NG loco of the decade

Right, if the mainline can have two 'best' awards, and the industrials as well, it is about time we narrow gauge had our 'awards' thread as well.
If there is enough (sensible) response - and I can work out how todo it, I'll add a poll.

Please nominate a narrow gauge loco for acheivment in the past decade, or just beause you like it!
If you want to explain your choice that would be a nice addition.

I will add my choice later!

StoneRoad

 

Well I`d like to put forward a few for consideration!

HE 3902 of 1971 "Trangkil No 4"
P2050 of 1944 "Harrogate"
O & K 1473 of 1905 "Pakis Baru No 5"
HE 3904 of 2006 "Jack Lane"
Krauss 4045 of 1899 "Sragi No 1"

But then again I am biased!!

 

Off the top of my head I'd have to say K1 - having the pioneer Garratt back in steam has a significance stretching beyond the narrow gauge fraternity.

Andrew C
Narrow Gauge World
www.atlanticpublishers.com/ngw/

 

I would also say probably K1! The most interesting to steam this year at least. Or Axe on the L&B, a beautiful machine.

I'd like to nominate Lyd but she isn't finished yet!

 

For me it has to be ether

Britomart for just sheer guts.
I know its not run for a while though but ALCo Mountaineer for the noise factor.
The Square, Earl Of Merioneth for looking superb especially the short lived black livery and being the first double engine to run on coal.
Then Linda and Blanche for the way they have done so much for the FR over the years.

 

Out of the Isle of Man fleet probably No.12 Hutchinson. Or Sea Lion on the Groudle Glen Railway.

 

For me it would be VOR No8 just because of the trips i had on it over the summer. But for a non biaist view yes the K1 then secondly possibly Dolgoch

 

My immediate thought was K1 - a hugely significant piece of restoration. But if you want to honour a loco that has perfomed consistently over the decade, with very little attention, and hasn't been in the "limelight", then it's got to be FR's "Upnor Castle".
A diesel I know, but nonetheless worthy for that. It's been used and abused for the whole of the "noughties" on reconstructing the WHR. If you add in it's Upnor and Lodge Hill history, and the fact that it has (uniquely?) served 3 different NG heritage railways (W&LLR, FR and WHR) then it's got to be a strong contender. Giving it an award might just prevent the loco being left forgotten in a siding when the WHR is complete.

 

Gotta be the K1 - no poll required !

 

Easy for me - Corris no 7. A great little loco on which to learn something of the art of firing. Hopefully one day it'll be able to prove the doubters that it is perfectly capable of running a whole lot further that we are able to go at the moment.

 

It would be nice for it to visit the TR for a gala and pair it up with number 4.

 

Remebering this is the NG loco of the past decade, many of the locos nominated above have only operated for a short time in that decade, especially Linda. I will put forward three possibles. Stanhope, very popular and attractive small engine that has visited just about everywhere and who's restoration in1999 included making many lost parts and building in many ways to make her as go anywhere and useful as posible......2nd David Lloyd George, the now very run down and unloved but old reliable of the FR and 3rd NGG16 143 for constance and mostly reliable service for the entire previous ten years. Her ticket is up in the next few months and she has already run her last with it. She has been operated harder and farther in her last year then before and has only rarly failed. She had the dignety on her last run to handel everything without any fuss what-so-ever, including K1 bearly being able to take it's own weight.

In caseyou hadn't guessed yet 143 gets my vote asthe unsung hero, May her heart transplant be quick and painless.

 

I think Upnor Castle is a good shout actually!

 

Fascinating discussion, perhaps a feature idea for future Narrow Gauge World
Always open to new ideas, especially UK material!

Andrew C
Narrow Gauge world

 

I think it is much more difficult to nominate Narrow Gauge than Standrad Gauge especially. Mainline Standard Gauge as the latter have a limited shelf life, is it seven years and a liited number of runs per year which may be high profile. They then may disappear for many years

If we look at the "major" narrow gauge lines many of them will have locos which basically have run the best part of a full ten year ticket, be out for a year or two at most and then run another 10 year cycle. The work horses of the FR such as Blanche or the TR such as No.4 have probably run for the best part 0f 80% of the last 40 or 50 years but because they are not sexy and new they probably get overlooked. Many other railways have similar locos and that is without the diesels that chug away on works trains year in year out.

I note that many have gone for K1 but to me it has not really been around for long enough as although it first steamed in 2004 it took along time to fettle and basically only run service trains from Oct 2007. Add on that it is often double headed, it has been out for a bit and it is only this season that it has finally had the paint job finished it would not get my vote.

If I was going to go for a WHR/FR loco it probably would be Palmeston if only because for what was really meant to be only a museum peace she appears to have had a lot more use than I presume was envisaged if only because she was coal fired since it was rebuilt.

 

I'd like to throw in a bit of a curve ball and nominate the W&L No. 14/85.

Consistant performer, constantly running on her limit of train weight, minimal maintenance and all for the last decade.

Not to mention the various liveries carried in that time too.

A shame that she is finished come April. . . . . .

Hunslets finest indeed.

R

 

Perhaps the prize should go to a component rather than a particular locomotive. I have in mind the Lempor exhaust system which, amongst other applications, enables "The Earl" and "Countess" to haul loads up the Golfa fifty per cent heavier than those they were designed to pull. There is no impact on their elegant shapes either!

 

Well, I would like to mention two:

K1 of course, because turned 100, and because of its technical and historical siginificance
and NGG16 no 87 because of it dazzling white livery

 

*throws hat into the ring*

K1 for being K1 and nothing else.

Uproar as the deserving underdog for sure!

 

I would have to vote for Baldwin 778 as so many people said it could not be done, or Axe both great restorations apart from Axe cab.