7027 Thornbury Castle

No, repainted already!

 

Really? Wow! I’m guessing a certain veranda car won’t be around for too long either then?

 

People still appear to be hiring that out, so if it's making money for the Railway then I would think it will continue in use there, particularly when it only had some modification work carried on it fairly recently.
He still appears to be listed as GCR Plc President in the June edition of Main Line , so presumably there will be a statement about it all at the forthcoming AGM?

 

I think you will find that the veranda car is owned by the GCR. The repainting and rebranding started best part of two years ago, when the Cromwell name was replaced at each coach overhaul.

 

Essentially a difference of opinion on who ran the railway which thankfully the board of directors won.

 

This rake?

https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pullman-Diners-Steve-Taylor.jpg

 

My understanding was that the GM/CE was Mr. Gregory's man, so has he gone too?

 

Still in post last I heard.

 

Does this mean that restoration work on 7027 will be suspended until a buyer is found? It would be a shame to see the locomotive leave the railway where it seems very well suited.

 

The article in this months Trackside about them being potentially for sale doesn't give any details as to why. Just says the trust is reviewing things and are potentially open to offers for them. I guess there will be people involved with the GCR who will know more.

 

When was the last time you checked?

 

Honorary President. An honorary role with neither powers nor responsibilities. That’s what he was appointed as, and that is indeed the only role he now holds. He is welcome to it, and long may he enjoy it.

Meanwhile executive control of the company, and its strategy, rests where it should - with the Board of Directors.

 

I had to laugh when I saw that. Usually it's Steam Railway publishing rumours and jumping to the wrong conclusions. Nice to see Trackside is continuing the tradition. Is a certain David Wilcocks involved with it?

 

Railway mag or not we're talking about journalists .... so my money's on it being the sort of thing that happens when earwigging conversations half-cut in a noisy bar!

 

A bit OT but I think we are too hard on our Railway magazine journalists. Often it is very difficult to get confirmation of situations and, due to the immediacy of the internet and social media, an evolving situation cannot be covered due to printing times etc. If they report nothing - then what is their point and, if they do not aim at an interested but not expert audience, then they will not get sufficient readership and will then fold. They actually do a good job and our heritage rail industry is stronger with them.

 

FWIW I think the public at large has an overly 'entitled' attitude towards news in these days of instant communication. OK, for substantial appeal funded projects, regular updates don't go amiss (and regular doesn't necessarily equate to frequent), but the practice of 'certain centres of excellence' to take a loco into a state of near total Purdah, until it returns gleaming ..... or rather the reaction of so many on here to Schrödinger's Overhauls .... amuses me no end. But, hey! I'm rotten like that!

...... and I'm not so old and grumpy (alright ..... just not so old ...) I can't still take a childish delight in a nice surprise out of the blue, every now and then!

 

As Banarama once sang "I heard a rumour".....August could be the month for surprises....

 

7027 is finished and is being loaned out to haul the opening train on the Luton - Dunstable railway?

 

Mainline fitted for Corfe Castle to Wareham shuttles?