5051

It is heartwarming to see you being so altruistic on behalf of the GWS but, as I pointed out in the 92240 thread, the idea of restoring a loco so someone else can use it doesn't really make much sense. As far as I can tell the people at the GWS are working flat out to keep their own loco fleet where they want it, without becoming the unofficial second base of another railway, for no benefit to themselves.

 

True, and you've got to give it to them as they do have a massive collection to look after!

m0rris

 

I agree with what you're saying. You only have to look at the NRM (perfect model for this proposal in many respects) to see the problems that have arisen through their loaning of engines to organisations where for whatever reason the overhauls/restorations have stalled.

I do believe though that there is a way of Didcot increasing its operational fleet to allow one or two locos to always be elsewhere on hire, on rotation, and for the steaming fees earned helping to maintain this cycle. As with everything though the sticking point would be money - it needs someone to stump up a significant sum to overhaul say 6106 and 5572 at Didcot, and then get the ball rolling with seeing the steaming fees from these fund the overhaul of other locos to follow. All rather pie in the sky I'd imagine, but hey, whilst they're all sat in the shed then dreams can be dreamt and ideas thrown in the pot...

 

Or get someone else to restore them in leiu of free use for x years,at which point they return operational to Didcot-as per 45212 and 68077 from KWVR.
The borrower gets an operational loco much faster and cheaper than a Barry wreck.
The reason that so many manors are operational/on their way back is down to their usefulness to preserved lines.

 

That presupposes that the steaming fees would be sufficient to pay for all the costs of major overhauls and running maintenance. With no obvious plethora of city investors rushing to put their money into main line steam with a vision of vast financial returns one suspects that they may not be, in which case having locomotives elsewhere might just be reducing the attraction of Didcot as a location to visit and promoting the competition as well as taking operational life out of the locos.

 

The interesting point to consider is whether the calls for the GWS to get its engines in steam by lending them out are coming from within the Society or from without. My impression is that they are coming from without and that those within are content to wait till a particular engine's time comes again - and that view will therefore probably hold sway.

The example of 45212 is not a particularly good one - it will return to the KWVR with an expired ticket and in need of a full overhaul again. I can't see what the KWVR have gained from the deal apaprt from a couple of brief visits.

 

I quite agree; such an approach runs the potential risk of Didcot ending agreements with a shed full of even more knackered locos than at present if not adequately policed and monitored.

 

Which is fine, but realistically speaking I don't see many of the 'core' GWS collection running in the short, medium or even long term. There is a massive commitment to the current restorations and new builds citing specifically at the likes of the Railmotor, Saint, County, King and 4079. Once these are running there will be the capacity required for running maintenance, and I doubt very much (after all the effort with getting these specific locos steaming) that once their tickets are up that they'll be allowed to sit in the shed and wait their turns for overhaul, whilst the 'core' collection takes preference. Didcot benefits from running the smaller, more economic locos so I just can't see any real opportunities for the likes of 7808, 5900, 6998 and 5051 to be overhauled anytime soon. I'm sub-30 but I'm not going to hold my breath at ever seeing any of these four locos being steamed again in my lifetime. I'd love to be proven wrong!

 

This thread has made me think about the long-term future of GWR locos on the mainline more than ever before, and realise that, since the Great Western was the biggest beneficiary from the "Barry Miracle", it now makes a lot of sense at this stage to see some members of the well represented classes as a "strategic reserve" for the next generation.

It takes a leap of faith to believe that the railway in 50, 75 or 100 years time will still be open to steam excursions, but if it is, imagine the benefits to be had from, say, "Earl Bathurst", "Thornbury Castle" or "Wootton Hall" returning to steam for GWR200, or even GWR250. I say that in the belief that the current projects and ways of working are going to have other members of those classes remaining available for many years to come, with ample opportunities to see and ride behind them on the mainline and on heritage lines. So sticking a few away for now, with some protection from deterioration, and "forgetting" about them for a while, makes a lot of sense. In the immediate future we will have four Castles in operation, and it's hard to see that there is demand for more than that at any one time.

Even if some of those not running are your favourite loco, with a special meaning for you, be glad that Barry was in "our" region, and that as a consequence we are so much better off than fans of other regions and have our main loco classes so well represented in preservation. In the distant future, when everything else has shaken itself to bits, restored GWR locos may be all that are left.......

 

That's a fair point, and in that respect perhaps it makes more sense to regard the core Didcot collection in the same way as we look at the NRM's collection. As Sidmouth has noted, the locos in the collection at Didcot are stored complete and undercover so are not at any risk of deterioration. Perhaps the likes of 7808, 6998, 5900 and 5051 being stored as such for an undetermined length of time isn't such a bad thing. Examples in each respect are working elsewhere in the UK, and this will probably be the case even in 20 or 30 years with other examples around the country flying the flag for these locomotive classes.

Rather than looking at Didcot's entire collection, perhaps focus should be given to the locos which are unique or not represented working elsewhere. I would still put 6106 into this category however, but the main locos which spring to mind as being unique and/or of interest are 5322 (in traffic), 7202 and 1361 (both under overhaul).

Perhaps therefore I should revise my perception of the medium/long term future for Didcot. Who knows!

 

Not taking bookings yet, but there are many thoughts milling about. It could be done in something like the original style, with 3 Castles, a King, and a hall thrown in for authenticity, but think of the cost now and then inflate to 2014 levels. How many people will travel and how much will you be willing to pay. It was obvious that many thought the Bristolian too expensive, but it cost a lot of money and neither we nor FGW made much out of it other than an immense amount of good will, pride, and brilliant memories of the team work involved. Having said that I am led to believ that there are a few around who now wished that they had booked on the up train.

Regards
Bob

 

And probably more than a few of us very glad we did!

 

That would be them who turned up to photograph it only to find it was long gone, then :mmph: