GNR(I) 4-4-0 171

Fact. Local businesses owed money have been notified and there is details on the London Gazette.

 

You can understand Mr Sidmouth's caution can't you? You only joined today and reported this and it's not beyond the possibility that it's a wind up

 

Not looking good - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2289402
Meeting of creditors on 27th Feb.

Regarding 171 - her tender has already been returned to Whitehead and is being used to test 131 at present. The loco was due back before the end of Feb, so, assuming work was still in progress until the last few days, she should be pretty much done. How easy it might be to extract her if the company is in receivership is anyone's guess.


Keith

 

Completely understand. No problem.

Good news though if almost complete!

 

davejonesf2015 is, indeed, correct in what he has said.
There is a notice in the Gazette that Multi-tal Ltd, trading as Rail Restorations North East Ltd has gone into liquidation. A meeting of creditors has been organised for a date later this month.

 

Do we know what other projects were on site? There was a boiler for the RSH from Weardale Railway. There was also the G5

 

lets hope it can be removed easily and there isn't much more to do. I was looking forward to see all three 4-4-0s toghter.

 

Anyone know if the business benefitted from subsidies/grants whose expiry may have affected its viability?

 

Keith,

I have seen a couple of photos. When you say done, should that be almost ready for traffic? From what I can see there has been a bit paint thrown at the chassis. Other than that it looks like a Barry wreck! I hope the society has not been done over whilst over work has been taken in whilst liquidators have been appointed. Are the rest of the parts with you in Ireland?

Dave

 

Reported elsewhere to be out of there and on the road. Nothing heard since

 

I'm unaware of the specifics of the contract between the RPSI and RRNE, so I can't say if the loco was supposed to be ready to run or not.
As I mentioned previously, the tender has already returned and been used to test 131 so I would assume everything was OK with it.
The last report I heard said that the chassis was pretty much finished and the boiler work was proceeding. I know a quantity of parts have arrived back at Whitehead including the main steam pipe, eccentric rods, safety valves, injectors etc so I would presume that the boiler work has now stopped and that the chassis wasn't finished.
I'll be at an RPSI meeting tonight so hopefully there'll be an update which I will relay here.

Keith

 

Anthony Coulis who I would regard as highly reliable reported on here seeing 171 complete with boiler on the A1.... so your info is out of date

 

Anthony Coulls is very reliable and I have no reason to doubt his word.

However, it is quite possible that the unfinished boiler was refitted to the unfinished chassis prior to transport, but I assure you that the steam pipe, eccentric rods etc are all on the floor in Whitehead! It would be difficult to tell if the loco was finished underneath when passing on the A1!

Keith

 

sorry, your comment about the boiler work stopping led me to beleive you thought the loco was still at RRNE

 

The photo that I was shown was a boiler with no tubes or fittings. Other than removing any old tubes I would suggest nothing was done at all. The cylinder covers were off and it was looking really rusty. It looked in a really poor state. The incomplete boiler was craned into the incomplete chassis at Shildon I'm reliably informed.

I will see if I can get a copy. I think there is serious questions to be asked in terms of where monies have gone for the levels of works undertaken. I think similar to the No40 boiler from the Weardale Railway. Directors of businesses have specific duties and would question behaviours towards the running of RRNE, especially when you see and hear what is going on.

 

An update from the RPSI meeting last night:

It was reported that 131 had performed well on it's mainline trials and was now having a few minor adjustments and being painted (GNR(I) black). It will still require OTMR and TPWS before it makes its return to mainline passenger duties.

The tender from 171 was used for 131s trials and is reported as needing 'quite a bit of work' to the axleboxes. The tender was restored at RRNE and returned to Whitehead just before Christmas.

It was reported that RRNE had gone into administration and that 171 had to be 'rescued' before everything was shut down. Pictures were shown of parts at Whitehead (as mentioned previously), however there was no mention of where 171 currently resides. The implications were that the work was not complete, although there was still talk that she would steam this year.

One of the big issues with 171 is that her overhaul was being funded by a grant from an outside body and I seem to recall that the overhaul had a deadline of around now. If RRNE has been paid up front, and the work was not done (or not done satisfactorily) then this could cause problems for the RPSI.

Hope this is of interest

Keith

 

Keith,

That is possibly terrible news. If the project has been mismanaged by RRNE I would be taking legal advice to protect the trustees of RPSI.

Regards

Dave

 

Why do you think the grant would be paid up-front?

 

Well it is possible that RRNE asked for funding to start the work in order to buy materials etc. I don't know the ins and outs of the contract but as a general point it would be horrible to find that groups had lost money and/or reputation.

Keith

 

But making wild guesses without any knowledge of the contractual situation doesn't really help the situation. Maybe wait for an update from the loco owners?