34051 Winston Churchill

Seeing as no one has answered your query the answer is that the original airsmoothed MNs and LPs had UV cab lighting, housed in the box like protrusions behind the roof ventilator, so had black gauges with white markings. When rebuilt the UV lighting was dropped and the gauges fitted with white dials with black markings.

 

It's a difficult one. I guess that for many of us, our emotions would say, "let's have 34051 working again", but I do agree, we're not exactly short of Bulleids. Just taking the unrebuilds, there are a further nine survivors. The three obvious lines with connections to the class in BR days have five between them (21C123 at the Bluebell, 34007 and 34105 at the Mid Hants and 34070 and 34072 at Swanage, although these last two are SLL-owned locos). It is therefore unlikely that any of these lines would want to restore 34051 for use on their normal services. Main line? Well, we've got Tangmere and who knows what the long-term plans are for 34073. The owner(s) of City of Wells would like to see their engine run on the main line (as would plenty of other people!) but from what I've read, they don't appear to have the money at the moment for all the electronic gubbins which you need these days. There could therefore perhaps be scope for 34051 as a second main line "Spam Can" but it would need someone with good fundraising skills and a business plan to make it work and, of course, the NRM would have to agree.

 

Someone perhaps like Jeremy Hosking. It would give him a complete set of Bulleids. Perhaps a long term deal with the NRM maybe possible if he so desired. As far as business acumen is concerned I don't think there are any problems there!

 

It doesn't need to run. Why can't we have something on display for once?

 

From the job that's being done, it's going to look the Mutts!

I hope you'll be happy with her, she'll be a fine tribute to the great man!

 

Thanks, funny how the Friends of the NRM raise the money, MHR and our workshops produce a nice shiny object and then folks want it to work.

We'll have our money's worth out of it being in display condition first I think. Makes no sense to do all that work and then lay big spanners on to it!

She's looking good by the way. working on some of the details with MHR at present to ensure she looked as she did in January 1965 on the famous day.

 

So I've been told, and you're doing Ollie's head in Lol!

 

She looked fab today. Well done to all involved. I certainly don't envy the job of the person sorting all those pipes out in the cab

 

No quarrel whatsoever with that; but making replacement functional solid brass fittings would be, frankly, a waste of effort and money if those fittings were never going to be used, so I can't believe that's the long-term intention. For an item that's only ever going to be on display, you want the original component if it's available and can be cosmetically restored, or failing that something that looks right but doesn't need to work. So you might, for instance, reproduce the outer body of an injector but there would be no point in making the innards.

 

But it isn't a waste of money and effort, it is replacing with the real thing what was there before and has over the years gone AWOL. Otherwise we might as well fill the museum with 3D prints of the exhibits - and yes, it does futureproof the thing. As for the long term intention, ask me in 20 years as I am about to retire and I'll bet you that 34051 won't have steamed.

 

[QUOTE="
She's looking good by the way. working on some of the details with MHR at present to ensure she looked as she did in January 1965 on the famous day.[/QUOTE]

Fascinating account of the day of the funeral from the perspective of 34051's crew is given by Jim Lester . who was the fireman. on the nine elms website.

http://www.svsfilm.com/nineelms/wcf.htm

Jim is the webmaster of the Nine Elms site, and organises annual reunions on the Blubell for former Nine Elms staff. Perhaps MHR could invite him to give the loco the once over to ensure authenticity.

 

David, Jim is already involved I'm pleased to say. It's all good stuff.

 

And Ollie's doing a top job!

 

Is there any chance 6229 can steam before you retire Anthony?!

 

Now you're talking!

 

Fascinating account of the day of the funeral from the perspective of 34051's crew is given by Jim Lester . who was the fireman. on the nine elms website.

http://www.svsfilm.com/nineelms/wcf.htm

Jim is the webmaster of the Nine Elms site, and organises annual reunions on the Blubell for former Nine Elms staff. Perhaps MHR could invite him to give the loco the once over to ensure authenticity.[/QUOTE]

He's already been there....... and Anthony's just beaten me too it........

This is an extract from the forthcoming wagon group blog........ slightly out of context...... but there you go!


"Both were then recorded rubbing down paintwork by a BBC film crew........... just to prove they were not skiving! Workshop silence was then imposed whilst Jeremy Paxman interviewed James Lester the ex-BR Fireman who crewed the loco on Winston Churchill's funeral train. James told some interesting tales that will be part of a programme going out on BBC1 in January 2015 for the 50th anniversary of Churchill's passing"

 

I know he is!

I was chewing the fat with him a few weeks ago...... comparing working practice & how we despair of others.......

I know one thing, he's proud & humbled to be in charge of such a prestigious project!

Heck of a thing to put on your CV........ when the finished result will be visible to the world!.......... I trust he and the lads are coming to the unveiling.......

Oh, and the above quote from the Wagon Group blog (of which I am part) just goes to show the cross department collaboration...... and one of our members in particular is tasked with all the head & tail lamps as he's done such a good job!

 

You've got lots on display at York ......... Don't be greedy. ;-)

 

Could this latest stage of 34051's life be described as the 'End of the begining?' so to speak

 

Ungrateful bunch aren't they? anyone would think it had been designed to pull coaches, not sit in a shed looking pretty....