Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

I think the surprise to me is that the ELR feels able to commit its resources to another Bulleid pacific. It doesn't have a great track record for keeping what it already has running - e.g. its Crab and Jinty - and the ELR engineering expertise already seems to be rather stretched. It has the Std 4 tank coming back son, but isn't City of Wells due for overhaul quite soon, and does it have any commitment to 45491? IMHO the owners of 34081 seem to be jumping from the frying pan to the fire!

 

45491 was last seen in pieces at Loughborough

 

60044, its a long way from Salisbury to Bury, and your comments appear to also be a long way off the mark.
34092 has 4+years until overhaul, not sure where 45491 comes from, perhaps you meant 45337 (privately owned) for which there is an ongoing agreement with work going ahead, 47324 (also privately owned) will be back in the next 12 months or so, 80097 is also a private (but Bury based group) loco which should be available in 2025 whilst 13065 is the one that has apparently caused some head scratching, being 4 years or less from an outside boiler contractor when the tubes failed..........
You may remember that 34092 and 34081 were together earlier this year at Swanage, relationships can be forged when there is mutual need and then earned respect.............

 

I can live with that

 

45337 is the black 5 that's now back at the East Lancs, no idea what the relationship with the East Lancs is and the owning group, however I'm pretty sure I have seen posts from one of the group on here previously.

34092 had a "fast track" overhaul in 2023.

 

Yes, 73050 has a way to go just yet, whilst 101 (the gate guardian) is after that.

My own preference for a hired-in engine would be something from the Midland region, if only to reflect the line's heritage

 

I thought the ELR had quite a large active fleet,

I was thinking that they already have quite a healthy active steam fleet; surprised they feel they can give enough steamings to another large pacific to make it pay?

 

Once 34081 has moved Up North. The county of the Red Rose will be host to five Spam Cans, no less.

34007- Under overhaul at Rileys
34067- Currently undergoing repairs at WCRC, Carnforth
34073- Stored parts donor at Carnforth
34081- East LR
34092- East LR

 

Think they only have 34092, 47298, the L&Y tank and possibly the Tender Austerity, plus Gothenburg?

The Standard 4 isn't back in service yet I don't think.

Chris

 

MeA CULPA, YES THE bLACK 5 IS 45337, NOT 45491! It has been suggested that the ELR steam fleet is quite large, viz : Think they only have 34092, 47298, the L&Y tank and possibly the Tender Austerity, plus Gothenburg? Of these the tender austerity seems to spend a lot of its life on hire elsewhere and I don't believe either the L &Y tank or Gothenburg are used much for normal services other than in cases of in extremis; that leaves an inhouse steam fleet of just 34092 and 47298 plus, before long the standard tank, and eventually 45337, so on on the face of it there is room for 34081, but I think its not unreasonable to ask whether the budget can cope with another Bulleid pacific. Time will tell.

 

All good things come to change and I shall remain positive about the future of 34081, an engine I watched come together following purchase in 1976 and based at Wansford. I seem to recall joining the BoBLPS at the time to contribute in some small way, my first joining I seem to recall?

What the HR sector faces is renewed commercial pressures and I'm all for sharing of engineering & operational expertise on locomotive types if it brings some benefits of scale. We have seen this for other Bullieds based elsewhere such as Herston & Sellinge so why not Bury too?

 

There has to be some sense in having similar locos on fleet, being able to hold a stock of spares and buy components when they are at favourable rates for higher unit numbers.

With 34092 being ELR based permanently it makes perfect sense to have another loco of the same class.

As noted above, the group that own 34081 have had to go through a decision making process that a lot of groups face over the next few years about what happens as the owning groups become less able to manage the next overhaul.

We are seeing the same issue facing the group that run a museum site that we volunteer at, with no clear and obvious route or decision.

Chris

 

On a lighter note, I'm waiting for the first person to confuse whether it's 34081 or 34092 that's "92 Squadron"...

 

Many people refer to 34081 as “92” because of her Squadron number. Having 34092 alongside will no doubt confuse some.

 

2890, the tender Austerity, was on hire at the Spa Valley for a couple of years but is now in regular service at the ELR - in fact, I think it's been the most-used from what I've seen in photos tho I may be wrong. It's owned by Andy Booth who also owns 52322, so I think usually one or the other goes out on hire elsewhere. 52322 is currently at Embsay

 

92 Squadron makes the news:

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2024-12-10/legendary-locomotive-leaves-museum-after-half-a-century

"Rare".

Really...?

 

What are the current passport arrangements for those of us living well within the boundaries of the Southern Region of British Railways to make visits north of Watford please?

And do we need a special license if we drive up in our normal road vehicle which is a large lorry with a very long trailer?

Thanks in advance,

Bryan

 

No passport required. Just remember to take your big coat.

 

It’s not Yorkshire so you’ll be ok. They let all sorts of riff-raff into Lancashire.

 

They may re-position the bar for defining riff-raff once I try to get close.

Bryan