Two exiled A4s to return from North America for two years - official

I have a mortgage to pay, but will spend some money seeing the A4 line up.
The responsible thing would be to use that money to pay down my mortgage even faster..
doesnt mean I will, nor does it mean I would visit Bowes instead.

I dont think this is the first time Bowes has been at deaths door, apart from being in a poorly supported area, what are they doing to attract interest apart from announcing they are bleeding dry ?
Maybe they should hire the A4's ?

 

According to SR, Bowes are stymied by a defective rail on a road crossing from running passenger trains and thereby generating greater income. Apparently they don't have the vols to rectify this.

Now I'm sure there are people in the movement with the skills help here, rather than Bowes having to raise even greater sums to have the work done by contractors, but where are the posts on here explaining the position and appealing for help?

 

A what a money spinner that has been.

 

Thank goodness this view didn't apply to Duxford's Battle of Britain 70th anniversary display. The event saw 4 Hurricanes and 17 Spitfires take to the air. The event was sold out for both days thus justifying the expense of putting on the show. No doubt some would argue that just one of each would have sufficed. I was there and to see the finale of 16 Spits take off and display was simply amazing and it will be the same for many people if all six A4s line up together.

 

If all they were all in steam and pulling trains i'd agree with the comparison, but they wont be - there'll no doubt be a couple of lineups outside Shildon or Barrow Hill, but i'd be surprised if the novelty of a couple more static A4's didnt wear off pretty quickly. Getting together as many different classes of East Coast motive power as possible for a lineup would IMO be a far more interesting and unique use of money than yet another lineup of A4's.

Chris

 

I would much rather see 4468 reenact its run on the ECML its more meaning full especially now we have a generation that will not remember it operating (of which i am in) than have two more on static display, 'Joe Public' wont really give a damn tbh, lets be honest they will just see it as a great expense shipping 2 locos across the Atlantic nonoperational when we all ready have 3 in running order over hear.

I fear this event will be more about repatriating them more than 75years of the record.

 

Ah a call for Mallard to be steamed, I knew it would come along sooner or later! With three on the mainline by then (hopefully), including Bittern so wonderfully disguised as 4492, what would the point of having 4468 out be?

It is better in the museum cold in my opinion. I know that it was extensively restored in the 60s and steamed in the 80s, but to keep it in as near pre-preservation condition as possible appeals to me, as the flagship of the surviving members and with its illustrious history. You won't want to steam Rocket in 2029 will you?

 

Maybe but my point was they had more than the one there to celebrate the anniversary.
As for not bringing in foreign based stuff, TFC get stuff from far afield for Flying Legends. We've had stuff from USA, Europe and NZ. They seem to think it's worth it.

 

Given the ongoing problems with volunteer numbers and vandalism, perhaps the best thing for the Bowes Railway is relocation of the most important equipment and buildings to somewhere with greater resources to look after it and operate it - perhaps Beamish? A big project, but if a suitable site for an inclined plane could be found connected to the recently restored colliery railway it would be quite something.

(apologies for going off-topic!)

Chris

 

How do you relocate the unique rope worked incline? Not that it works any more since the vandalisation/theft that occurred to one of the winding engines.

 

Well its obvious - relocate the incline first!

 

I presume that's tongue in cheek.

 

Different analogies then.
When my grandfather reached 80, those sisters and the duaghter who's emigrated came from USA and Australia to celebrate. 8 and 10 are doing much the same thing regarding 4468.
A number of military air shows have overseas visitors in the static park only. I know they arrive and depart under their own power but on the day of the show the paying public just get to see them sit there.

 

Hi Chris,

Live a mile or so away from beamish, they dont have the land to do something with it, even if they relocated.

Only possible option would have to use part of the old line to Consett from Ouston Junction, however that is now part of the C2C cycle path, it is quite steeply graded there. And about 300 yards from entrance to beamish.

Problem with the Bowes, is it is in a really deprived area, and has had hand-outs reduced, lost security, and became a magnet for metal theives.

From an industrial point of view, its great, its just that people cannot get a day of entertainment at it, an hour or so yes, beyond that no.

Hope that helps.

 

I beg to differ.

 

You seem to have missed the point completely. Mallard was not involved in the Battle of Britain. It happened to run very quickly, as we all know, but was not accompanied by its class mates cheering it on. For heaven's sake, you are not comparing like with like and quite what static locomotives will add to the celebration I will be interested to know.

Meic