76079

76079 has now had a warming fire in, marking the completion of its overhaul at the NYMR. Likely to be out and about on Santa services (unless major problems arise!).

 

Who will be the first to have all 3 (017,079 & 84) in steam at their railway at the same time when 76017 returns?

On that note how close is 77 from steaming at the GWR, is work underway on her?

 

I saw a picture of Pocket Rocket on the NYMR forum and she looks great. Don't forget 75029.

 

Sat in bits on several flat wagons in the headshunt beyond Toddington last time I saw it. I don't know who owns it, but as far as I know it's not even way down the list, rather, it just isn't there...

 

Shame as the 76's are wonderful engines…. its interesting that the 76xxx like the 80xxx std tanks obviously aren't seen as desirable to restore compared to some of the older engines….. due to the sure number of them sitting out of ticket! I'm sure their time will come!

 

I think it's more a case of restore everything once, then after that it's down to Charles Darwin if it runs again. Most Barry Wrecks that haven't yet started, 50 years after it was withdrawn has to be a little shy on hope at this point.

Indeed the story of Barry Wrecks in 2014 has been of scrapping ( 48518, 2861 have met their makers, whilst 4 others have been stripped of life saving organs and put to the awaiting their fate category: 42859, 5227, 4115 and 44901)..

2014 goes down as the year preservation lost 7 steam locomotives... a trend that will probably continue as unloved locos goto the end... I'd say theres at least another 2 28xx/38xx's an S15, 2x MNs (maybe 3) which at some point may reach the scrapyard a second time.

I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years time something ex BR that has run in preservation may ultimately meet it's fate, especially if all that Barry restoration hard work and effort is left to sit outside and rot for another decade in the sidings on a preserved line following expiration of it's first preserved "boiler ticket".. look what 34016, 31625 etc looked like after only a few years..

 

Think its more likely they'll get broken for spares.

 

http://www.standard4.com

The story of this loco should go some way to prove that there is no such thing as a no hoper! Good to see it running at the GCR at 60mph

 

76077 is about as close to steaming as I am to being Chief of the Defence Staff!
I understand that the locomotive is privately owned by 1 person but there was a plan by the P&O Loco Group (owners of 35006 now on the home straight so to speak) to assist in its rebuild once 35006 was completed. However that was some time ago when I was a regular volunteer at the GWSR and things might have changed. 76077 arrived at Toddington in 1987 from Barry without a tender (not a show-stopper these days) and, I was told, with some fittings stored separately (I have no idea what these fittings are or how factual this info is today). Given that BR Standard locomotives feature highly in the new-build and major restoration stakes, I would assume (never assume!) that patterns for replacement items would not be too difficult to source. Whilst the BR Standard 4 Moguls were never allocated to the Western Region, some did travel over what is now the GWSR and I agree that it would be good to see this last of the 4 remaining BR Std 4 2-6-0s back in full working order again. I took a photo or 2 of 76077s arrival at Toddington back in 1987, it looked very woebegone even then.

 

I think you'll find that 80064 and 80079 are the only Standard tanks that have been restored and have been standing out of ticket for a number of years.

 

Is it not being overhauled at Swanwick?

 

So out of 15 surviving 80xxx locos:

2no are operational
7no are under overhaul
4no are in storage
2no are still in ex Barry condition (No restoration works taken place).

With only 2 in service, the list actually makes better reading than expected!

 

Is 76077 still dismantled on the headshunt between Toddington and Stanway Viaduct ?.

 

To be fair, there was more to the state of those loco's you use as an example than just general neglect, the owner being banned from getting anywhere near them being the main factor.

 

34016 has had several tickets though plus don't forget, not every locomotive sitting in a siding looking sorry for itself is just because it's waiting in an overhaul queue. In some scenarios it is down to who owns it, agreements etc. so not much the railway can do. Wasn't 34105 & 76017 in limbo for a while before their current overhauls began?

Not forgetting several of the SVR locomotives looked sad sights but this has been rectified with the engine house. 43106 has been transformed into a smart operational machine which was once in a siding looking untidy and now 75069 is getting the same treatment.

 

It was when I last visited in May this year.

 

76079 now reported to have its first two days of running-in successfully completed

 

Noticing she's lost her air brakes :-( even further away from a proper mainline return.