71000

I sincerely hope that you're right.

The Duke was a real beast on the S&C in the 90s and it is remarkable that since October 2006, 71000 has only made one trip north and one south over the S&C... (both in May last year). Surely more regular Duke trips over the S&C would bring the punters in. Furthermore, the Duke has not run north over Shap since June 2007, nor has it made any trips via the infamous northbound climb of Beattock in preservation... All of these would appear highly marketable to me either as enthusiast tours or tours for joe public who want a big shiny steam engine up front with a good name (e.g. the CMEs).

 

We might assume they have not done so because these tours in the past have not made money and the money is to be made running trips in the south.

 

I think you should read the latest Heritage Railway it makes grim reading DBS will not operate it till it as had a full audit ,the chairman as resigned and they have no money.

 

Assumption is if they had made a good profit operators would do these tours more often supply and demand

 

I wonder if she might catch the eye of one Mr J Hosking?

 

I think the days of small groups operating a engine on the mainline will start to disappear, they will have to be operated as a business .With the average cost of overhaul for a large engine at about £500,000 you will need to bank a minimum of £ 50,000 a year or a £1000 a week after all the other running costs am I right?.

 

It would be very worrying, in my view, if the future of main line steam was cocentrated largely in the hands of one individual and we should not look to him to solve every problem that goes wrong. In any case, his pockets, whilst deep, may not be bottomless. The Duke is a wonderful loco but its owning group has a very chequered history in recent times (remember the late running and massively over budget last overhaul?) that looks as though it could do with an infusion of good management. Perhaps they should find a sponsor then approach the Clan Line group about a friendly takeover! I can't see anyone (apart from perhaps the aforementioned Mr Hosking, will take them on without a dowry.

 

I agree with 61624 that one individual should not establish a monopoly on mainline steam. Perhaps the way forward for 71000 is for the necessary funds to be raised, by hook or by crook, and then a decent spell on a preserved line somewhere where the engine can earn money, settle into an extended period of reliable operation and get a good reputation as a solid, reliable performer. Resolve any problems with WCRC and then gently edge back into the mainline scene. 71000 always appears to be rushed back onto the mainline after a few turns on the ELR and then another problem arises soon after.

 

I don't disagree with the concern that we end up with all our eggs in one baskets, but hoping that

is easy to say but is proving very difficult for many organisations in these straitened times. Seems there just aren't that many philanthropists out there with an interest in steam, and the rest of us plebs are right out of loose change, or too wary to commit bigger sums in case the job goes pop next week.

 

Yes it is but it's not impossible. There are still plenty of big projects going ahead that rely on the donations of the individual to help raise a big total - Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway and the Bluebell have raised big totals in this recession. 60007 has had a major and expensive overhaul too so there are a few precedents kicking around.

 

I believe that an expression of interest in such an arangement as suggested here has been made to the DoG people and has received short shrift. It sounds as though there may be some internal warfare to get out of the way bfore a recovery plan for the loco can be formulated.

 

I thought the owners were different from the people who run it. Shouldn't it be for the owners to decide what happens to the Duke?

 

You would have thought they'd have common aims!

 

Sadly, a far too common situation. People, agendas, self interest - call it what you will - gets in the way of what really matters, which is the locomotive.

 

Perhaps the people in charge at the moment don’t want to give up control of it, anybody that puts a large sum of money into it would want a big say in what happens.

 

This all sounds far too political for my liking.

 

Welcome to the real world of preservation - Egos and Politics - which is why I'm often surprised at how much has been achieved over the years !