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1968 Fifty years on.

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by NOTFORME_99, Aug 1, 2018.

  1. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    I think I'm right in saying that 1968 also saw the very first Mk 1 to be preserved. I see 1968 as the year the turbo really kicked in for the preservation movement. Until then it had been a case of cherry picking what was available, after that it turned into a rush to save more or less anything that could be had.
     
  2. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    Even later than France, then!
     
  3. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    And I would suggest this mad rush to save anything steam and steam-related led to one of the biggest mistakes ever in railway preservation - the scrapping of 10000/10001.
     
  4. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    They were withdrawn and scrapped before the end of BR steam and the rapid expansions of the heritage railway movement. So the "mad rush" happened after they'd gone.
     
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  5. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    I know that there are 18 Black Fives preserved, but 45156 certainly comes in my top 10 locos I wish had managed to escape the cutter's torch. Thank you for sharing these images. A sad anniversary indeed.
     
  6. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    Point taken:, although they weren't scrapped until January 1968.
     
  7. 3855

    3855 Member

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    I could be very wrong on this but I seem to recall the first mark one corridor coach was preserved by the fledgling ELR in the early 70's .
     
  8. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    It nearly did, a fund was started to save it but at the time the work needed on it was considered beyond the skills of the early preservationists. Back then there was still the thought that steam locomotives would have a finite life and would have to be plinthed when major boiler work became necessary. Building new boilers or even new locos wasn't even on the radar then.
     
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  9. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    Now with the end of BR steam gone. The next mile stone in railway preservation happen in September 1968 with the first loco 43924 leaving Barry scrapyard.
     
  10. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    Definitely not the first - the NYMR acquired a couple of Mk1s in late 1970, at least one of which came not from BR but Flying Scotsman services, but the NNR example was acquired earlier still as it had been vandalised in footex service. Did the fledgling ELR exist much before the mid-1980s? The line itself wasn't closed till 1982.
     
  11. ianh

    ianh Member

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    A rake of Mark ones were delivered to Haverthwaite by BR as one of the last movements south of Haverthwaite before the track was lifted and the line severed... that must have been the early 70s

    October 1970 acording to https://www.lakesiderailway.co.uk/railway-history/

    LHR opened 3rd May 73 - same day as first section of the NYMR
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2018
  12. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    ELR incepted 1968, initially based at Helmshore with intention to operate the line back to Ramsbottom. They had an open day at Helmshore around 1970 which featured 44806, delivered from Carnforth (Steamtown?) by BR towed by a type 2. Some stock had already been delivered by that time too, I think.
    The Helmshore project fell through not long after and relocated to Castlecroft, Bury.
     
  13. Fred Kerr

    Fred Kerr Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    You may be interested to learn however that 45156 was officially condemned on 1st August at Rose Grove depot but it was later realised that the locomotive was booked for railtours on 4th August and the loco restored to traffic prior to taking up its booked weekend duties !
     

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