7027 Thornbury Castle

Yes, I spotted the NBL disaster there too!

 

Going back to diversity at Didcot, when I first started going in the late 70's there was a resident Hymek (not sure if it ever ran there), a resident SR BoB, a diesel shunter (not an 08) and what seemed like a load of industrials (Albeit I suppose these may have been 1338 and 1340 pre restoration) so it was not pure GWR or steam even then.

 

That was respectable progress while there was funding but a big question mark about further progress when the funding stopped.

 

More misinformation from the 4709 group/GWS? Just another dubious attempt to justify their use of 7027.

 

Because they're like all other media, and lack the resource or capacity to dig into many stories, so take PR material as presented?

 

Indeed, I note that SR are doing a big piece on 7027 in their next issue which must be due imminently, that could be interesting to read in terms of its angle/sources.

 

I would demur: firmly of the opinion that that the Castle boiler with fewer and shorter tubes will not have the balance of the proprtions of the 47xx boiler, in particular there will not be the free gas area through the tubes. If you are prepared to build a boiler, make the proper one for the Night Owl - as long as there are steam specials over the Devon Banks it would be just the ticket.

 

The 4709 project has made only slow progress until now. If the 4709 group hang on to 7027 despite the outcry, the bad odour that they are now in is likely to reduce their funding and make further progress even slower, despite their having the boiler; unless, of course, the godfather who has provided the purchase price for the Castle provides the rest of the funding to finish the job.

On the other hand, if they and/or the GWS as the parent body respond to the outcry and agree to sell 7027 to some other group at the GC or elsewhere, how many years will that group need to find all the cash both for the purchase and for completing the restoration?

7027's prospects look very poor either way.

 

I know its poor form to quote ones own posts, but the CEO of the GWS suggested to a query on Facebook that the 4709 project was fully funded, although how he would know that what with it being nothing to do with the GWS??? I therefore suspect that this combined with the pretty dismissive wy they have replied to concerns suggest that the GWS/4709 group don't really care what anyone thinks.

 

So if in , say, 5 Years time this 47xx rolls out of Tyseley on its way to somewhere for running in and testing, will Certain Railways (GCR?) refuse to take it ? , will there be ill wishers turning up to boo it ? will eggs be thrown ?

 

That may be an expensive mistake.

 

They only have to find the purchase price (which I think JJP has offered short term).
Restoration costs are always a long term thing as no volunteer group starts off with eg £500,000 in the bank for the restoration of their loco.

 

I suspect not considering the pretty sanguine way its been entertained with on here, plus the support being offered by the specialist press.

 

I do not think JJP offered anything other than to set up a society, or whatever, to fund 7027 using their money - not his.
The outcry is principally on NP, I don't see much elsewhere.
We do not know what the terms of the sale to the 4709 Group were and any restrictions regarding the sale or subsequent disposal. Neither is it general knowledge of the sale price. Given that a quick result was required, no time, therefore, for any long-winded appeals, 4079 could have got a bargain. It is said that they were interested for some time and when it came to the crunch they were the only group interested.

 

Which purchase price? If 4079 and Mr G have concluded the deal, then there IS no purchase price. Anyone wishing to buy 7027 now would have to get 4079 to set an asking price, which I suspect might just be the cost of a brand new boiler for 4079....

 

Where was 7027 offered for sale? Adverts? Even online? As far as the rest of the industry is concerned, the first knowledge of 7027 being for sale was when it already been sold.

The cynic in me thinks there's an element of fait accomplis here...

 

Plus a large helping of pure spite...

Richard.

 

Something that may well unwind over time as lost goodwill manifests, and PR gets challenged.

 

The same thing happened with most of the Barry 10.

 

I realise that Railadvent is not the most reliable of sources, but in this case it seems to be quoted from JJP. I also cannot find the Facebook page where he talked about buying it and then selling shares or a similar scheme so that he was not the owner long term.
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/0...releases-update-on-7027-thornbury-castle.html
Re the outcry, where else can people express their disappointment? There have been a lot of negative comments on Facebook in addition to NP. The mags seem to be accepting the GWS/4709 statements as gospel because they can't be bothered to dig any deeper.

I was responding to MellishR when he was speculating about the loco being resold, it was a hypothetical situation.