Boscastle and Taw Valley

I didn't think the SVR were interested in running big pacific locos all the time?

And if true i can't see 34027 being used soley on the SVR, isn't it owned by someone else rather than the SVR? Was under the impression it was under a contracted overhaul and just assumed it would be going mainline after.

 

Pretty sure 34027 is privately owned and therefore the owners is free to do with it as he see's fit and the SVR doing the work was a contract job rather than in house ?.

 

That very well may be the case for the time being, but no-one can predict the future. Even if it may not go mainline over the next few overhauls (and granted, the SVR seem to have bent over backwards to do this comprehensive overhaul, but at the end of the day, they do not own the locomotive), it doesn't mean it won't ever grace the 'Big Railway' again. Nothing is certain in this business, as 'Tornado' has demonstrated...

 

I must admit I am suprised and saddened if this decision is correct and I hope the owner(s) reconsider this given how popular D1015 is on the mainline and the potential opportunities for using 34027 in tandem with it. Taw Valley has been a fantastic performer in the past and to restrict it just to the SVR would be a shame. Perhaps the possible return of Braunton has diluted the market??

 

A sad but understandable decision if they have decided against 34027 going mainline, in this day and age you really need a good business case for it to try and make some money towards the next overhaul, in a few years there are likely to be 3 or 4 mainline Bulleids (35028, 35027, 34067, 34046), would there be enough income for a fifth ?.

 

A waste of main line "gizmos" though? Air brakes, OTMR, TPWS etc.

 

I don't know, the Air Brakes could be usefull should the VSOE ever visit the Svr for example, assuming it's kept that is.

 

I assume so, unless it was withdrawn before OTMR became compulsory.

 

I wondered were that was. 34010's frames are sitting on a wagon at Edon sidings which is the bit beyond Norden at Swanage. Not sure what the future is for her, as although 34053 Sir Keith Park will steam again in a couple of years time, talking to one of the workshop chaps yesterday, 34072 257 Squadron needs 1/4 of a million ponds for her repirs, and standard 4 tank 80078 is due of of service soon, so are they going be able to do 34010?

 

I have no worries on that score. They have a lot of the parts in store for 34010 that were ordered in bulk with those for other Bulleids under overhaul, and it seems that it is a case of when, not if, the second oldest Bulleid (notwithstanding the fact that it is rebuilt) will be in steam.

 

I hate to contuine to sound negative, but where the money going to come from? And how much of the parts have been used on 34053 instead (which was a basket case before she arrived)?

 

I would assume they will use income from the other engines along with a public appeal to fund the restoration - that is how it has been done in the past and there hasn't been any changes that would mean this method would no longer work. I would further guess that 34010 is very much a long term project - 34053 and 34072 are the current projects and I assume the Standard 4s will be due for overhaul either alongside the Bulleids or immediately afterwards. 34010 isn't exactly needed at the minute and it makes more sense to stagger the overhauls so that Southern Locos have 1/2 locos in the works at any one time instead of a queue outside! I would think that you'd be looking at around 5 years before any serious work starts, although fundraising and acquisition of parts would obviously continue in the meantime.

Just my 2p worth!


Keith

 

Couldn't put it better myself. And they've just had her wheels re-profiled, so unless something drastic happens to those of another locomotive, they wouldn't go to that expense to have them sitting around the workshops... would they? But it's getting to the stage where SLL have done all the leg-work of getting their locomotives to steam, and its a case of maintaining a fleet of locomotives (at the risk of over-simplifying what can also be an expensive enterprise). That's a pretty good record in anyone's books.

 

35006 may be running by then, and who knows about 33001 and 35005 overhauls, as they are all older than 34007 (assuming Wadebridge was the 'oldest' member that you were thinking about)

Anyway, I have heard the owner of Taw Valley giving his reasons why there may be issues with mainline running and he makes some fair points - at the end of the day it's his loco, and we should be very grateful for the money that is being spent on it to ensure that it will run again, if only at 25mph (and in whatever guise!)

 

Slip of the tongue, I meant second oldest Light Pacific in preservation.

 

SLL's new website has just gone live. It includes links to photo archives for all their locos.

http://www.southern-locomotives.co.uk/