Streamlined 46229

I have a confession to make, when 6229 first arrived for restreamlining I wasn't convinced that it was the right thing to do. I had seen loads of pictures and a few models of streamlined Duchess's and wasn't impressed. It wasn't untill the last few weeks of the project that I realised what magnificent beasts they were.
Even the photo's on here and elsewhere as good as they are, don't begin to do her justice, you really do need to see her in the flesh to begin to appreciate the beauty of her.
Her impact on the general public can best be understood by the reaction we saw as we passed through stations on the way to York, people who were standing around waitng for their trains stared in amazement at this vision in red and gold passing before their eyes, the number of double takes was something to behold.
One suggestion I would like to make is that if it isn't possible to overhaul her in the nearish future then maybe she could go on a tour of the country to places like The Engine House at Highley or be parked for a few days at a time at some of the countries major railway stations. If this could be done in conjunction with a fund raising campaign I feel sure Joe Public would put his hand in his pocket and donate.

 

Thxs for visiting my site

The third question I thought about but decided against it basically because if they made it mainline runnable Q1 wont have been probadly needed.
Early days in the vote yet but surprised by the result so far !!

might try another poll later regarding - which next 6229 / 4771

John

 

Green Arrow or tjhe Duchess? Easy - Green Arrow! After all, there's already another Duchess out there.

 

But Green Arrow, or a streamlined Duchess? I'd go for the latter, as Green Arrow has had a good stint of mainline working and we'll have another LNER apple green loco out soon(ish).

 

after giving this serious thought, I have decided a Streamlined duchess with 3 cylinders in a monoblock casting with conjugated valve gear all painted in apple green is the way forward.....


Off to get me coat..

 

An invidious choice in that it presupposes both that the funding for either project would have to come entirely from the NRM, and that they would exercise a veto on an alternative funding strategy.

 

Not so. Just a practical choice given the size of the workshop team we have and the staff available to oversee it - also given that we shall have 4472 out there doing the stuff as well.

 

Wow!!!!!!!!!!! =D>

That looks far better than I thought it was going to. :smt118

Tysley, you've done better than well with this.

 

I thought the same when this was first proposed and did do right up until the first photos appeared of her en route from Tyseley to York. That provided the impetus for a trip to the NRM - I had to see her for real. Having done so I, like I'm sure
everyone else will be, was absolutely stunned. The sheer majesty just doesn't come across in photographs either from the 1930's or the modern day. The quality of the work is superb - congratulations to all involved.

The only slight distraction is that there appears to be a dent on the top of the casing on the second sheet. Photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25197135@N04/3589425865/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25197135@N04/3589429245/in/photostream/

I appreciate that my telephoto has probably exaggerated the depth bit its definately there. Is it something that happened at York after delivery?

 

Interesting comment Anthony, definatley the V2 for me as well. There were rumours of already aquired funding to this end, what have you heard that we havn't? Longer term I think Hamilton is a must just for sheer spectacle if nothing else.

 

Have to say, it would be an interesting one for Fictitious Liveries. :-$

 

I would like to see it in Virgin livery as applied to the pendolinos that would be interesting.

 

Thanks for all the nice comments on this guys. If there is one thing that is most gratifying about doing this project, it is the huge number of born-again streamliner fans that it seems to have generated. If Mr Hodgson is reading KC's challenge above, can I put a plea in for a BR green streamliner, I have always wondered how bad that would look!

Bob Meanley

 

I think you missed your chance Bob, should have put it into green undercoat to find out

 

Finally got there on monday to see the Duchess.
Must admit that they have done a fantastic job of streamlining it. But I would still rather have it running mainline than steamlined and stuffed.
My running vote also on my fotopic site seems to have switched also from 2/3rds in favour of streamlining to now 50/50
Lets hope its near the top of the queue for mainline restoration

keep on voting

John
http://john-robinson.fotopic.net/c1713622.html

 

Well, I got to see Hamilton at York yesterday. WOW. Fabulous. As a professional Engineer myself I can appreciate the workmanship that has gone into it. Fantastic job, and thanks again to all concerned. :smt023

Interestingly, though, my partner immediately said that she preferred the unstreamlined look. :shock: . When I asked why this was, she said that it didn't look like a 'proper engine' any more... Interesting point of view, which was shared by the lady of another couple who we got talking to whilst standing beside Hamilton. We all agreed, however, that we could understand how the appearance of these locomotives in 1938 would have wowed the public, so it wasn't all bad!

Now, about getting her back on the main line... [-o<

 

Though I haven't seen her for real (in streamlined form anyway) she does look stunning and given that 6233 is being withdrawn this year and don't know when she will be back and with 46235 on permenant display in Think Tank in Birmingham with a likelyhood she will never steam again I would love to see 6229 on the mainline in streamlined form especially with the A4s. What a sight that would be

 

Men want to buy Porsches & Ferraris. Women want to buy Fiat Puntos. Oh yes, she'll be a boy's toy, all right.

Dear NRM. This loco is screaming, absolutely screaming, for 31/12/2010 to come around so that you can get her in the works for the following year, and then turn her out in time for Olympics 2012, mainline-ready. Meanwhile, you could test which of the current maroon carriage stock in this country looks best with the go-faster stripes (or is the correct term "speed cheat"?) and arrange for the recreation of a "red Coronation" set. I'm guessing that BR Mk2Ds might give a visually pleasing result, if obviously not authentic. 7 coaches plus the usual support coach would allow fast running at premium ticket prices, for worldwide marketing to Olympics visitors.

And who would pay for this? Well, Sir Richard Branson was very, very generous to the 4472 purchase appeal. Here's a big red loco that could sit at a Crewe platform, with a Virgin Pendolino peeping out coincidentally on the track behind, and Sir Richard grinning toothily from the cab at the hundreds of drooling photographers. Don't you think he might be up for that? Perhaps draw the line at a "Virgin Duchess" headboard though.

As posters have said, streamlined 6229 left people 'gobsmacked' at lineside when on the move, even though she was behind a Class 47. The publicity that Tornado generated for rail preservation would be a gentle breeze in comparison.

 

Interestingly, though, my partner immediately said that she preferred the unstreamlined look. :shock: . When I asked why this was, she said that it didn't look like a 'proper engine' any more... Interesting point of view, which was shared by the lady of another couple who we got talking to whilst standing beside Hamilton. We all agreed, however, that we could understand how the appearance of these locomotives in 1938 would have wowed the public, so it wasn't all bad!




Interestingly I heard a similar remark made by a lady visitor to Minehead staion when Bittern was there for the WSR spring gala. Apparently all the other engines on view were, in her view "proper engines" whilst she thought the A4's steamlining made it look "not right", in fact she said she thought it looked "ugly!" I guess she had never seen an A4 before and perhaps thought it had been "done up" for the occation?

 

Yuk.