49395 Super D, Will it run again ?

The Super D was restored to steam after a big effort some years ago by the NRM and finance/work from Peter Waterman but you never hear about it now.

What is happening with it. Will it run again ? I have only seen it once myself running at the Great Central and recall seeing it thunder through Quorn station with a goods train and also simmering in steam there earlier in the day

 

I highly doubt it will happen in the immediate future funded by the NRM, all their money for the foreseeable future will be going into Scotsman. (Pre-emptive strike, this is not the place for a debate on that). So if you want to see the Super D in action again, it would have to be funded by an external group (like Lord Nelson and Cheltenham have been on the MHR). Whether that will happen, I'm not sure. First you have to find a group willing to put the time and money into such a restoration, then there is the question over whether the NRM will allow it, or whether they think it is contributing more to the story of steam by running on preserved lines or being on static display in York/Shildon/Wherever. The only other large pre-grouping freight engine I can think of in the national collection is the Q7, so it may be they feel it is needed as part of the static collection for the time being

 

The NRM is not required to spend any money on Scotsman...Rileys are looking after her at Rileys cost.

 

That was when he had a company capable of doing it.

 

And royalties generating the money to pay for it. If Mr Waterman is sensible enough to avoid the fate of, say, some past 4472 owners, then all power to him. He's certainly spent way more than his fair share on steam.

 

Of course, that was incorrect of me. But what happens when the loco goes out of ticket? Is it not the NRM's responsibility to fund that?

 

Only if they want to and have the funds and there's no chance they will do the Super D

 

Well, I would imagine they would want to, given its popularity. I would also imagine/hope that, with the money that was spent on it during its last overhaul, it would be a much quicker and less expensive turnaround than the previous time

 

Pete Waterman has made noises of wanting to do something with it in the past, but Peak Rail and 5553 seem to be taking up his attention at the moment, not knocking him for what he did for the Super D but he did seem to treat that like it was his own loco, I wonder if that's upset someone at the NRM?

 

Would be nice to see the Super D run again but doubt it will be for a while.

 

The surviving O4 No. 63601 is part of the national collection.

The National collection such as it is over-represents pre-grouping passenger 4-4-0s and under-represents freight locos, particularly 0-6-0s

 

It certainly looked the part back in 2007 (yes, nearly 12 years ago now...) when it was at the GCR Winter Gala......
https://www.flickr.com/photos/72399068@N08/30460530517/in/dateposted/
Have recently "rediscovered" this photo - Lets hope it gets returned to steam one day!

 

I would think that most of the expense of overhauling the G2/Super D would be routine boiler work - inspections and retube - this time round, given the work that was done on both the boiler and the running gear last time. As ever, though, it comes down to funding.

 

All very well for you photographers to want it back. what about the poor footplate crews who will have to do battle with it?

 

If Frank Webb had ever heard the word, ergonomics, he made sure that they never sullied his engines!

 

Hi Steve

I'm not a photter of any renown - I just thought that it was a different sort of beastie to the norm, which attracts more interest than some other locomotives.

I definitely see where you're coming from, though!

Cheers
Mark

 

I’ve never had a go, so I’d quite like to see it come back - in the interests of science, you understand

I must admit, I quite enjoyed my one trip on the Coal Tank, though it would have been helpful to have been about six inches shorter than I am...

Tom

 

Sounds perfect for my stature then...!

 

Fine engine but not the most practical for preserved lines.

49395 @ Burrs 22-10-11 by Steve Fort, on Flickr