45699 Galatea

Re: Galatea

Yon Bella thing nearly demolished Huddersfield station many years ago. It was on a football excursion to Manchester and had been brought to a stand at Hillhouses box. I don't think the driver was best pleased about the delay (it's a long uphill drag to Standedge) because when he got the nod to go it was definitely "pedal to the metal" time, full blast through Huddersfield station, dust, cobwebs, steam, etc, rattled the very foundations. The station cat set off running and hasn't been seen since. :whip:

 

Re: Galatea

Billy Ruffian's always easier...!

 

Re: Galatea

I disagree. You pay to go to a classic car show, a classic bus show and airshows, but the other enthusiast fraternity's don't expect information on potential visiting vehicles' restorations - if it's announced and you want to go and see it, go and see it.

WCRC are not cagey about revealing what locomotive will pull a train so the comparison stands. If due to a mechanical fault the announced loco doesn't make it, or fails during the day, WCRC to my knowledge are more than happy to explain the problem to a reasonable extent - and that is right, because money has changed hands for a particular product and the unavailability of that product should be explained.

Basically, until money changes hands, there's no moral onus and certainly no legal onus to let anyone know what is going on. If the enthusiasts said 'not interested'? Mr. Smith would take the TSOs out the set, put another FO or two on the back and make a bit more money!

 

Re: Galatea

Not enthusiasts? Really? so why would they bother to go on a steam special at all? As to what Carnforth should tell the world, it certainly seems Carnforth are a lot more tight lipped than the rest of the Steam movement. After all, why did the question arise at all if they were not perceived as being excessively secretive?

Really? so which big name aircraft suddenly appeared after years of silence?

I'm making no demands of carnforth - I really don't care when Galatea is finished - My point was to try to describe a sort of mutual respect between the loco owners and the enthusiast which should benefit both. However, as you point out, the enthusiasts will buy tickets (collecting tins aren't necessary for getting money, williamfj) anyway, so Carnforth need have no respect for the enthusiast at all.

 

Re: Galatea

If Galatea had remained in the care of Brian Oliver's consortium it would I'm sure have been steamed already, remember it was they who bought the wheel pattern, had a superb marketing set up, had a digital parts catalogue, and were donated lots of motion parts, plus lottery funding was easier in the 90s. As it is owned by a charity, the North of England Heritage Railway Trust, I can't understand why they have not appealed for funds to speed the restoration.

Dave

 

Re: Galatea

They may not be the "walk over broken glass just to get a photo" fanboy type of enthusiasts, but to my mind they are enthusiasts non the less. Galatea's first train will be filled with the sort of enthusiast who would put up with any amount of discomfort and disdain to be there. You know it and so do I.

 

Re: Galatea

First train maybe, what about the rest though?

 

Re: Galatea

For the first year, at least, I suspect quite a few will be filled with what even RalphW would call enthusiasts. Truth is, though, it's the mad keen enthusiasts that power the whole steam heritage scene, so they shouldn't be dismissed lightly - even though they often are.

 

Re: Galatea

This enthusiast discussion is all completely irrelevant however because no enthusiast is going to be petulant enough to cut off his own nose to spite his face and refuse to travel on/go and see Galatea because no updates came out on its overhaul.

 

Re: Galatea

Ok we'll have to agree to differ - I can't see anyone who books on, say, the CME, being completely uninterested in what is pulling the train. The destinations are just time fillers.

Even if it's pulled by a deltic for instance? Maybe for a 66, but if heritage tarction is involved, the loco does have importance.

I suppose I could quip that 50% of the passengers know what's pulling the train and the other 50% are their wives, but it's stereotyping - and we wouldn't want that would we?:whistle::whistle:

 

Re: Galatea

Strange point of view.

I'm owner of various things including part-owner of a loco. When we bought it we discussed whether to set up a website etc., and decided not to, on the basis that we weren't appealing for any funds, we didn't know what problems we might uncover along the way, and we didn't want to look stupid by promising things and failing to deliver them. With hindsight this was the right decision as we have indeed had a few setbacks along the way - not something we particularly want splashed about online or in the press. Progress is being made, however, and when it's finished, very probably it will pull a train and people will be able to have a ride behind it, for which our host railway (not us) will charge for a ticket. They thus make some money which compensates them for having our 'toy' in their yard. Which, fundamentally, is all it is.

It wouldn't particularly bother me if it never pulled a passenger train, I'll be satisfied enough to have saved it from scrap and made it work. Certainly nobody has a 'right' to have a ride behind it - not even me, as I don't own the track it's standing on.

A far more historically interesting machine which I also own is a Clifford 'C' rotary cultivator, the only example known in the world. Despite having some photos of this online, and despite an obvious complete lack of progress in restoring it, I don't receive angry emails from garden machinery enthusiasts hassling me to get on and finish it, or sell it to someone else, or to demand to come and see it or to know when it will be ready.

This sort of attitude seems to be peculiar to certain elements of the 'railway enthusiast' fraternity; I can quite understand why any vehicle owner would think "I can't be bothered with all that, I'll just get on with the job".

As for Galatea - I'm personally satisfied enough to know that it is in good hands and being restored. It won't really have a devastating impact on my life if I never actually clap eyes on the thing, nice though it undoubtedly would be to see it.

Phil

 

Re: Galatea

I dont think it matters whether charter trains have enthusiast passengers, "ordinary" passengers, or a mix of both, so long as the trains are well filled and so justified.

I would have though the prospect of two Jubilees, or a Jubilee and 46115, blasting their way over the Settle & Carlisle would be a huge enthusiast draw. Bring it on please.

I'm sure Mr Shuttleworth will have plans....

 

Re: Galatea

I don't know Mr Smith, but I would imagine he might fit this category himself. Certainly without him and his team the mainline steam scene would be somewhat the poorer. Therefore if he chooses to keep himself to himself when it comes to overhauls then so be it and lets not dismiss that too lightly by barging around insisting on a "right" to know what is going on at Carnforth.

 

Re: Galatea

I wholly agree with you Ralph, enthusiasts never spend any money, bunch of tightwads

Regards
Chris:

 

Re: Galatea

I'd pay good money to partake in that day out. Or a jubilee with one of Mr.Rileys black 5's. Our local special Jubilee was Seahorse, sadly long gone

 

Re: Galatea

What Mr. Smith does at Carnforth is his business, nobody else 's, It is HIS RIGHT to keep it that way. I'm grateful that Mr.Smith and Carnforth are in business, long may it continue. I'll bet he's having a damn good laugh about all this. Good luck to the fella.

 

Re: Galatea

Along with a few other people too no doubt......