Streamlined Duchess, past and future

From the same article, it would seem that the cladding design has been changed from the original to enable running on the mainline. A little peculiar really! What you see in the NRM is not a restoration to original condition at all!

Regards

 

As Ben says, swapping the smokebox and casing on to 6233 is laughable. Underneath that beautiful exterior is a web of crinolines to which each individual panel of the casing is fixed.
Just getting the crinolines exactly right took months of work and are specific to that loco. So I should imagine that even if the will to do it was there it couldn't be done without altering 6233 forever.
Hopefully someone at TLW will have a photo of the crinolines in place that they could put on here just to show what is underneath the casing.

 

Not half as peculiar as fitting expensive cladding that couldnt be used on the mainline for the sake of a minor change you cant see.

Chris

 

Faints - I agree with the above!

 

What he said ^^^^^ Can't believe we're even having this discussion. Are some folk never satisfied?

 

or it possible to leave the streamlining on and if neccessary make any firebox repairs and tube replacement through the firebox door...
[/QUOTE]
Chrrrist!! You'd be a hard task master to work for!!!

 

As a matter of curiosity is the LMS hooter exposed but below the casing?

 

Anyone tried an external boiler inspection (part of getting an insurance "10 year" certificate) for a boiler under cladding or streamlining? The casing will have to come off regardless of whether a boiler lift ios needed (and I think you can do the inspection on a wide firebox without lifting the boiler).

 

When I was a kid, the old man told me, incorrectly, that there was a black one with gold go faster stripes. I've always thought that would have looked hellfire, especially if it was well polished gloss black, not the matt that wartime streamliners were painted in.

 

I once drew a picture of it in black with gold stripes for my granddad, boy that was some time ago, and I agree with you 100%, it would look hellfire!

 

Chrrrist!! You'd be a hard task master to work for!!![/QUOTE]

Clearly the sarcasm behind this outrageous statement didnt translate...

 

Yer, joke mate. 'get in that firebox boy!'

 

Back to Victorian values... !

 

I don't want to pour cold water on this idea. But it appears that when it comes to April Fool jokes Steve Davies does have a bit of previous.....http://www.71000trust.com/old/update010409.html
Please Mr. Davies tell us that this one is for real.

 

6229 is not the only streamliner is preservation, you are forgetting the trapped 46235 City of Birmingham, another loco that needs to escape, it could be a travelling ambassador for Birmingham and would surely pay its way, rumour has it that it is in excellent condition as it has been stored in doors for 40 years or more, imagine both of them lined up along side each other in steam?

 

By way of physical form, 6229 is the only LMS streamliner in preservation. CoB is in BR green and fully de-streamlined, and will stay in its current position for the foreseeable future (sadly).

 

Why sadly? (opens can of worms and runs away)
Why must everything run NOW?! Do we NEED 3 Coronations in steam? Is there work and funding available for 3? Is it sustainable? Where is the business case?
(scrabbling frantically for that article in writing...)
I have a feeling of deja vu here....(awaits shooting down in flames...)

 

Definitely Deja Vu!

This got done to death sometime last year on here.

Current situation:
- one in original condition, safe and warm and in the Midlands available for everyone to visit
- one streamliner, ditto but in the North, and with plans to steam in the future
- one in current mainline condition, in restoration and due to appear in the colour most people vote for, then afterwards in LMS maroon. Soon to be appearing on a railway near you.

Strikes me as the perfect balance.

PS In my opinion it's nice to think of the current large stock of non-running loco's (restored and not-restored) as a nest egg for 30, 50 or even 100 years time, when the current and near-future runners are reaching the end of their active lives. 46235 included.