9F Evening Star.

Will the NRM ever restore this locomotive to working order?

 

Doubt it. There are several previous threads taking in this topic. They say:
Other 9Fs are working so anyone who wants to see one can go and look at those, so no great merit in removing it from display.
The flangeless centre driving wheels are said to be unacceptable for Network Rail running, due to a risk of fouling certain types of points which are now more commonly used than back in the day.
The tyres are at, or close to, scrapping size. There is a tale, myth or not I don't know, that during restoration Crewe swapped 92220s good wheelsets for a more worn set because at that time they were still overhauling 9Fs for service and another loco needed them.

 

not much point when there are other identical locos available.

 

If they had not spent all that money on the Flying Money Pit they may have done something to the 9F and other loco s

 

The last two 9Fs to visit Crewe Works for anything other than a light casual were 92234 8.66-10.66 (Heavy Casual) and 92203 10.66-12.66 (Heavy Casual). Now, the Railway Observer December 1966 edition indicates that 92220 was not present at Crewe Works on 9th October 1966. Records show that 92220 was worked on at Crewe during December 1966 and January 1967 for a Collision Repair. So if 92220's wheel sets are not with the loco, they must be with 92203!!
I'll have to get the rule out on 92220's tyres next time I'm at the NRM.

 

It would be fairly easy to check this by looking at 92220's wheelsets. They would have their original stampings on them. These sort of things you don't change (unlike numbers painted on cabsides!)

 

If cash becomes available to overhaul a big engine there's a certain Stanier Pacific that would be a much better choice than another 9F.

 

Indeed from memory I seem to recall, that the NRM has a policy of not restoring "duplicate" if you will locomotives. Bear in mind also that the NRM is a state run museum that is "charged" with preserving railway artifacts for posterity, rather than running them into the ground. Granted there are several locos at the NRM we'd all love to see running again. So as has already been stated it's highly unlikely that 'Star will run again. For that matter neither would the following; Black 5 5000, King, 6000 King George V, A4 4468 Mallard to name but a few, as there are others running or nearly so. Mind you they did issue a get out of jail card if you will, with regards to 6229 Duchess of Hamilton if the "Bathtub" streamlining was restored and/or someone else came along with the offer of cash to overhaul her. The streamlining making Hamilton decidedly different to sister Locomotive [4]6233 Duchess of Sutherland which has always been a none streamlined member of the class.

 

With a bit of vision and a lot of money a set of matching Mk2 coaches could be overhauled to run with it. Not pre war LMS but a stunning spectacle if it ever happens.

 

Unless it's a Beattie well tank or a 4F? Or indeed a Deltic?

 

I don't think any of these were restored by the NRM

 

Thing is there are bound to be a few exceptions. I couldn't in all honestly see the Beattie on the mainline. And I think that the NRM have put in place strict terms & conditions on the running of these machines. Equally by all means make'em an offer they can't refuse to restore all their "duplicate" locomotives..............

 

I think the no duplication applies to locos the NRM would fund the restoration of. If you rock up with a pile of cash and want to restore something, that's a different kettle of fish. Although that raises an interesting theoretical question - what if someone cam and offered all the money to restore, say, Mallard, or Rocket, to working order? How important does the NRM rate having certain items in the museum compared to having them running, if money was offered for that particular loco?

 

Quite agree. I think in most cases, as there is a finite amount of cash available from whatever preseved line for steaming fees, so whatever the NRM charged would be taken from any other owning group. Of the currently unrestored machines, as I mentioned now that Duchess of Hamilton has had the streamlining restored she present a very different profile to Duchess of Sutherland. Thus giving 'Hamilton the "get out of jail free" card, provided someone else coughed up the cash.........

 

Also brings up the thorny issue of of 'original material' when we looked after 92203 at Toddington, it became apparent that a lot of the loco was getting more towards the end of its life expectancy. Copper pipe work, fittings and things like the tender tank were not as good as once was. Ok for a private owner ur group but we know the nrm like originality. Same goes for city of Truro. Tanks wafer thin and other such like needing replacement to run again.
Enjoy 92214 whilst it's green!

 

Are you suggesting that 92214 will be repainted black?

 

I like the image conjured by this thread of a titled Lady escaping from jail hiding in a bathtub!

 

I photo'd 92220 in Crewe works 0n 27/08/1967 ,it was in a small shed on its own all tarted up for museum display .As a mater of interest 92017 was on Crewe South shed.

 

Thing is they may be others in steam including 92134 (soon) , but people would still go out to see Evening Star if it w working.