Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

Thanks for this. Thought Didcot did the job back in '81 but I was mistaken.

 

While you're here Ian, can I ask if the Battle of Britain Loco Society has ever considered acquiring a shedmate for '92'? It strikes me that you currently have an incredible volunteer sales and restoration team, working in a decent workshop, and at some point in the not too distant future '92' will be complete and so there will be less work to do and the possibility of some of the team drifting away. Work on restoring/overhauling one while the other is in steam principle. Perhaps a rebuilt example to complete the 'BoB' set?

 

No way José, the financial commitment will be too much. We will need a dedicated team to keep 34081 if fine fettle and there will be plenty of other tasks around the railway to keep idle hands occupied. The team is already chatting about which project they'd like to help out next. Remember, everyone of our team is also an NVR member.

 

Fair enough, definitely a sensible plan not to over-reach and neglect your 'first born'!

I look forward to seeing the continuing progress and the loco in steam when it is ready - we definitely need some steamers coming through fairly soon as various boiler certificates are getting close to expiring! Will be interesting to see what is eventually chosen as the next project.

 

It has been suggested in the past that we should get a second loco and use 34081's streaming fees to fund the overhaul. Fact is that unless we get a lot of steamings for 34081 the income will not be anywhere near enough to fund the overhaul of a second loco. 34081 will need money spending on her during the next boiler ticket, that's inevitable for any loco, and we would run the very big risk of getting to 34081's next overhaul with loco number two unfinished and no money coming in. Not saying it couldn't be done but given the size of our group, it's not a challenge we're keen on accepting.

 

What would be available if they did want another one? I can only think of 34073 and that's unrebuilt that might be available. How many rebuilt BoB's are there anyway? There seems to be more rebuilt 'West Countries'?

 

For many of us working on 34081 it's not just a case of restoring/overhauling an old steam loco. The Battle of Britain/RAF connection is very important to us and anything other than a BB just wouldn't be the same. We're proud of our connections to the 92 Squadron RAF of today and the past. In fact we're the only combo of a surviving BB "squadron" loco and its namesake squadron so any other loco just wouldn't do.

 

34059 at the Bluebell, 34053 at the Severn Valley, and 34058 at the Midhants.

 

Looked shot to bits when I saw it, but it depends on whether the rust seen beneath the paint was superficial. It'll probably need work on the tender top if fitted with raves anyway. I should think some of the casing will have to be renewed, hence why it will cost £35k rather than £2k for a paint job (latter figure plucked out of the air!).

 

After working at Ropley today I visited Alresford to see 34051 tender. Which was delivered on Wednesday. Looking at the tender 34051 will be facing smoke box out of Alton. I'm looking forward to seeing 34051 at Ropley next weekend. Anyone going on the night shoot at the MHR gala?

 

It will be good to see the real 34051 at Ropley at last . Some years ago 34105 sat in the yard at Ropley (with an oily rag in the smokebox IIRC) in disguise as 34051 for a War event and she fooled a lot of people. I heard quite a few people saying "Ah, she's from the National collection" or something similar when I was taking pictures. I will try and find one to post on here.*

*And here are 3 low quality scans from my photo's of 8th May 1996 (Not great pictures as I didn't have a very good camera in 1996!):

 

Was that the tender down at the end of the Mk1s in the headshunt? Or was that 34058's tender? Looked in pretty good nick (from 100 yards away!), so assume it was 34051's.

And yes, will be going to the night shoot on Saturday - spending the Saturday and Sunday at the lineside and staying on after the last trains on Saturday for the night shoot. If anyone is around on either day (or at the night shoot), come over and say Hi if you spot me (tall, Panasonic video camera with external microphone, red O'Neills headphones and a bronze tripod (not literally bronze-coated, just bronze paint!) and will probably wear bright orange trainers).

Hope to see some of you there!

James at SVN

 

Some photos of 34051 at the Dorset Steam Fair. They were taken on Thursday, the ground was too soft at that time to move it into the main ring where the rails were. It was due to move first thing on Fri.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157631354709392

 

Seeing as 34058 has a tender but as a kit of parts, i would suggest it is more likely from 34051.

Incidentally i take it that following the tender swap on 34007, earlier this year. 35005 `Can Pacs` original leaky tender has departed the MHR and moved to Bury to go with 35027 `Port Line`.

 

34007 is now running with the ex 34046/35027 tender. This will go to Canadian Pacific when 34007 has its kit of parts put together.

 

I have a MHR book which has a picture of 34105 as 34051 hauling a train into Alresford.

 

Is it this shot?

hants - 34051 winston churchill arriving alresford mhr 95 JL | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

I can't quite remember but think the one I saw may have been from the footbridge but it could have been that one.

 

Michael S Welch book Over The Alps has a photo of 34051 from Alresford foot bridge on page 55 taken in July 1995.

 

Thats the book I saw it in.