Remaining Ex Barry locomotives?

I would agree : 68077 is more easy to see than 68078 however and is tucked inside the shed at Tunbridge Wells West last time I visited.

 

Also Jinty 47445.

 

Not an ex-Barry loco. But restoration of the frames is ticking along at Riley & Son.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18a8QUKxoX/

Frames were rewheeled a month ago.

 

80150 is being actively fundraised for by a group at the Mid Hants - not sure of the group's name off the top of my head.

As @Jamessquared has said above, nothing has been done to 80100. There are some fairly recent photos of it here: https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/80100-2/ It is still in the same place in Horsted Keynes up yard as of a couple of weeks ago, so can be viewed (and, with potentially some challenge, photographed) from the station by any ticket holders. It may be moved soon as the up yard is being relayed. Maybe not immediately, as I think the siding 80100 is in has been condemned!

I suspect it will be retained for now, again as said above, it is owned by the railway. 80064 has moved away. They're perfect for the line; 80151 is well-liked and (I suspect) the most reliable steam loco of the operating fleet. If you come to the Bluebell, theres a 80+% chance it'll be out on a weekend!

It was floated that possible the team restoring 84030 might take it on next, but I'm not sure if that will happen. I suspect one of the following things will eventually happen:

• A group of Bluebell supporters fundraise for and restore the engine
• Another line will agree a 'restore & run' deal, whereby they restore the engine, get to run it for say 5 years, and return it to the Bluebell after a certain period of operation

 

4MT 80100 at The Bluebell in May 1979 and 47 years later in April 2026

 

It amazes me that the Barry 'RESERVED' writing remains visible on the back of the bunker.

 

Although there is string round the chimney it looks like the associated piece of tarp is no longer there.

The missing chimney cover over many years became very expensive for 76077

 

Is any GWR loco great to work on? Admittedly my experience is largely confined to 4277, 5224 & 6619 but I found them horrors to oil up and not the most comfortable to drive and fire. The odd days on Panniers and others were no better.
I passed out for driving on 6619 so have a bit of a soft spot for it, though.

 

My earliest GWR footplate experiences were 2857, 3822 and 6998. At that stage I had limited comparative experience but they each seemed decent to work on. Very soon I gained a wider knowledge of LMS stuff which provided more perspective!
However, the 'Manor' is a very decent machine, albeit rather exposed tender first inclement weather. Strong, free steaming, roomy cab, fire hole not too low like some GWs.
Had mixed experiences with 1450, 57xx.
Three Castles, 5029 decent, 7029 was a bit tired but ok and 5080 sent so much steam directly to exhaust without using it that 6 coaches felt like 18! Ball ache to oil up.
The big tanks are the worst to work on but PDSR seem to collect them so perhaps they dislike the crews!
One thing I never liked was lack of loco steam brake on the bigger stuff, not entirely secure even with the tender handbrake screwed down.
A "vac pump" is really good when working properly, saves a surprising amount of steam.

 

Been lucky enough to fire a 57xx, 64xx, 1369, 14xx (2) 55xx, (2) and a 78xx. Considering the tank engines only I would rate the 64xx as the best for comfort, space in the cab and firing, and visibility but then it’s the most modern of the locos described being built in the 1930’s. 55xx is good to fire as well. Shame about the handbrake being positioned where it is on the fireman’s side though.

The essential issue with the GWR tank locos are that the majority are essentially Victorian in design so do feel outdated compared to the more modern locos such as a standard or black five. Perhaps one day I’ll get to experience one of those too!

 

I've fired over thirty different locos. Given that that list includes a 20 ton Fletcher-Jennings 0-4-0T from the 1870s and also Tornado, it is hard to give an absolute ranking; they really aren't comparable. But I doubt it is a great surprise if I were to say that far and away the best all round loco from a fireman's perspective from amongst those 30+ is an 80000 tank. Crew comfort, steaming ability, ease of preparation - it is pretty much top on all fronts from the fireman's side. (I haven't been on an Ivatt 2MT tank, but most people I know who have rate them highly as well).

At the other extreme - the worst all round was a 56xx. Not really a fair comparison to look at a loco designed for controlling loaded coal wagons down steep valleys and pulling the empties back up and then ask how it did on a six coach passenger train, but it was just all round unpleasant to work on. I also wasn't really impressed by my one go on a Black 5, but I think it was a particularly rough example.

On Victorian and Edwardian locos - I like working on them. The one issue that a lot of them seem to have is more fiddly injectors. (In their defence, all the GWR locos I've been on tend to be very good in that regard). Far and away the worst loco in that regard I've been on was the Beattie Well Tank, but I think there are good reasons why that would be so. The LNWR coal tank was also awkward in that regard, but Fenchurch can also be a bit temperamental. The Chatham engines are better, but they are still not the absolute reliability of a BR standard.

Amongst modern GWR locos, my most recent experience is a modified Hall. Give or take a missing gauge glass, it is quite good from the fireman's side - once you are off shed. But I'd still prefer a BR Std 5 over it, and a Std 4 tank over either of them. More comfort, and better controls.

Tom