Dominion of Canada and Potential Disposal Story/Rumour

Can't see the Bluebell wanting Waddon as its another non working 130 year old ornament that isn't big enough to handle regular traffic over the whole line. When you already have Stepney, Fenchurch, the Adams, the NLR tank, the USA tank, Baxter and Sharpthorne all sitting dead and with the exception of Baxter and maybe Fenchurch all needing massive reconstruction work or renewal from end to end. What would be the point of adding another one to the list, one with no Bluebell history?

If there was a magical pot of loot available to buy it and bodys to work on it, I would rather see it spent on a boiler for the Adams tank (personally).

I can see the IoWR or Tunbridge Wells bods being interested though as it would be of more use to them and more in keeping with their operations.

 

Hopefully the NRM would get first refusal on buying/acquiring 4489 as they restored her cosmetically (working with Heritage Painting) for the Great Gathering.
Then they could perhaps set up another contract with Ian Riley to overhaul and operate her on the ML.......

 

Unlikely, surely? The NRM have been deaccessioning unique locos, presumably on account of lack of space, so hard to imagine why they would wish to acquire a loco that would duplicate something already in the collection.

Tom

 

This may be an unpopular opinion, so I share it with the caveat that I take great delight in seeing locomotives at speed on the main line and acknowledge that 4489 is probably best suited to a mainline career.

However, I feel there is a certain "inaccessibility" about main line locomotives. While the updates from the folks at Carnforth are most appreciated, we can't regularly just go in and visit the locomotives, similarly with somewhere like LNWR or Tyesley - a situation which is quite understandable. And whilst running, the opportunity to experience these locomotives on the mainline is either from aboard the train (after paying a hefty sum) or briefly from the lineside as they fly past. Some make occasional gala appearances and some don't. Please don't misinterpret me here; I am all for main line steam, and all for 4489 up and running in any guise. However, with only a few LNER express passenger locomotives regularly operating on heritage lines (Morayshire, B12, 60007, 1264, any more that I haven't thought of?) I wonder if, in an ideal world, that balance could be redressed. Something like the arrangement 60007 currently has would get my vote, at a line such as SVR, GCR or NYMR. I recognise none of this is a vote, however, and I don't have a viable answer to how this situation would come about, but what is this forum for but for if not WIBN...

 

Either way, judging from what has been written, the asbestos still within DoC is a problem a future owner or the museum will have to resolve.

 

Post refers to the 'loss' of 60009. But I gather the intended future home for 60009 had not yet got permission from the planners. The previous post, 45, does make a valid point which could be a big hurdle for any new owner.

 

I feel that this thread should really be in 2 parts - one for the A4 with its dedicated support whether for anything LNER, Gresley or simply A4 and one for 54 Whaddon with its distinction of being the missing one of the 10 preserved examples.

The A4 argument / discussion will be a repeat of previous posts which will repeat pro- and con- points hence will go around in circles. The Terrier on the other hand is a more worthy project IMHO - especially since 2022 represents the 150th anniversary of the Class. Given the success of the Great Gathering what chance of a Great Little Gathering of all surviving Terriers - initiated by the repatriation of 54 and the sight of 10 Terriers at one location (Bluebell or East Kent ?) in an area where they used to work. IMHO 2022 is the time to celebrate the "little things" and if the Canadian museum is inclined to dispose / allow purchase of its example there is time to start the work now; how many classes can claim such a number of survivors after so many years faithful service.

 

With regards to the space issue, I was thinking along the lines of the current contracts with 60103 and 70013.
Both loco's are based away from the NRM at York and have very active careers with 60103 making visits back to York for special events.
If the NRM don't want to use Mallard they could send out DoC instead and perhaps have it based with Ian Riley?

 

What does "first option" mean? Do you mean the right to match the top price offered by anyone else?

 

I think they mean first refusal.

 

But what does the mean in price terms?

Sorry, edit, I should have said that implies the museum would decide to offer the loco at a fixed price, which they may well not be inclined to do. Deciding on a price for something like this is very difficult, and an auction gives you a means of price discovery, and protection against criticism that you left money on the table. Plus we know that they are happy to put surplus artefacts into auction.

Having said that, it seems most unlikely that the NRM would be interested or have the wherewithal to bid.

 

Forgive my ingorance in this, but is this not going to be a drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things? I've no idea how much it costs to de-asbestos a locomotive but for a Mk1 it only just gets into 5 figures. A significant sum of money for something only worth a few £10,000, but a £1,000,000+ locomotive?

 

Yep, that's what I meant. Apologies for the confusion.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

Apologies. I meant first refusal. Post now edited.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

When I was on the West Somerset Express in August one of the passengers in my block of seats was someone from Exporail and from what I remember (I can't remember his exact words) he said at one point that really she should have stayed in the UK and I think he said that visitors weren't too interested in the loco since returning. Might explain why she's been moved if she's not one of the most popular exhibits.

I would love to see her in the UK again though. For me she stole the show from Mallard when I went to The Great Gathering.

 

The Mk1 carriages you are familiar with having asbestos removed from, only contain small amounts mostly white in board form with some brown and blue lagging on steam pipes. Other carriages were stuffed with it, Robin the Met Camm Pullman kitchen car had two and a half tons of blue removed from it.

With modern regulations any large amount of fibrous asbestos is going to cost into six figures to remove.

Sawdust.

 

I wonder if there are restrictions regarding the import of something containing a significant amount of asbestos?

 

Isn't somebody bringing contaminated ships here to breakup?

Sawdust.

 

She was ‘imported’ for the Great Gathering, presumably without any problem.

 

Wouldn't that issue have been dealt with when she returned previously?

Keith