45699 Galatea

What's happening with this engine? She's supposed to be nearly ready right?...

 

And what is your source for making that statement?

She is owned by a private individual who chooses not to reveal his business to the outside world. When there is something that he wishes to report on the loco then I'm sure he will let us know.


Keith

 

Various sources said she may be ready for Easter,so she probably isn't too far away now Tony.

 

I heard 45699 hasn't been touched for about 18 months.

Dave

 

Shame really. All they have done in those 18 months is to put a Scot back on the main line, overhaul an 8F and nearly finish a Black 5.

 

Carnforth will have devoted all of their attention on 46115 after her unfortunate failure in February. Maybe once she's out and with 48151 just been outshopped as well, they will start to focus on 'Galatea' and 44932. I imagine 44932 won't be far from completion, they have her down as one of the roster for the first 'Fellsman' railtours. I must say i'm really looking forward to seeing a BR Brunswick Green Jubilee over the S & C again!

 

perhaps the blame should be with heritage rail magazine!for it was they who pronouced a couple of months ago that 'galatea' would be making an appearence in the spring!?

 

Various sources woulden't of predicted the aquisition of 44932, the problems with 46115 and 34067 requiring more extensive maintenence than first thought, all bigger priorities than 45699, strangely people asking 'why isn't Engine X ready yet ?' don't seem to take such factors into account.

Mags printed dodgy gen ? heaven forbid...

 

They've also built a carriage shed.

Dave

 

Jesus christ all tony is askin is if anyone knows how a loco is doing, hes not asking for anything else or slating anyone for putting it in a waiting list.

 

It is getting a bit too frequent for some posters to attack others who are asking legitimate questions about David Smith's locomotives; a bit of patience and understanding wouldn't go amiss when dealing with a natural thirst for knowledge and curiosity. I believe that the thread originator was inspired by the Heritage Railway article's prognosis for an imminent return to the mainline when he raised the question (I was too when I raised the issue a few months back, and even then I got a mouthfull despite quoting my sources, see: http://railways.national-preservation.com/showthread.php/19969-Carnforth-Overhauls./page3), which was clearly not a statement. Let's just keep a cool head on this, chaps...

 

It was a genuine question, I was unaware of any article in HR as I don't buy that magazine. If Tony had replied saying 'HR says so' then that would've been fine with me. My comment about David Smith keeping his business to himself was to put the lack of information into context.

No attack was intended and if it came across that way then I apologise.


Keith

 

Perhaps if the original poster worded his question differently so that it didn't read like some angry person then it would have been better.

It is also getting quite frequent on this forum for people to seemingly attack WCRC when responding to other peoples posts about Mr Smiths locos.

The written word unfortunately can be read in more than one way, and not necessarily in the way it was meant.


Dave B

 

um... it was just an innocent question. I didn't know who David Smith is, what engines he owns, even where he does his overhauling and certainly didn't realised that i was opening a can of worms. sorry.

 

It is very good of you to apologise to Tony.

That may very well be the case, but as in most cases on this forum, "two wrongs will never make a right". Both parties have apologised, which is a positive outcome for this thread, as it had the potential to get rather messy. Anyway, back to 45699...

 

I recall that the last concrete info about 45699 came when there was an open day at Carnforth, maybe two years ago? It was just as 46115 was finished. Have tried searching without success for the images that appeared either here or on another forum.
I recall that the comment was that 45699's bottom half had had considerable work done, but that a setback was the driving wheel journals had been turned down to rather too small an acceptable size and remedial work was necessary.
I recall that little work had been carried out on the firebox, which needed considerable new metalwork.

As others have said, it will be done when it is done, and I am sure David Smith will fit Galatea into his works schedule as and when, and we just need to be patient. Given the superb job carried out on 46115, which was a total wreck, we will not be disappointed with the eventual outcome.
I too would have thought that 44932 was possibly next in line though, as that engine surely requires less work to complete.

Reasoned speculation only, I know no more than anyone else.

46118

 

I took these at the WCRC open day, when 46115 was just finished and the paint still tacky. As has been stated, a lot of unexpected stuff has gone on since, but at least they are making another 'project impossible' steam again, however long it takes.

 

The picture of the gassed up wheel sets is ripe for a caption competition. Any starters?

 

Early stages as replica of 45566 takes shape?

 

How about this for a caption:

The Carnforth chaps have taken Bulleid's notion of fabricated wheels to a whole new level, having produced a portable set for carriage in the support coach...