6201, her new lease of life.

Listed on their web site under make a donation they had only raised about £10K, out of the £60K needed, so most likely they will be worse of than they were a year ago for money. So unless there is a sponsor/another party involved which made this move viable it would have been better just to leave it untouched in the West Shed with its presence on show to hopefully get people to donate/join and concentrated on raising the money against been hidden out of site as it will be now.

 

None of this new information has been updated, while a members letter has gone out, the general public ie any potential members,volunteers or people wishing to donate are being ignored. They should remember they need "Joe Public on their side.

 

Totally agree and the most obvious short term solution is to reach an agreement with the likes of Smith, Hosking, Buck etc to cover the cost of repairs in return for use on charters for a defined period as repayment.
Hopefully the move is to facilitate this and not just reduce the chairmans travelling time for polishing sessions .....

 

Seems like the fraternity is reduced to the tight fisted and a few wealthy millionaires these days. As costs escalate is the era of the society over? But can we rely on a few who may retire or worse or lose interest.

 

It depends whether the Society would rather have a working loco or museum piece. Is accepting investment, if offered, at the cost of losing some control a price worth paying to see the engine doing what it was built for?
To paraphrase an ex chancellor, the PELS management seems to have control but no power. I daresay its a fools errand trying to fathom it or try to influence things by now though.

 

Depends on the society. Other loco owning societies seem to be doing ok. I would suggest it is probably more to do with this specific society and possibly its structure/policies.


Keith

 

Is she not in a state to be towed dead?

 

Someone still needs to pay for that.

 

Well anything that gets investment in this loco is progress if the society want an operational loco. If that means a control/power sharing agreement then that appears to be the only way forward for the society, as 6201 appears to be going nowhere with not enough money for repairs as thing stand.

Maybe a rethink on future operation is needed??

Meanwhile the boiler ticket clock ticks away................

 

The work required on the boiler will surely mean that it would get a brand new ticket once done?!?

 

The as yet unanswered question is whether Mr Smith has elected to become a crowd of one in funding the boiler work?
Ironic, if so, given the PELS chairmans past role with SLOA and the fractious relations Mr Smith allegedly endured for his "freight engine" being offered very limited outings on SLOA trains.

 

Guess money talks (IF this is the case of cause...)

 

Rather see Mr Smith take hold of Lizzie than Saphos, and yes for pure steam reasons !

 

There was about a twenty year gap between the time when SLOA doled out the work from the ‘top table’ and Clive assumed the Chairmanship of MSLO.

This sort of misleading rubbish, from earlier upthread, really ought to cease.

JS

 

As you well know, James, history is always written and indeed rewritten sometimes, by the victors .....
Whatever your recollection, Clive was very much part of the establishment that Mr Smith took on and eventually transcended. Mr Smith is now very much the establishment so any possibility of Clive being indebted to Mr Smith has a pleasing ironic symmetry to me.
I think your timeline may be awry but we can take heart that your spirited defence is perhaps a clue to the new hope for 6201.

 

Fair enough James, I've deleted my post, I haven't meant to rock the boat and I do apologise.

 

You didn't rock the boat Matt, you merely embarked on one that was already in stormy waters!

 

Sarcasm dosn't come across very well in text format, I should have used a smiley! Disembarking this boat for another one! Any other one! Bismarck or Tirpitz sound nice I'll take cover there

 

And it is frequently reported to be more expensive than a move by road.