Secrecy n speculation

I am of the opinion all surviving steam locomotives are a national treasure. Even the people who own them are only stewards really. Why is there so much secrecy and lack of information regarding their status. I can understand the people involved are obviously busy with there maintainance and restoration, but how long does it take to take a few progress photos, and post an update on a website.
I am left wondering/searching through speculation, how jubilee galateas comming on, what's happened to British India line, shaw savill .the 3rd crab, some of the black 5s.. Can't the owners get on here or something with some info..

 

A donation for information would be a winner for everyone and I'm sure if you offered them a few quid theyd give you a few minutes of their time.

 

Hmm, I expect everyone thinks that their particular interest should be a national treasure! Locos are lumps of metal, made by man, owned by men and importantly paid for by men (excuse me .... I mean men or women). He who pays the piper calls the tune. The stewardship argument I will accept when applied to natural things like land or very special artifacts - Rocket for instance. Or I suppose in this country anything in the national collection?

I can't answer for the people involved but I suspect that some of them don't see it as any business of those who aren't contributing, and others may get fed up with their progress being analyzed and criticized by armchair enthusiasts (Why haven't you done this, when are you going to do that, it's the wrong colour, etc etc).

It seems you want everything laid out on a plate for you? At no cost or effort to you? What a boring hobby!

 

No loco owner is obliged to tell anyone anything. Some groups are very active in keeping people informed - usually those who need donations etc. to help fund their project. Private owners on the other hand who have a different financial strategy probably have more important things to do than spend all day answering innumerable questions from enthusiasts.

 

I read your post, thought about it for a while, then remembered this:-

Puppet singing Ive Lost My Mummy by Rolf Harris - YouTube

Ah, diddums, won't nasty Mr. Smith tell you about his locos?

 

i own a classic car. If someone phoned me and demanded details of what i was doing with it and when, I think I'd not tell them as it isnt any of their business. Same with loco owners i think, they are the ones who put their hands in their pockets and they call the tune.

 

Yes.. Paid for by men and women.. Like us. The public, through shares, donations, national lottery grants! The public have a right to know!

 

LOL... Ok, 10/10.. U made me laugh.. But it's ME who gets on west coast trains n pays the ticket... It's ME who regularly contributes to loco overhauls... Why can't details be made public.

 

Its not about answering a myriad of questions!.. Just a few pictures of, Galatea say, and a description of some of the engineering challenges so far, some info on the parts made etc... Look at the loco reports from the watercress line! Very informative and interesting

 

OH, I understand your question.

I suppose the MHR has a publicity department that has a remit to report on engineering activities. While WCR don't.

 

The answer is simple - if you feel strongly enough, vote with your feet. If enough people stopped travelling on WCR trains because they don't release any news of what is going on in their workshops they might have a change of policy.

 

Not all locomotives are funded by the methods you list. Some are owned by individuals who pay for them out of their own pockets. In these cases you most certainly don't have a right to know. Now gather your toys and put them back in the pram.

 

If you have bought shares or made donations in support of specific locos then yes, I agree, you probably have a right to know what is going on, up to a degree. The public as a whole do not. If you take part in the national lottery you have a right to a chance to win a prize. Beyond knowing where lottery grants go I don't think you have any right to information about specifics.

 

S'pose you could always go and visit these locos you've "donated" to and ask for your self.

 

I think the point the original poster was making was that although owners own the locos legally, they have a 'duty of care' to protect them because they are historical relics and part of our heritage and therefore they are only trustees in reality. If these 'trustees' receive heritage grants etc to restore them, then it follows that the public have a right to know how the money is being spent and a right to view progress.

The way out of this is for English Heritage to list these railway relics to protect them from the worst excesses of unscrupulous owners and to penalise those who are using these priceless artefacts as bargaining chips and hedge funds for their own gratification. Come on English Heritage make a move..

 

Are you suggesting English Heritage list every privately preserved steam locomotive ?

Surely the National Collection represents this role quite well ?

I don't see many locomotives out there being desecrated or sacrificed. The ones with public money tend to be well advertised, however as Ralph says.. Galatea is a privately owned, privately sponsored affair, we get to see it, only when the owner choses and thats life. If you want different.. roll up to Jessop Way with £100k and i'm sure you'll get a bit more influence.

 

Yes, this is kind of the point I'm making. If I bought Galatea, then I've got the right to cut it up into small pieces and make it into pretty "loco" shaped earrings and sell them on ebay. From the responses I've had on here none of you'd grumble about that

 

Let's get one thing clear; no privately owned locomotive will ever get a heritage grant so that argument falls flat.

 

Define privately owned.