6100 Royal Scot

Which is more than many heritage railway organisations can, or are able, to achieve with non-working locos.

Apart from the practical impossibility of having the entire surviving steam fleet in traffic at the same time, would there really be sufficient work available? Given the debate elsewhere on here and "other places" about the future of mainline steam, I do wonder if the high profile returns to steam in the recent past mean we may end up with more large exprerss locos than there is sufficient work to support. A sensible mainline loco will also work on heritage railways, but the number than can or would be able to afford to operate large mainline locos regularly is quite small, so it is probably the biggest locos that most need somewhere they can be kept dry and safe until tyheir turn comes.

I have visited Bressingham a couple of time and find it is excellent at what it aims to be - but it also covers a number of areas I find of interest (traction engines and gardens in addition to railways)

Steven

 

If the loco is fit enough to run up and down the garden railway at Bressingham, does it really matter if it's not fit to haul mainline trains? At Bressingham it will reach a different audience, and we already have a Scot on the mainline.

 

Over a million to run up an down there is quite expensive!

 

Bressingham has indeed had its ups and downs but the late Alan Bloom saved many locos both road and rail from the scrapmans torch and once again Bressingham offers footplate trips on standard gauge locos. Where else can you do this? just think todays young lad who has just riden on "King Haakons" footplate may well be tommorrows volunteers.

In my opinion Bressingham is a wonderful place full of live steam whose future plans are only blighted by lack of funding.

Hope to see Royal Scot there soon.

Stan

 

All well and good knocking Bressingham but when steam finished on BR it was one of the few places you could go to see steam in action, particularly for those of us in East Anglia. The thrill of riding on the footplate of 70013 and others that followed for the princely sum of 2/6 (12.5p for the benefit of the younger members of the forum) was something I shall remember always. We weren't exactly spoilt for choice in those days and Bressingham was on many an enthusiast's "to do" list. It may not compare to the giants of the current scene - NYMR, WSR, SVR etc. - but many older enthusiasts have fond memories of the place

 

If (and it seems to be a big if) Royal Scot is restored to a condition fit for mainline running, imprisoning it at Bressingham will be a tragedy. What will have been the point? It would have been better to have spent the money elsewhere.

Cheers
Alan

 

what is interesting now is what will the out pouring of all this have on port line,and its restoration, if i were the owner, i would be removing the engines from there asap, otherwise i could be the latest in a long line of bancrupt owners ,
the regime at southall had now been throughly shown up to be not fit for purpose,

 

Nothing like a bit of hyperbole to brighten up the day.

 

The HLF are, as you point out, very poor at keeping track of funded projects. I have been involved (albiet on the periphery) with a project that nearly failed because the HLF were not paying agreed monies when requested. The problem was a change of personnel in the HLF office responsible and they had lost track of the project! Very nearly failed because of their errors!

 

I think the plan is or was just to have 6100 (the bressingham mascot) at the centre during the summer months then off earning her keep during the other months.
It would certainley be an attraction to offer footplate trips on this famous loco so hopefully it will be in Bressinghams interest to get her back from time to time.
Bressingham must feel damned if they do and damned if they dont now and I should think they regret getting her back into steamnow.
One thing is for sure if she does go home I will go and see her as I hope others will to support this worthy cause.

Stan

 

Given the money that 6100 needs to make, firstly to pay off Waterman for the work he's doing, then the money Bressingham has borrowed to pay for the overhaul, i cant see her spending much time away from the mainline during the summer. She needs a packed schedule, and im not sure thats going to be easily achieved.

Chris

 

bressingham shouldnt feel ashamed at wanting to get their engines back into steam, look at martelo, and the norwegian, both are now working engines, restored without any reported problems, the problems only started when the plan to restore 6100 got hijacked and why, as i read it because fss had finacial problems? and the team behind it who spent almost all of the formers owners money in a restoration that ten years later was found to need even more money than what had been spent on that overhaul? my feeling is that it was guided because someone needed to be involved in something he could shout about and a proper financial control came a very poor second and now bressingham has paid a very high price, it had to sell an exibit and might even loose 6100 if the bank decide that it needs to recoupe the money it leant
whilst i have no axe to grind with southall or anyone, the fact is that both the last two engines it has been involved with have had to many questionmarks against them and have been amongst the most expensive restorations that have been done ,in the light of the condition of 4472, which appeared to have been run into the ground ,if clan line could finace most of their maintance from funds why wasnt it the same with fss

 

Vey good point, none of us want to see her becoem a caged lion at Bressingham but never the less it willbe good if she can spend some time there at least during the summer.

Full credit Bressingham for getting her back in steam, I just hope it pays dividends rather than becomes something they wish they hadnt done.

Jim S

 

If indeed the reason for Southall's problems were to be found with Mr Kennington and not someone else, he wouldn't be the first good engineer to have trouble turning himself into a project manager, team leader and businessman. We can't all be as good as Brunel (who himself built one ship too many and went bust, btw).

 

What a load of ...................

Some dubious engineering practice seems to have been OK'd by said person and the overall cost of tyhe project does not reflect as good value for money with the finished product- whether engineer on the job or overseeing the project as manager its no excuse!

 

the problem isnt just mr kennington but the whole set up, after all he was just the messenger ,but at the same time, as the "expert " he should have not allowed bad engineering practices ,or solutions to have been used i can understand fund overuns when un expected problems happen, but the mechanical overhaul clearly was not done right generally its the boiler work that costs the money, if an engine has its motion its not as expensive when you are replacing and re metalling bearings rather than making new unless you are going for the most expensive suppliers for turning work and maybe not the best ? why it cost so much after all if the motion is worn, it must have been put back on in worn condition

 

Latest issue of Railway Magazine has 'stop press' that the bank with the mortgage on it has put the loco up for sale.

 

Now who might buy that? mmm :-# If it is for sale of course. [-(

 

Jeremy Hosking would be a good bet.

 

I hate to say I told you so... but 3 pages back.. I told you so..

If the bank has put it up for sale, the price will be the highest price that covers the banks losses, not neccessarily the full value of the engine. Sadly well all legal fees etc are taken out there may be little if nothing left for the original owners, the new owner (unless there is a bidding war) could actually emerge with a bargain. Time for the owners to seek some high rolling friends and fast if this is true.

I think the winning bidder could well be the one who could yet put a mechanical lein on the engine for unpaid work, (assuming of course they are still unpaid ?).. after all a mechanic can seize an asset until payment is recieved.. or reach agreement with it's creditors ?.. I'm sure Mr Waterman would love to own Royal Scot ! - thats my guess anyway.