4079 Pendennis Castle

In these days of battery powered angle grinders electric glue soon softens.

 

Yes it’s on a bloody body snatcher!

 

True, but you need to be able to get the grinder in a position to do so. The alternative is to attack from the front, but in the case of Pendennis, that means grinding/drilling in extremely close proximity to the letters. Obviously on a wider level, some company's designs are going to be easier to 'liberate' than others.

If someone is really determined, they will get them off. But equally, if someone is really determined they can just break into the museum and pinch them from there. But then the market for nameplates is gradually declining...

Anyway that's enough wibble from me on this subject!

 

The thing is there are those sort of people out there, when the 50 alliance acquired 50044 there was a hole in its side where someone (a massive Exeter fan) had flame cut its TOPS number out.
There are some people who class themselves as ‘Enthusiasts’ but are rather happy to take something that isn’t their property.
D821 used to have its nameplates removed between October and March when stored at Kidderminster for security reasons.

 

Oh things have been nicked from Didcot, ironically the tender water gauge face from Pendennis was one of them! I can understand if something is left outside unmonitored for long periods, but you just need to assess each case by itself. My personal view is that in the case of Pendennis, having them constantly locked away is an overreaction. Anyway, I did say I was going to shut up.

 

On a lighter note, I've just spotted this. Not one I've seen before:

syks - gwr 4079 pendennis castle on trial with lner doncas… | Flickr

 

Nice image taken there behind enemy lines
I'm thinking there's a caption contest to work out what the LNER brass are discussing?

 

I've heard "They've got a better valve gear than us" to be a genuine LNER quote from the period. I like the way its bowler hats (and the GWR driver?) on one side of the locomotive and working men in caps on the other.

 

“Better take those nameplates off and put some replicas on, they’re a light fingered lot round here so I’ve heard”

Tom

 

"Are you sure there aren't any 2 to 1 levers in there?"

Richard.

 

"Ere, I see Swindon ain't used tut' Nut Glue! Don't they know the value of brass behind that muck?"

 

I well know about the water gauge. Drew F. Got a replacement cast. I painted it up and it is now in place. Here it is prior to fitting.

 

I cannot recall the price (and obviously inflation makes it all a bit of a nonsense) but it still galls me when I remember what my old man notes you could buy a plate out of the works in those days, about £15 rings a bell.

As for that picture of Pendennis in 1964, you would have got her a bit cheaper back then, she was sans firebars!

 

Well I don’t want to set any hares running but I came past Didcot Shed 20 mins ago; on the Didcot Avoiding Line on an Up train and there was a Castle outside the shed; in a superb high gloss paint finish; without a safety valve cover; but definitely in steam. Any insights from anybody else?

I last saw 4079 in steam at Didcot 44 years ago as a lad of 9.

 

You mean when it did its farewell tour before sailing to Australia, as seen here, 29/5/77:-

Peter

 

Cannot comment apart from to note there were pictures of her being coaled and watered earlier in the week?

Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk

 

On a lighter note, I've just spotted this. Not one I've seen before:

syks - gwr 4079 pendennis castle on trial with lner doncas… | Flickr

Well, what a picture. There appear to be two smokebox door clips at the bottom of the smokebox door, no steam lance valve in the normal position and something at 4 o'clock on the smokebox ring as seen from the front. Any comments or explanations?

 

LNER upgrades

 

The Didcot website is saying 4079 is due to make an appearance at the August Bank Holiday Steam Up but won't be hauling trains.