GCR AEC Railbus

Reports on the Greater Great Central (Leicester North to Ruddington) Facebook Group state that the GCR have started scraping the AEC Railbus with out offering it as available. GCR off ice is on 01509632323 should you wish to comment to them.

 

Is that the AC Cars one that has sat out the back of Loughborough shed for a number of years?

Was reading earlier today that the railway has completed a listing of all rolling stock currently on the line (228 items!) and it appears that a bit of a clearout is in the offing. In addition the area behind the shed has to be cleared for the bridge works.
Seems strange it hasn't been offered to anywhere else, though it is in a bit of a state and doesn't seem to have been worked on for years. Perhaps the owner(s) declined to do anything with it when asked to relocate it.

 

VCT register lists M79976 as being at Loughborough, If this is the vehicle referred to then Asbestos contamination may be the issue. The Strathspey had the body of SC79979, which was scrapped in 1992 because of Asbestos issues even though it had the provenance of being the first railbus to work in Scotland.

 

A number of Friends on the Greater Great Central Facebook Page have expressed outrage at the Scrapping of this Vehicle in order to clear space at the back of the Loughborough Loco Shed. Bruce Pollard just uploaded this picture onto the FB Site.
To be fair, it has sat there unloved and with no work being done on it for years - so GCR Management has taken the decision to 'gas axe' it. As there is little or no body sheeting left it is unlikely to have any contamination - no doubt work will stop if they find Asbestos.

 

If you read this piece about it, there wasn't much left beyond the frame - no mechanical parts, windows all broken etc, etc...
http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/79976.html
Something in the back of my mind makes me think ownership was transferred to the David Clark Railway Trust, so if they have deemed it beyond any form of economical restoration, presumably they have given the OK to scrap it.
Reminds me of the Southern Electric unit episode several years ago..............

 

can someone edit the title?

 

Which one? the Cig or the Gatwick?

 

The view that anyone taking a stroll along the Canal bank would have for the past ten years or more, what they would think I can only guess at but probably along the lines of "That's escaped from the scrapyard half a mile further up the cut"!

 

I think with something like this, they should at least make people aware that it is available and then only if no takers should scraping be considered.

 

The CIG/BIG "metal fairies" episode.
Mind you, the Krefeld tram/trailer saga was another one that the full story never seemed to be told either.....

 

On the GCR's website today.............http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/2018/06/future-of-ac-cars-railbus-79976/

 

Deleted.

 

Since amended

 

Nice reply thanks

Dave B

 

Well, I've just put £20 their way. Wish it could be more, but finances dictate...

 

A very slippery statement from the railway indeed. They claim that efforts were made to advertise the vehicle but the Railcar Association (whose membership forms a majority of UK Railcar groups) were not informed. Hmmmm!

Luckily someone based on the GCR stepped in and ceased the scrapping so that the vehicle can at least be offered out properly this time.

Don't get me wrong, if nobody wants or can take on the vehicle then that's fine, that's life, scrap it. But the vehicle deserves the chance of at least being offered out at scrap value, given that there are only two left in existence.

I'm pleased that the vehicle's situation is now in the public domain, so whatever happens next will probably be fair, as "we've" had the chance to save it if anyone can.

Sent from my HTC U Play using Tapatalk

 

deleted

 

This is one of several proposals which the owner is considering the viability of, as I understand it. There are no “done deals”.

 

I gather it was hoped the vehicle would come to Wirksworth. That is not the case.