Althoug hard lessons to learn I believe that the NRM has learned both the lesson that FS needs to be carefully looked after and the lesson that a lot of people have such affection for her that every action the NRM takes will be carefully scrutinised.

That - I venture to suggest - will be the impetus to have FS well maintained and operated once she returns to main line service.

 

The cost of overhaul of the FS may be a large amount of money, but its like the vulcan bomber, people wish to keep it airworthy, even though it only has a few years left without modifications, but the public pledges thousands just to keep it going.
We are all keen to see locos out on the lines, some that have never been overhauled since Barry ect, but its the excitement of being able to watch a loco again out either on mainline or heritage, that makes us do it.

On a note of Riley's, I was told via one of his staff that the reason he takes his locos via rail, is due to frames twisting due to using road haulage, as getting them off and on the trailers can cause frames to twist and stress of them.

 

I agree but the NRM will need to improve their onboard selling to maximise its potential and I suggest they need to look at the A1 Steam Trusts operation, to see what can be achieved.

 

That could well be something for the future; the current effort is to get 4472 back into operating status after which the questions of a dedicated support team and dedicated marketing will doubtless be something for the NRM to decide - subject to staffing resources and availability. They may even look to recruit a dedicated team as part of a limited company but that is for the future as doubtless Paul Kirkland - with his financial expertise - will be looking at the many options available.

 

back to the overhaul please,thank you

 

Quite simple. No news yet. Nothing reported. IR will report as soon as he is allowed to, and "allowed" may well be the interesting bit, particularly given the "perfect vacuum" state the interested and concerned were left in previously, this leopard may have changed its spots. Not holding my breath, could go a very peculiar and unhealthy colour.

 

WHY ?

Discusion of the way 4472 will be operated is as much a valid discussion pointy as the current overhaul - and possibly of better value given that IR and the NRM will be enacting confidentiality clauses that means overhaul discussions are "pie in the sky" whereas future operation is still relevant.

 

Once upon a time, we had to wait for Railway Magazine or Railway World to come out and scour the news sections. Whatever happened to patience?

 

The internet

 

All must be quiet on the western front in La la land.......................................................

 

Have moved the low loader discussion to a new thread, it can be found here:

http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/its-safer-by-road.166280/

 

People's desire for instant information. Problem is, overhauls do not happen instantly but still people want constant updates.

 

To be fair, if companies and organisations are going to be on social media, they need to work the way social media works. Even if it's only to say 'there's nothing further to say right now, but you'll here the latest official info here as soon as it's announced', they should still respond to queries and requests that aren't unreasonable or argumentative.

Simon

 

Not actually true, the rumour mill has worked quite effectively at least since I was a train spotter standing on a Wood Green platform in short trousers.

 

Unfortunately that's the name of the game with social media - its immediacy is what makes it effective. As I say, I'm not suggesting that every tweet requires a bespoke response, or up-to-the-second status report. But a standing 'thanks for your query; when there's something to report, it'll be here first' should be a de rigeur stock response, same day, same hour ideally.

No one invited companies and organisations onto social media - if they're going to use it for corporate purposes, they need to follow its rules.

Simon

 

Curiosity is natural of course but as you quite rightly say, many organisations cannot afford the luxury of monitoring social media sites 24/7. Not only that but if there's nothing to report, there's nothing to report.

 

Agreed but at times it was wildly inaccurate.

 

And still is...that's why I don't listen to the rumour mill...