Locomotives that NEARLY made it

No, that makes a lot of sense to me. Yes, there are exceptions, but they fit in the continuum, roughly, and the output of some CMEs shows evolution from one to the other (I'm thinking Adams here), while others found their level and stuck to it (Stirling Singles are lovely, yes, but twenty five years of moderate improvement probably wasn't what the GNR needed).

Although arguably, since we have Fairburn and Standard 2-6-4Ts, 2500 provides a more historically interesting variation on the LMS 2-6-4T than a 2-cylinder Stanier would.

 

The group of SVR volunteers that saved 43106 had originally tried to purchase one of the last surviving 2-6-4 tanks, but were not able to secure it in the limited time available to them. Had they been successful, there would no doubt be many lamenting the fact that no Ivatt Class 4 had survived into preservation. Likewise, the Manchester Rail Travel Society who saved Jinty 47383 had originally looked to secure one of the earlier Johnson 3F tanks.

Andy

 

As Flying Pigs lasted almost as long in the North East as Q6s and J27s its a shame there wasn't one of them saved for the NYMR.... the then IIRC V2s lasted almost as long and I'd rather another of those had made it!

 

Didn't they also look at an 82000 was well?

 

The saddest bit, though, has to be those engines that were actually purchased for preservation, and then broken up for use as spares engines, didn't that happen to some of the Barry ten, the 8f for example, was the only surviving one from the LNER batch, the Crab, even though the frames did survive, so much has been lost, that clearly its not a worthwhile job now, So Close to safety, with the possibility of some future restoration, but then lost at the 11th hour.

 

The list I've compiled of the Ex-BR engines that those on Nat Pres and elsewhere (RMWeb, Wikipedia) mentioned as "near misses" of some sort is quite substantial;

• 1607
• 2937 Clevedon Court
  
• 3681
• 3758
• 3817
• 4156
• 6853 Morehampton Grange
  
• 7007 Great Western
  
• 7037 Swindon
  
• W31 Chale
• 30538
• 30900
• 30952
• 31610
• 31757
• 33006
• 34005 Barnstaple
  
• 34056 Croydon
• 35012 United States Lines
  
• 41224
• 41230
• 41284
• 41286
• 41295
• 41319
• 41320
• 42210
• 42414
• 44781
• 44888
• 45526 Morecambe and Heysham
• 46220 Coronation
  
• 46240 City of Coventry
  
• 46243 City of Lancaster
  
• 46254 City of Stoke-on-Trent
  
• 46255 City of Hereford
  
• 46400
• 54398 Ben Alder
  
• 60012 Commonwealth of Australia
  
• 60014 Silver Link
  
• 60145 St Mungo
  
• 60158 Aberdonian
  
• 62613
• 65361
• 65464
• 65465
• 69138
• 70004 William Shakespeare
  
• 70036 Boadicea
  
• 73034
• 73053
• 73136
  
• 75048
  
• 76016
• 76080
• 78529* - not ex-BR itself but 733 classmates were in BR stock
  
• 80010
• 80154
• 82006
• 82010
• 92085
• Unknown LBSCR 'K'
• Unknown MR Johnson '3F'
• 7x Unknown LSWR 'O2's
• Any of the locomotives scrapped at Barry immediately before Woodham's switched focus to wagons.
• Anything cut up as a source of donor parts.

 

Not sure to be honest, but someone else did try to save one of the four 82xxx tanks that were stored at Patricroft until 1968.

Andy

 

With regards to the J15s on the list, were these the ones stored at Stratford for possible preservation, along with 65462?

 

Although I didn't agree with what happened to the 8F at least some useful parts live on to be used on other locos. What happened to the Crab, on the other hand, tells the story of an owner who couldn't/wouldn't face up to reality. When he no longer had the cash/time/enthusiasm to continue the restoration the owner could, and should, have sold it on but chose not to. I fully realise that, human nature being what it is, some of us tend to look through rose-coloured spectacles, ignore the enormity of the task, and as in this case things can go horribly wrong very quickly. Back in the 80's a close friend continued to collect unrestored locos and items of rolling stock long after he could no longer afford them or have any hope of restoring same. Inevitably it led to divorce, severe financial problems and ultimately death at a young age. On the IoM an oft heard phrase among vintage vehicle hoarders is "Gonna do it up one day yessir!" .... but more often than not said vehicle slowly returns to nature.
The loss of 42859 should be a salutary lesson for all of us.
Ray.

 

Also with regards to J15s, 65469 was to be acquired by the M&GN Society until it was discovered to have a crack in the frames, leading to 65462 being acquired instead.

Didn’t the Gresley Society originally aim to acquire a Pacific, then thoughts turned to a K3 (rejected as the only one left was a stationary boiler) before settling on the N2 (lovely loco I might add)

 

That is my belief - those 4 were the last to be withdrawn, by some margin.

 

I don't mind the fake BR livery on the Worth Valley's Dub Dee. It would be nice to see it in WD livery sometime though, with Westo pump as well... I think it was a great piece of luck that a WD 8-wheeled tender chassis was found for it too. Its probably a better performer too, as it retains the compensation levers fitted by the Swedes on the Locomotive.

Richard.

 

Have a feeling the 8 wheel tender was a new build, 1931/32 both had 6 wheel shortened tenders and enclosed cabs (enclosed cabs are rather obvious in Scandavania!) just re-read the article in Steam Railway about the near miss with the other one in Sweden.
I'll dig it out later but cash and red tape come into it. (Lack of former and plenty of the latter!)

 

A "new-build" DX in original condition, with no engine or train brakes, and only a low-height windshield for crew protection, would be simply too primitive to operate. As you suggest, a Cauliflower would be more practical. But certainly it would be appropriate for the NRM to have acquired at least one of the 943 "DX", 500 "17-inch Coal Engine"and 310 "Cauliflower" 0-6-0s built by the LNWR.

It was also unfortunate that none of the Midland Kirtley double-frame 0-6-0s made it to York. These were not only the most numerous type of double-frame engine in Britain, but also provided the test-beds for the work in the late 1850s to develop the brick-arch coal-burning firebox.

 

As Richard said the 8w. chassis is an original (from one of the ex NS Austerities - as was 1931 before it went to SJ) and was found in an Ijmuiden steelworks where it had been used as an ingot carrier. The tank was, indeed, a new-build (by apprentices at Corus Scunthorpe).
Ray.

 

It may come as a surprise but a DX boiler, mounted on an LNWR tender chassis, survived until spring 1969, on carriage heating duty at Edge Hill carriage sidings. One of the ex L&Y 0-4-4T's kept it company.
Ray.

 

Fair enough Ray, I was halfway there!

 

I don't know if this is the original smokebox of a J15 in the museum at Mangapps Farm in Essex?

 

Plane restorers have completed a flyable restoration starting from less than that ...

Tom

 

Indeed so - even Brighton Atlantics can be returned to life from just an original regulator handle so I've heard?

Anyone distressed with the loss of an 8F, here's something to get them started :