Flying Scotsman

Totally agree but I suspect the TOC for this trip may be part of the selection of an inappropriate locomotive.

 

It that were the case, I would sympathise with you but the rest of the UK is contributing through tax revenue, whether we like it or not and I, for one, couldn't care less about the games. Even if I wanted to visit the games the cost would be prohibitive. Have you looked at the cost of train travel lately? Oh yes, where will all those visitors spend their money?

Much better that a tiny fraction of this criminal waste of money was spent on finishing off Scotsman.

 

Troll, troll!

 

I feel sure I recall reading that the first crack in a hornblock was noticed late in the rebuild whilst one of Riley's fitters was working on something else close by? It was only after that first discovery that first the hornblocks and then the rest of the frames were subject to detailed scrutiny.

So all credit to the person with the sharp eyes, all credit to NRM for ordering the further investigations and paying for whatever was found, and all credit to Rileys for getting the work done quickly and well - but if the dice had fallen slightly differently....

 

Something that some people seem to be forgetting is that many of the repairs we do on historic locomotives, 4472 included, would never have been carried out in steam days. Replacement rather than the repair was the order of the day for many components.

 

Troll, troll!

 

First and last steam loco to run non-stop from London to Edinburgh, first steam loco to circumnavigate the globe, first steam locotmotive to run on three contients, longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive, subject of the first British feature film with sound...not to mention more obscure achievements such as one-time London-Cardiff record holder, first standard-gauge steam loco ever to reach Alice Springs, and only preserved British loco ever to be seen in Central America. 4472 probably holds more records than any other steam loco - and that would have made her perfect for the Olympics. Alas, it is now not to be, and no, 46115 does not have quite the same glamour, but I'm sure there are good reasons for the NRM's choice.

 

4472 is instantly recognised by more people in this country than 46115 is, fact.
With all the hype over it i think Tornado would of come closest to it for being known to the public, who after all form the majority of the people who will turn out to see the special train.
46115 will just be another steam engine to those who turn out to witness the train(apart from enthusiasts that is).

 

My view on 4472 v 46115 on the olympic flame is, i would definately go out and watch 4472.

46115 although a fine engine, no...

 

Which is the result you will get from the general public!

 

all I'll say is atleast it's steam and not diesel...

 

I'll go for that....

 

Me too, as I said earlier, somewhat tongue in cheek, but perhaps not now it seems. Anyway. It'll run when it runs but missing the Olympic thing won't be good news. Scots Guardsman's kudos will no doubt increase though.

 

Until it fails with centre cylinder/motion problems again.

 

I think that sums up the both arguments perfectly, for the Olympics Torch and the cost of restoration.

 

Unfortunately not.

That honour goes to several USA S160's, built in the US, transported to Europe and later sent to the Korean Peninsular.

 

Harsh but perhaps a little too close to the truth. Yet given what so many feel about the Olympics maybe a locomotive with unfortunate tendencies is a good choice.

 

I have moved the posts on locomotives that have operated on 3 continents into a thread of it's own here...

http://railways.national-preservati...eam-locomotives-have-worked-3-continents.html

 

I believe it was also one of the first standard gauge locos preserved and also ran the first mainline charter ever as a preserved engine whilst everything else was banned by Beeching and he apparently went mad when he found out that scotsman could do it

How very different the mainline and indeed other railways would be if this wasn't done when it was and how it was basically without beechings permission

At the end of the day surely after she's bankrupted the previous owners who saved her for the nation she must be where she belongs owned by the public? As surely she is famous enough that she will probably always get the funding. After all the engine does have a strange way of surviving against all off the odds!

 

Beeching's term as BR Chairman was 1961-65, so Alan Pegler's contract allowing Flying Scotsman to run until 1972 was agreed during his era, although I doubt whether at that time the date for the end of BR steam had been decided.