Flying Scotsman

I was watching the Portillo "Settle & Carlisle" programme last night on BBC4, which included footage of 4472, single chimney and no deflectors, and I pondered how it looked like an "original" A3, or even an A1, as built by Gresley.

...But those are "bad thoughts", so I washed out my mouth with salt water....

 

A lot of the money to buy and restore 4472 was from public appeals so the argument that the money spent of her could have been used to restore 2 or 3 locos doesn't really hold water to me. I don't think the public would donate money in the same way they have for 4472 to restore a loco like Green Arrow or 2500 unfortunately, Duchess of Hamilton is a possible exception though.

 

Seeing as FS is a NRM owned machine it's not unreasonable for people to ask questions which might be "uncomfortable" for the folk involved in bringing this machine back to life. I did see somewhere (I can't remember where) reported that it was costing an extra £500000 for extra work that was "discovered" at Mr. Rileys place. That's a lot of money. Lots of questions spring to mind when a person reads reports like that.
I hope FS is back very soon, any colour will do, single/double chimney, German style deflectors or no deflectors, doesn't matter to me, as I posted elsewhere, I shall enjoy the sight and sound and the engineering and I shall thank the NRM for having the courage to take the job on and NOT taking the easy option to stuff and mount it.

 

Was it ever an option to stuff and mount a steam locomotive which generates such passion from both supporters, and detractors, and has that sort of superstar profile with the general public?

Whatever they have spent on the overhaul should agreeably be made public/transparent for the public to examine, but I'm confident it will earn its money back and then some for the NRM, who seem to have a better idea of marketing to the general public than they have done in years gone by. I put that at the man at the top currently, who seems to have a real passion for what he's doing and how he's doing it.

After all, it's not just the engine but the merchandise which goes with it...!

 

What? Seriously?

 

Yes. It will be reclassified as a B17/7.

 

According to Crazytrain

 

... shorter wheelbase needs a shorter name too. "Fling Scotsman"

<I'll get my kilt, I mean coat ..>

 

or should be "Sting Scotsman" eh!arty:

 

They can't surely have done that. If they want to change the chimney, the colour, smoke deflectors or anything that makes it less accurate historically then that's fine by me but they can't surely change the amount of wheels?

 

... or just "F-ing Scotsman" which is probably what some people at the NRM are actually calling it.

Richard

 

I think the intention is to articulate 4472 to its tender as in the Gresley C9 Atlantic.
The Gresley C9 4-4-2 Atlantics

 

originally posted by Spamcan 81

" Yes. It will be reclassified as a B17/7. "

Will save the B17 newbuilds a lot of money!

 

They've made a few more changes during the rebuild:

Some of the smoke tubes have been blocked up so that she uses less coal and costs less when the retube time comes.

The middle cylinder has been disconnected as no-one really sees it and it just adds to the maintenance bill.

Large capacity batteries have been installed into part of the tender coal space, these are used to heat immersion type heaters in the firebox water space, the hope is that this will also help to reduce the coal bill.

:rolleyes1: :tongue1:


Keith

 

<QUICKLY CLOAKS OVER ACCURATE LIVERY STATEMENT BEFORE THERES AN ARGUMENT AGAIN!>
Your welcome!eace:

 

I hope that they've quartered the wheels, otherwise it will make an awful sound.

 

Front bogie out, paint it blue and rename "McThomas"...


Taxi...

 

There was talk of chain drive at one point....:heh:


Keith

 

And a brass safety valve cover...

 

To be serious for a moment, what surprises me is where the NRM have found the money to continue with this expensive work to put 4472 back into first-class order. I wonder what other projects have had to fall by the wayside, given how strapped for cash they must be? I bet Scotsman has to really earn its keep once it is back up and running again. I know this irritates people, but I guess we will never see the "authentic" version, ie 60103, given the BR-era deflectors and double kylchap. That said, if we want to see a single-chimney Gresley up and running, I wonder if the NRM have considered starting an appeal to raise funds for the essential first stage of the work required on "Green Arrow"? If the engineering drawings are available should the NRM not be getting the pattern(s) made for casting a new cylinder block, whilst we still have pattern-makers around who could tackle the job? Sadly people with these skills are becoming fewer and fewer as time goes by. Perhaps if Mr Coulls reads this he could comment. I would contribute to such an appeal.

Back to 4472 for a moment, It would also be interesting to know if the NRM will place a ban on 4472 being moved by road trailer once it is finished? Doesn't appear to do large-wheeled engines too much good.