FR & WHR & WHHR News

Moving to different loco queries...
Is there any target date at all for completing the restoration of 2-8-2 No 134?

and completely off-piste:
Has any consideration been given to naming the WHR/RhE service locos? I know 138 was named briefly Millenium, and there was talk of naming K1 after Mr Garratt, but both seem to have come to nothing.
I just think there is a lot of potential for more tourist/children interest in named locos, plus greater marketing potential. Plus, it is something of a UK narrow gauge tradition for locos to be named.
I know it isn't "prototypical" for these locos (ex-SAR and ex-Tasmanian), but then running them in Wales isn't prototypical anyway!
At least the NGG16s now have distinguishable liveries now - and very handsome they look, too!
You could have a competition - ideally for names which have some logical series about them (and aren't already used by another Welsh NG loco).

 

I was rather sorry to see 138 lose her name, personally. The WHR was a millennium project and I thought it was nice for one of the locos to serve as a lasting commemoration of that.

 

I think it would be a great shame if all the locos were named.

 

The naming of locos on the (admittedly standard gauge) Paignton and Dartmouth Railway is often criticised for non-authenticity. Personally, I don't think that names suit these rugged locos - they are great locos, but names would look a bit twee.

John

 

I believe the proposal to name K1 'Herbert William Garratt' was dropped because there was a desire to keep, as far as possible, the original appearance of such a historically significant loco. In any case the loco has always carried its designer's name on the cabside where the Beyer, Peacock & Co. works plate proudly states it is H.W. Garratt's patent.

 

I'm not sure whether the "rugged locos" you are referring to are the Paignton and Dartmouth ones or the NGG16s on the WHR, but if the latter then I'd agree with you, names do seem somewhat twee. I never liked the name "Millennium" as applied to 138. However, I think the NG15s seem to me to cry out for being named. Why? I have absolutely no idea! I like the idea I've seen mentioned somewhere of recognising their past life and giving them African names - "Kalahari" has been mentioned before, or if you are looking for more local inspiration, then what about using the names of local rivers - there are plenty to choose from!

Steve B

 

I think at least one of the NG15's used on the Apple Express on the Avontuur line in S Africa was named.

From memory one of them may have been "Granny Smith" so possibly not a good precedent...??!!

 

I prefer that WHR engines are referred to by their number and FR locomotives by their names, a nice but subtle difference.

 

I think lots of enthusiasts prefer locos to be numbered rather than named. Shades of crossing them off in Combined Volumes perhaps?
I have always found remembering the numbers quite difficult!
My point was that I think the non-enthusiast (who represent most passengers and who therefore pays most of the bills) likes named locos.
Historical verisimilitude hardly applies to the contemporary WHR, so what's the objection to names?
Those who don't like them could just ignore them, as people do with the P&D.

 

I'm all for naming them, as long as the name either represents their history IE perhaps African mountains, lakes, deserts, jungles etc. People like named locos, hence why Virgin name its units.

 

You can't ignore huge ugly nameplates, especially if they carry unnecessarily long names. If you can't remember the numbers it doesn't matter - the WHR Garratts are all different colours.

 

Any response to my main question?

 

Not as far as I know. There is a plan, and work continues steadily, but there is no public target date. It's a volunteer funded project, so things proceed as money and effort allows. But at least we are putting it back together now instead of taking it apart!

Official details here:

http://www.ng15-134.co.uk/

If anyone wishes to come along and help on Tuesday evenings or the weekend working parties they'd be very welcome - contact details are on the above site. You do need to let us know in advance of turning up.

 

- from http://www.ng15-134.co.uk/Restoration/Latest.html

Sounds promising.

Richard

 

I am surprised that the WHR locos haven't been named. It is a tourist railway as tourists like engines to be named. Also I know the numbers are original but make little sense on Wales. Seeing No 138 you wonder where are the other 137 engines. So if I were the Fat Controller it would be names or new numbers.

 

Tourists also supposedly like engines with faces - let's do that too.

 

If you went to a railway and saw, say, a 9F like 92203, would you be asking the railway's management where the other 92,202 engines are being kept?

 

That's just face-tious...

 

Surely a better (and less contentious) idea would be to name the carriages?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Surely there's a precedent in naming WHR engines anyway (Russell, Moel Tryfan, Beddgelert.......) so arguing that all the WHR engines are numbered only doesn't work.