46235 City of Birmingham

I believe 46235 should be left exactly as she is; quite apart from the conservation debate, why steam another non-streamlined Duchess when we could put the money towards 6229? Now that I want to see in steam!

I'd also like to add my name to the list of those who would love to see Cadbury No. 1 returned to steam - she's prettier and more characterful than 46235 any day!

(And perhaps, given Tyseley's main line expertise, she could be fitted with air brakes and TPWS in the process? Why bother taking another Duchess over Shap when we could let this one loose? )

 

No, the best way to do it is to ensure that there are things in steam, which steaming all these things now would deny them when it's their turn to run things. Why should we deprive future generations of their projects and rightful inheritance just because you want to keep playing trains and can't settle with what you've got?

 

That would be a fun trip. Open wagons or brakevans?

 

Open wagons for me - though I expect goggles will be necessary!

 

Really? Have you ever fired a Duchess? Or anything for that matter? I was lucky enough to see CoB and all her classmates many times and I have fired and driven DoH, but I would rather see CoB where she is than just have the memories. If you want to ride behind a Duchess, ride behind DoS, you won't notice what's on the front and it will help to pay for her next overhaul.

I too would love to ride behind the re - streamlined 6229, but it would not eclipse the joy of just seeing her, something, like seeing trains in the Aberglaslyn Pass, I never thought I would be able to do.

Now, I might be able to see a P2 as well...

Enjoy what you've got, it could all have gone.

Regards,

jtx

 

With the recent announcements over Birmingham City Council's financial libilities meaning it is having to consider selling assets, if it owns 46235 could it be vulnerable to a person of wealth making them an offer difficult to refuse?

 

I think it does belong to Birmingham City Council and is not part of the national collection.

 

Correct Alan, it's never been part of the National Collection and the collections of Birmingham Museums and Art Galleries are of Nationally Designated status so the loco CANNOT be disposed of.

 

Edit: Moot point with Anthonys post above.

 

But I presume that wouldn't preclude a deal where someone funded its restoration and running whilst not relinquishing its ownership? A bit like the way the NRM loans out locos. Or maybe a leasing deal?

 

I'm sure if you offered to hire it for a £100k per year, then a million to get it in/out of the building, and another million for the museum to find, fund, market a replacement exhibit, then 3 million to restore it.. and another another million to maintain it.. £8.5mn… bargain, for say 25 years.

Should we cut back on the beer and put the copper in an empty pint pot and see how much we raise ?

Maybe we could do a swear box.. every time someone mentions the word "Livery" on the forum they put a tenner in the kitty.. we'd do it in a day that way..

 

Don't people ever give up!

The original question speculated about the financial problems of Birmingham City Council possibly meaning CoB could be sold to fund the shortfall. But the savings they are looking at are of the order of £800million. A sale of CoB (even if possible) might realise a low six figure sum - being generous, still less than 0.1% of the required sum (given that the bidder would have to be a museum, not a wealthy plutocrat with a steam fetish). Running is potentially financially risky and, as has been widely documented here, only marginally profitable, if profitable at all. It's one thing for the NRM, with a clear specialist interest and remit to display its collection, to take the risk of operating, rather than just displaying, its collection. Quite another for a municipal council. Given the above, if the political and managerial leadership of Birmingham City Council are even remotely vaguely giving a nanosecond of thought to CoB, rather than radical service transformation, it would be a dereliction of their duties.

As gricers we can fantasise all we like about whether certain circumstances open up this possibility or that possibility to see a favoured locomotive on the mainline. But given the diversity of services run by a council, I'd speculate that what to do with CoB is probably about number 46235 on their top 100 priority list...

Tom

 

Exactly. Which would realise rather more than selling 150 tons of metal into a market with few, if any, likely bidders.

Tom

 

My interpretation is that it is theirs, but they're still not allowed to sell!

 

So what liv....

Oh, never mind.