Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

35025's tank is now gently returning to nature in Sellindge

 

The owners/restoration team of 35025 must be asking themselves "where did it all go wrong?"

The Bluebell doesn't have a resident Merchant Navy so wouldn't it be better off there? Or the Lavender line or the East Kent or the MHR or somewhere where it could receive some positive attention, or at the very least be viewed by the public as a 'exhibit'

I know that there is always a space issue on heritage lines but this locomotive could be easily made to look presentable from the images I've seen.

 

Where did it go wrong? what happened to the restoration team at the GCR? and why did the owner move the engine to a field in Kent, was it because he thought that SLL members might come to his rescue? after all SLL used to have a presence there, but once they moved to Herston, they cut all ties with Sellinge and now he finds himself with no one who on the face of it wants to work on the loco, or no funds to have work done, and he must be paying storeage fees for the loco , when you look at whats at Selinge, theres one clear thing, apart from Antwerp,and the other Austerity, every other thing there has not been worked on since its arrival, and some stock has been there a very long time

 

Isn't 35025 owned by a group. 35011 is owned by an individual, but hasn't had any restoration work done on it. As you say though, what happened to the people who supported the engine at the GCR?
Daniel

 

I doubt the Mid Hants would want it on the line. Space is already tight at Ropley and there own Merchant Navy is at Eastleigh so having another one on the line would potentially hit 35005s funding from visitors.

I'd be surprised if the Bluebell would take it as its way to big for there line, Blackmore Vale a smaller Light Pacific is already to big and unecomonical (compared to the stock they use at the moment) for the line so its big brother would be a no go, the same could be said for the East Kent. For both locomotives there best chance of a bright future might be a comestic restoration and stuffing in a museum.

 

Not now its not!

Anyway, I think the line has more than enough Bulleid's - for now..........

Maybe somewhere Ooop North might like one.......

 

Yet again I wonder if the best fate would be to be gifted to a society like MNLPS as a potential source of spares for Clan Line… a second boiler would be the most useful item, but god forbid she ever damaged a cylinder or such like it would prove to be a money saver!!

I have just scanned through there website, apparently the wheels have been re-tyred so there are lots of valuable spares that could prove useful when or if a swop out is required!

 

Dont give people ideas ;-)

The extra room at Ropley will probably be taken over by some of the diesels we cant have them working in the cold now can we ;-)

 

What ever the future is for either 35025, or 35011, the respective owners have to at some stage realise that they can not hope to restore either engine where they currently are, but i dont think they will until someone bursts their collective bubble, prehaps once Antwerp is done and moves away , then reality will finally sink in, the problem is this they moved to Sellindge in the first place on the back of some dream that the Site could take off, that they could attract a large membership, that the RL would get the branch,that at folkestone East there would be an operating base for mainline steam , i think the dream was to restore 35025 and attract the VSOE back to the harbour with steam haulage from victoria to Folkestone

 

When my lottery win comes, the East Lancs will be having one! (or maybe one of the ones already there operational!!)

 

It already has been.................. best place for them!

 

Good for you!

And the lads at the CVR seemed to love Wadebridge when she was up there last year - who said Bulleid's can't climb hills! She gets up 'the Alps' no problem. Though her valve timing recently has been WAY out!

 

Speaking of Mid Hants Bulleids, do we know whats happening with 34058 Sir Frederick Pile? Seems to have gone quiet on that front for a while now.

 

All I know is she's "in the queue".......... there's been rumour & counter rumour, as usual and there are quite a few vehicles full of mainline standard parts ready and waiting for her!

But the fact that the owner gifted it to the railway last year means that it will steam, but how far down the queue, I know not, given that Can Pac & Swanage are 'front' of the queue, followed by the two Std 4's, and somewhere in there soon the Ivatt 2, and I'm led to believe the Std 4T is fairly high up the list........

 

It will be interesting to see what is next in to the shed after the next locos come into service.......

I have listed current engines in the works in a rough order of how it appears to be..... but as will all things steam this could change massively??? (Feel free to correct me if I am wrong)

Under Overhaul

76017 (Due some time 2015)
41312 Ivatt 2 Tank
34105 Swanage
35005 Can Pac (funding now in place)
75079 (at least 3 years time)

Next in the Shed?
850 Nelson (Ticket Expires sometime in 2016?)
34007 Wadebridge (Ticket expires end of 2016)

 

I "think" the Std 4 Tank is pretty high up the list., and get the feeling that Wadebridge will be taking a break.......... as for Nellie, I believe that will depend on the NRM(?), and I'm damn sure I've heard the words "new boiler", if not for Nellie, then definitely something else - though don't quote me on that!

The most intriguing one is Sir Fred.............................. could we assume things will start once Can Pac is done?

 

Regarding Nellie, I am pretty sure I am right in saying the boiler is the good bit! I believe its the bits below the boiler that will require the attention this time round, as the MHR did a lot of work on the boiler when she arrived after her mainline stint. Also I am pretty sure the NRM are keen for her to stay at Ropley with the overhaul taking place there, this off the back of Chellie.

The std 4 tank will be such a good engine for the line, scrap that all 3 std 4s will be perfect for the line.....

 

Regardless of whichever loco the boiler refers to, at some point in the future I reckon new ones will become the necessity, and not just on the MHR!

As for Nellie, I'm sure she'll be done at Ropley, the question is - when? And who's going to pay for it?......... the MHR I suspect.

 

I stumbled across some photos of some of the recent (last 6 months) work on 75079 https://www.flickr.com/photos/126799424@N04/with/14895785373/

 

For me Nellie is the lines best locomotive (in terms of looks) so would like to think fundraising for her restoration wouldnt be that hard.

Speaking of CanPac I came acorss this on her on truck axle box. I am assume that the E in the triangle means Eastleigh being thats where she was originally built, did the West Countrys and Battle of Britian class have a triangle with B as they were built mostly at Brighton.