61306

I can assure you that those of us who have been involved with a loco project from day one, and have made and sadly lost very good friends over the years, have a huge amount of pride in and affection for our locos. When you've been together for forty years or more it's like family.

 

Am not disputing that.

But I where I was brought up Family is Family, not like Family.
There's a difference, regardless who owns what for how long.

I have respect for what my father gives me and think about how I would let others treat that object.
Having respect for being a member of a group and how the group handles it's loco is completely different, sure they can feel like family and passions run high, but thats due to personality not family.

I'm some what astounded your defending the right not to have respect for someones family possession !, but everyones entitled to their own views.

 

No that is correct. Certainly had a least one previous owner since BR who also used to own 52322 I believe and sold the B1 to the late Mr Boden senior in mid 70s? Was that the point it moved to GCR?

 

That's what I've been lead to believe.

 

Are we not missing the point here ?
or just raising smoke.

I would be very surprised if 61306 came up on the market (sure it could happen, but i'd be very surprised if it did).
For the reasons stated (i'll let the rivet counters count the number of days ownership in the family to the letter/ hour / minute if they want).. bottom line it's not something picked up yesterday, thrown around the garden and tossed out for a profit.

If we don't like that the owner wants to do as he wishes.. well it's.. tough really.

I for one respect him owning it. Theres not many people who grow up, live around, are circulated by, the families own (not shared/group etc) railway locomotive, especially one so well maintained. 60009, 92203, 5690, 46441, the fairburn tanks come to mind as having long term family ownership as well. That should be respected.

Considering the age demographic on here, and the fact that most of their offspring probably don't care for "granddad's hobby" I would have thought there would be considerable support for family who "wants in", not "cash out".

 

Tetchy!
But it is immaterial how long it's been under present ownership and only the owners business to decide whether to sell. All will be revealed in the fullness of time.

 

I could quote a few examples for whom their railway fraternity is family. Not everyone has brothers, sisters, kids or surviving parents.
And where on earth did I say that nobody should respect someone's family possessions?

 

About 1978/79 I think. So 35 years in one family, and better cared for throughout that time than many locos owned by museums, societies or millionaires. I don't understand what the problem is, other than jealousy.

 

.

 

You did, by trying to compare driving a car to driving a train. Different rules apply though, Route Knowledge being one.

 

No names no pack drill but I could name at least one heritage line that won't hire 61306 owing to the owner's insistence on him being the only driver. (I was under the impression that other member's of the 61306 team could drive her but that's almost the same as owner only for the purpose of this discussion.) Their view is that it's unfair on their loyal volunteers not to get a turn on a visiting loco, especially when other owners do not have this stipulation. Not condoning, not criticising, just passing on info.

 

In a previous capacity I dealt with the late Mr Boden senior and those were the terms stipulated for a potential hire.

 

Owners choice of course but that probably explains why it hasn't visited many railways and isn't exactly getting a lot of work.

 

It is tricky to balance the morale of the home crews against the understandably cautious owners requirements. The other aspect to be covered is assurance of competence and whether a railway or TOC SMS facilitates those owner requirements. It isn't just as simple as saying its our loco so we are driving it even though they may be thoroughly competent to do so. There has to be a process of assuring that competence by the operator.

 

When it visited the Elr back in October 2012 it came with its own crew but most of. If not all the conducting crews got a go on her.
However this is deviating from the thread of wether it's up for sale.

 

As you well know Andi it required a considerable change of attitude on the part of prominent crew to facilitate the conductor driver scheme though. Happily the enlightened approach led to a successful hire. It sounds like if 61306 returns to Bury it will be under new ownership.

 

and I bet the owner doesn't mind. Silly to have an expensive toy and let other people have all the fun whilst you sit back and just pay all the bills. As has been said before on this thread if the loco is lightly used then repair bills will be much smaller.

 

They would need to be as it won't have earned much. All I can say that whilst I respect the owner's choice, if all loco owners took the same view, heritage railways would be in a bit of a fix for regular motive power. I can name one loco owner at least that rarely/never gets to drive his "expensive toys" but gains his pleasure from the pleasure others gain from his endeavours. Takes all sorts.

 

Mr Hosking Perchance? I totally agree that its owners priogative to do what suits them but going back to my previous point we do miss out if these lovely machines are locked away out of sight.

 

That's not how I remember it Mr Maxim. The crews that were rostered on the engine were very happy to be just conductors. And I think most of our crews would have been the same.