Find and buy a scrap locomotive to restore

Starts to rub legs in a Vic Reeves style...

 

Oh dear, we sound like a load of cynical and frustrated old men! I knew a 24 year-old who had a similar idea and, seemingly, about the same likelihood of realising his dream. 15 years later he bought his engine (rather better than a Barry wreck) and now, 2 years further on, is approaching the completion of it's restoration. Surprising, what determination and hard work can achieve!

 

Could I ask what engine?

 

80078

 

Hellfire! Ideal Engine but has your friend now turned into a cynical old man now??

 

Hardly, I believe he's thinking about the next one!

 

Fair play! Mind I have friend who's done the same with his engines, he bought diesels tho. Ansewer to my question of "why you buy two? Isnt that twice the trouble?" was 'well, why not?!' AFIK he's still happily Married! :0)

 

Good choice. I do like the Standard 4 tanks. 80072 was a late Barry escapee and looked great when I saw it at Llangollen a couple of years ago.

 

Wrong engine though, 78!!

 

Well, it proves the point! My man also graduated from diesels (5 at the last count!) and he, too, is happily married!

 

I think David Shepard gave a similer answer when he enquired about 92203 & 75029! 2's more fun than 1! Was what he's supposed to have said. I think this a very British thing to do tho. "And why
would you like to Restore 100 plus tons of scrap metal, endure years of "that'll never run" and the inevitable "what colours it going to be?" The ansewer is "BECAUSE I CAN!"

 

Well done and good luck to the new owner of 78, I never realised how young he was! Continues to reinforce my belief's that there is still a lot of young blood working towards the future of our hobby! Slightly hijacking this thread is there any news as to the current progress of 78 (I know flaman has indicated that its restoration is close to completion) and any news as to where it is likely to end up following its return to service?

I do have a slight issue with people writing off the younger enthusiasts with a desire to own their own loco just because they are perceived to be naive and lack experience. Only earlier today i read about Ryan Pope who is still in his early 20's coming to the end of a 2 year restoration of his Barclay 1219. There are also plenty of other examples of youngsters that are either restoring their own loco's or having significant involvement/leading the restoration of group owned loco's, the ESR, Dinmore Manor LL and GCR are a few that come to mind from my own experiences.

I myself, although not actively involved in full size preservation, have had personal ambitions that I have been supported through and achieved. At the age of 19 I bought a house that in terms of financial outlay is comparable to purchasing a large mainline loco with plenty of life on its ticket (hopefully a wiser investment though!). Now at the age of 30 I have gone on to acquire and still own 3 miniature steam locomotives and 2 sports cars. All this has been achieved by myself with a sound business plan, hard work, a sensible lifestyle and goals! Of course this has necessitated in getting a bank or lender on side, but it hasn't been as a result of rich parents or a healthy inheritance.

I appreciate that there are a fair amount of daydreamers out there, but this can be applied to the old as well as the young! I've always prided myself and been motivated by others of achieving something which you've been told wasn't possible, it doesn't make it any easier to succeed however and can seriously dent your confidence and doubt your ability. All I'm trying to say is don't write off people just because of their age and support where possible, it doesn't take long to work out if they are serious or not!

Paul

 

It isn't an age thing. John Cameron, David Shepherd, Peter Beet were very young men when they wrote their cheques out in the 1960s.

 

Stephen - if you do wish to restore something for a few thousand pounds, then how about a wagon project? There are lots on preserved lines around the country and they do come in useful as stores or tool vans, mobile workshops, exhibition rooms, and part of demonstration goods trains.

 

Woken up to a deluge of comments/replies! I'll try to give a composite answer:
Of course Stephen's ambition is attainable, but of course it ain't easy! We have 3 chaps at Mangapps, all now aged just over 40, who own and have restored their own locos. Interestingly, there are some common factors which I think are relevant; all 3 left school at 16 and did not go to university, but worked in various sectors of the engineering industry and got qualifications through apprenticeships and on-the-job training. They all own their own homes and, in two cases, other property, all are self-employed and two of them are married. All 3 work, primarily, in the rail industry. None of them are much involved in sport. All 3 started with small diesels and have progressed to big diesels, one to industrial steam and one to ex BR steam.

As to 80078, boiler work is complete, work is starting on fetteling the frames and repairing the cylinders, the latter an unexpected job which has impeded progress a little. The original plan was to have her running in 2014, and that target may still be met, but if so it will probably be at 23oo hrs on December 31st!
She will be run-in at Mangapps and will then move to other railways. There is no shortage of candidates!

 

I too have a problem concentrating on what the weather girls are saying

 

If your prejudices allow it, you could look abroad. Still some USA lookalikes in the Balkans.

Oh, nearly forgot the WD 2-10-0s and USAs in Greece, maybe a S160 there too. And then there's the narrow gauge in the Far East.All depends on the depth of your purse.

 

Still some genuine USAs in the Balkans.

 

Aha! A Mangapps man! Is there any news on how Hastings is coming on?

 

Still progressing, but a little slower of late, due to it's owner concentrating of his big diesel, 31 530.