Bluebell Motive Power

Got a further foot in reality than some ideas round here.

 

I’m possibly reading a little too much into another members post on here but let’s just wait and see…

 

I think the interesting thing to note is that it is expected the loco will return in 5-6 years. So whoever it is and/or wherever it is going evidently has some serious cash and/or workshop capacity to deal with it.

 

Where's the fun it that? Anyway .... it's going to Alderney*



* that's almost certainly total cobblers

 

Clearly that's not Awdry canon. I think the last new engine introduced into the Thomas world was Mavis. Everything after that is wild fantasy.

Simon

 

I had wondered if the 27 group would take on 30064 as a similar basket case challenge when 27 is completed, but that was purely my own thought based on the similarities between 27 and 30064 being small(ish) locos in a challenging condition. It's saddening but at least it's future is brighter, hopefully.

 

Depends if you count the Christopher Awdry books as "canon" or not (which I think we should do, thus there are 26 by the Reverend, and 16 by his son forming 42 titles).

The last new engines introduced in the series would thus become unseen, unnamed "electric trains". But that's for a debate on another thread, somewhere else...

 

Blocked and reported.

 

I'm sure @martin1656 will have an elaborate theory to enlighten us!

 

I heard it was off to Swanage to be used hauling the Bird's Nest buffet on commuter services to Wareham.

 

Nope, I'm in the dark as much as everyone else is, But what i will say is this, re 488, If the team who built Beachhead were to take on the radial, how long would it be expected to take, as its a complete loco, even as quite a few parts will need to be replaced? , in the same time, fund raising can be done to get a good amount of funding ready for the E CLASS, and some parts could be bought and laid aside ready for assembly when 488 is finished,

 

Apologies if this has been mentioned way back in the thread but is anyone able to say what the plan for the next 20 years is for Bluebell steam loco overhauls?

 

I think it is a plan being formulated by the trustees, but it hasn't made it into print (and I'm not totally sure you could go that far ahead in specifics; but rather think about what throughput of large / medium / small locos you need to sustain, along with a thorough understanding of where different locos fit in to those groups).

I think the only definite commitments beyond what is already underway (Fenchurch, Stowe, Beachy Head, Sir Archie, 27) is that No. 263 is likely to be the next loco in the main works. I believe the Maunsell Loco Society are broadly committed to 1618 to follow Stowe.

Tom

 

I don't know about 20 years, but as I understand it:

1618 is the next Maunsell Society loco due to be overhauled after Stowe is completed.

92240 is supposedly due to be moved to Sheffield Park at some point this year to assess it's condition in preparation for overhaul (and has it's own dedicated fund for it).

263 is in line for a fast track overhaul.

9017 was also suggested to one of the next locos to overhauled when work began on Fenchurch, but that was pre COVID, so may have changed.

488 is under consideration by the Atlantic group as a restoration project after Beachy Head is completed.

I'm happy to be corrected by someone though.

 

The Bulleid Society have stated they would like to overhaul Blackmoor Vale will a view to it being completed 2 years before Archie goes out of ticket.

 

The group restoring 84030 (was 78059 in BR service) have stated that they would like to restore 80100 next.

 

They have stated this a number of times in Maunsell News. 1638 is the most likely after 1618.

 

I've got mixed feelings about the sale of the USA tank. In my teens, I volunteered in the Bluebell Loco Department at a time when 30064 was in working order. Although the cab was stiflingly hot in the summer, I still have some fond memories of the engine and thus feel sad that it will no longer be part of the Bluebell fleet.

However, looking at things from a more pragmatic point of view, it was never likely to rise up the overhaul priority list, being ill-suited to operate the 22 mile return trips on today's Bluebell Railway, not to mention its unpopularity with the PW department, which has been alluded to by others. I hope that its new home is somewhere more suited to its capabilities and that the new owners have the money to put it back into working order.

 

“Earl of Berkeley” hasn’t had a mention in the last few posts. I presume it is not in the overhaul mix?