60019 Bittern

But if it was a proper Merchant Navy, the choice would not be so clear cut.

 

How can suggesting a rebuilt Merchant Navy is more useful than an A4 be respectful... or even true.

 

Well if any outfit has the resources to complete the plan to return MN 22 to original form its the current owners. If memory serves such a plan was mooted for 22 when it was first recovered to Swanage?
Either way, if we are in the realms of personal preference, I will be fully sated by 60007 as far as A4s go and the only improvement on a rebuilt MN is multiples thereof.

 

Britannia is at the head of the queue as LSL want to get her out for mainline trains before her boiler ticket expires.

SilverFox

In my opinion Mr Hosking doesn't have a big enough collection of steam locomotives but those he has a the moment are definitely impressive.

SilverFox

 

I believe she has them on at the moment even thou she's in storage and no-one can see except those who work there.

SilverFox

 

How big do you want it?! 13 loco's is a decent size For some railways that's a fleet!

 

Ideally it would encompass anything that's hanging around with an uncertain future, Mr H not being short of a bob or two.

 

I'd love to see him make an offer for 34073, or what's left of it. With City of Wells now destined for a heritage line-only future, as things stand, Tangmere looks like the only "original" Bulleid to grace the main line - unless 34070/2 are fitted with the necessary gubbins to run into Wareham. With Tangmere only available to operators using WCRC, surely there is room for a second "original" on the main line using a different operator? Furthermore, I believe that Mr H. did express some interest in buying an "original" but was turned down by the owning group in question. Perhaps someone can confirm this?

Also - although this is firmly WIBN - I'd love to see him buy the remains of 30841 and make a new engine from them. Pure sentiment on my part but when I first visited Barry in 1971 armed with only a cheapo camera and not much film, 30841 was one of the few engines I photographed and I've had a soft spot for it ever since - indeed, I do like S15s in general. Nonetheless, I recognise that this is most likely nothing more than fantasy on my part.

 

He doesn't have unlimited funds though, fair play to Mr Hosking for what he has done, but we shouldn't assume that he'll keep dipping into his pockets.

 

I was being somewhat tongue-in-cheek. He's done his bit by anyone's standard.

 

The icing on the cake would be Mallard working again either preserved or main line, the last time I saw her was on a Pickfords low loader on the way to the now defunct Clapham Transport museum.

 

My comment was not a reflection on the respective quality but in the modern age a MN can do everything an A4 is capable of whereas the reverse is not true, mainly for gauging reasons.

 

Pretty sure that the position now is that Mallard is simply too valuable to steam.

 

IIRC the first thing you'd need is a new set of frames - and then you might just get into the time-old argument of "Is it really 841 any more?" after that. ISTR that it was mentioned on here that (30)841 had been in an accident prior to withdrawal?

 

Thirty years ago Mallard was working. It had been restored in time for the 50th anniversary of the 1938 run. Workings were confined to the York area though. To many people's disappointment, there was no Southbound journey at all on the ECML.

 

Confined to the York area? I don’t think so. She did at least a couple of trips from Marylebone to Stratford upon Avon.

 

That was because steam was normally not allowed south of Doncaster. 4468 did go down to London twice in the 85-88 period when it was on a limited steaming ticket. It spent a month at Marylebone in the autumn of '86 working several Sunday trips to Stratford upon Avon. Then in May '88 it went back to Marylebone to work a Post Office special in conjunction with the launch of a set of railway related stamps.

Peter

 

You’ve never been to the York NRM?

Simon

 

Mallard southbound at Derby, 04.10.1986. (YES! That is the down main line those idiots are standing on. The whole place was heaving and not a BTP person in sight!)

 

Wasn’t this when the trailer with Mallard on board was driven over the pavement which duly collapsed, trapping the whole outfit.