Anybody looking for a GWR project ?

Apparently available in Australia is former Mersey railway number one 'The Major'. This loco is almost identical to it's sisters, which were sold to Alexandra Docks & Railway Company, & three of which were taken over by the G.W.R.
Anybody interested ?

Bob.

 

any link or pictures?

 

Hopefully that's what will happen with no. 5 'Cecil Raikes', at present stored in Liverpool. This is still in original condition, complete with condensing equipment.
'The Major' was rebuilt by Beyer Peacock prior to being shipped to Australia & is probably closer in condition to how the Alexandra docks locos. looked.
To see a few photos of both go into Google & search for 'Mersey Railway The Major & scroll down to 'Images for Mersey Railway The Major.

Bob.

 

http://www.australiansteam.com/JAB 5.htm

 

Looks fairly similar to the mentioned Cecil Rakes, the tank looks a bit shot mind!.

 

thanks but I meant a current link or pictures.

 

Certainly quite unlike the Majority of steam survivors...

 

I too would like to see some evidence of this. Australia is known for holding onto museum items. IoWSR has been looking at the Beyer 2-4-0Ts out there and a couple of people have been looking at the GCR/ ROD 2-8-0s out there but laws prohibit them being exported out so if it is to move on it will be within Australia.

 

I don't think there is a total ban on exports, I think that significance is taken into account as well and, if I understand correctly, there would still be two of this class left at Thirlmere if "The Major" was sold.

 

They have recently been given the hull of 'City of Adelaide' for restoration, despite it being on our historic ships list, so it should work both ways.

Bob.

 

Because that has the name of one of their cities on it.

Thanks 61264, I knew it wasn't total ban but its been a while since the ROD chat was swirling around and it came up.

 

No1 has the name of John Major on t, we want it back, as he is an important Historical Figurine.

 

Kinda tenuous as a GW project seeing as the GWR scrapped 2 of their 3 in 1923 without even giving them their GW numbers, and the last went in 1927. A photo in RCTS of the last shows a large pipe coming from the smokebox where the condensing pipe was which apparently goes down under the frames, perhaps to meet the cylinders. It almost looks as if they put outside steam pipes on an inside cylinder loco!

I think that's because we were going to scrap her...

 

I don't think associating it with him would help the cause!.

The links with the GWR might be tedious, but doesn't stop it being an interesting thing with plenty of English History.

 

it was a little joke, (just as most MPs of that persuasion tend to be)

 

Sadly not - The Major and Cecil Raikes are the only surviving MR steam locos. Personally I'd be quite sad to see The Major leave Australia since it would leave a gap in their preservation ranks, but I suppose if her current owners really can't restore her then one has to think of the best interests of the engine.

I also think it's a real shame that Cecil Raikes has been out in the cold for so long. She's a beautiful and very important locomotive - the last surviving six-coupled double-framer in Britain - and she would make a worthy restoration project. Steam Railway, if you're reading, how about an appeal...?

 

It would certainly be wonderful to see either of these ex-MR locos back in action, how fantastic would Cecil Rakes look on a nice rake of wooden coaches....

 

Like the three former Mersey Railway coach bodies still existing at locations in Nottinghamshire ?
I've got the full builder's spec. for these , right down to the colour of the carpets in the first class compartments.

Bob.

 

I 'm off to check, but I thought that link said no4 had been restored...sadly not a Mersey loco but nice anway