4449 the story

According to the VCT register there is, thankfully, a complete, restored example at the GCR. There is another grounded body belonging to a model engineering club and a couple of 'underframes only'. It is quite sobering see how many carriages and items of NPCS that were 'preserved' with the best of intentions but were left to rot and subsequently scrapped. Unfortunately the common factor usually appears to be a lack of covered storage which certainly doesn't come cheap. Ray.

 

That was my point to the MHR C&W guys. They only have covered space for two coaches. The engine shed seems to be run as a commercial operation, so currently there is nowhere to restore anything old, and if you chuck the Bullied's out of the shed for any long period they will go to rack and ruin, while they overhaul Mk1's, some of which will need major surgery.

Everyone forgets an average Mk1 is now 60 + years old, which is about as old as the LC&DR coaches the BlueBell bought in the 60's. From what I've seen Teak weathers better than the screws and bolts holding it together, but the old tin worm just turns everything to dust! I've still got some Stanier door posts in my garden, and they are left out in all weathers and are still solid. I guess they will turn into coal soon.

 

I have already asked once, but I'll ask again....can all these non 4449 posts be moved to the old memories of the MHR thread PLEASE

 

As always the topic has wondered.

Sorry.

 

Back on topic I found some post accident pics. Do you want to see them? I thought not.

 

And somewhere I have got the internal roof vents from the Stanier's

 

Which Staniers?

 

The ones that went up in flames in Basingstoke yard

 

i don't mind as i enjoy alll the photos, but they'd be better in the thread of memories, all in one place

 

I would be interested in seeing them, but I understand that it would be tough for the guys who worked on it.

 

i have my own, post em up I don't mind

 

How did you get them?

 

i got a tipoff that there had been an accident, drove down, walked down the headshunt and took the pics. Promptly got ordered off the premises by Rude Woof.....told him he would be talking to my solicitor (who handily was stood behind him....) end of my MHR involvement....

 

Did you get a fair payoff for the loss?

 

I can't recall how much we got out of the Insurance Company. We sent it on to the Swanage Railway , it paid for life membership for us all and the remainder was donated. We also brokered the deal with the Insurance Co for the Swanage lads to break 4449 up.

 

A sad end, for all that work.

I've not yet found a picture of the culprits.

 

4 or 5 years work I suppose....

 

And the finish line was how far away?

What was a coach like yours down the head shunt at Alresford?

Who ordered the coach to Alresford? Should have been in Ropley yard.

 

a couple of months I'd say

we declined to put further effort into it until such time as we had an operating agreement. I don't need to tell you why there was a reluctance to give anyone such an agreement.

In answer to your question...who do you think?

 

Sounds very familiar. If I'd known that was the game I would never have gone to the bank, and we could have plodded away, annoying nobody, like Barry Stratton. Still can't change history.