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J39 REBUILD PROJECT (J39 Locomotive Trust)

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by J39LocomotiveTrust, Aug 7, 2011.

  1. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    Gav106, its "Steel Steam and Stars" not "Steal." Or are you being ironic? (See what I did there?) However, I agree with your advice (especially as a fellow supporter of the Patriot Project) and suggest that our young stalwarts get an apprenticeship in an already extant project, getting their preparation and business plan for the J39 up together whilst getting the experience they need by working on another project. Raising money for a new locomotive boiler alone is going to be a killer (indeed - one might argue that the only main item standing between us and a working 45551 is the boiler - a bit simplistic of course but not too far off the mark).
     
  2. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Good luck to the project. It never hurts to have a dream and sometimes dreams come true. The Gresley three cylinder classes are quite well represented in preservation so to have another two cylinder type would be most welcome.
     
  3. Gav106

    Gav106 Well-Known Member

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    Opps. Changed now.
    Yes your right, funding might be a killer. We Will have to wait and see. I'm hoping that we can get enough members by the time we start that funding to make it possible.

    Anyway not meaning to hijack this thread. Guys no one can tell you what to do in anyway but naming a loco after your dad in my opinion may not gain you members. If I was doing it I would put it as a choice and let the members vote if you go ahead with your plans. This makes them feel more involved aswell.
    ,
     
  4. J39LocomotiveTrust

    J39LocomotiveTrust New Member

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    Thank you Reading General, it is nice to see that not everyone is being unreasonable!
     
  5. northernblue109

    northernblue109 New Member

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    There seems to have been some good advice given, which should not be dismissed as unreasonable.
     
  6. J39LocomotiveTrust

    J39LocomotiveTrust New Member

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    I apologise for the comment suggesting that the comments are unreasonable, one of our members skim read the post and was alarmed after seeing some "seemingly negative" comments-Any comments, positive or negative, are taken on-board and acted upon in the appropriate manner,
    I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you that we have decided not to call the loco "Sir David Clarke", and we have decided to let the public decide the name for the loco, you can submit you ideas using any of the emails given on our website.
    Thank you,
    Tim
     
  7. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    I would prefer not to see a name at all, as its primarily a freight loco, but if you must have a name, then a low key painted one (on a splasher for instance) always looks better to me than a fancy brass plate on a loco like this. Your fathers name would be as acceptable as any and if its use garners publiicity then why not stick to your plan? Its working so far!
     
  8. Maunsell man

    Maunsell man Well-Known Member

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    But this is the problem though. You are a founding member of the Claud Hamilton and have now moved to another new-build group. problem is there isn't actually a Claud Hamilton built. I think the idea is generally you found the group then build the engine! Stick to hornby...
     
  9. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    Anyone can have an idea, producing the Goods though takes a lot of hard work. Its nice to see the motivation and enthusiasm of you young lads, and I would like to see a J39 tbh, but you presently have nothing to give substance and support to your idea. Please prove me wrong, but the way it is set up at the moment I would not support this project as all it appears to be is a good intentioned idea.
     
  10. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Whilst Iremain sceptical that thie scheme will go anywhere, much of what we have in the heritage railway movement today was borne by young people under the age of 21 and often still at school. Wasn't the GWS effectively started by 16 year olds and the Bluebell and Middleton the idealistic dreams of students? Whilst age does generally give experience, it is vision, determination, organisation and salesmanship that leads to success. Whilst cash in the bank undoubtedly helps, a lot of millionnaires started with nothing.
    I started in the movement as a 14 year old and never thought I couldn't do anything because of my age and I wasn't alone.
     
  11. hogger

    hogger New Member

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    I believe w24 calbourne was saved by a group of schoolkids who couldn't bare to see them go.
     
  12. jimmyvonk

    jimmyvonk New Member

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    I wish them all the best of luck, every sound plan starts out as a dream... and they do have time on their side! :)

    If nothing else they got me to look up what a J39 actually was so some success!!!! :)
     
  13. EGBDF

    EGBDF New Member

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    Go for it! It's brilliant to see that you have a passion for the engine, and it'd be brilliant if you can do it. Stick at it!
    As for the name, it's very suitable with what your original plan was, and it gives your engine another little independent story. You should keep it as your fathers name.
    I'll be very interested in following the project as it develops.
     
  14. irwellsteam

    irwellsteam Member

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    I see various members of your group have been posting using the shared username, I think it would be best for just 1 of you to use that account, then you won't have a repeat of that 'unreasonable comments' incident, and also other forum members can know who it is they are talking to.

    For the name poll, it appears that there are enthusiasts who would like to see a freight engine sans name plate, so you could possibly include that as an option in the poll.

    As for the concept of this project, I think it's wonderful. Must say, I like the look of that loco and would love to see one chugging up and down the preserved railway network. When I was your age, railways was a hobby I phased in and out of from time to time, and I may well phase out of it again. However, committing oneself and getting involved keeps you in there better and because something like this is quite a commitment, you're in with a chance of seeing the dream through. Believe me, commitment is what you'll need to keep going during the next few years of your life. Drink, women and loud music will soon come your way. and they are SOOOO addictive :D
     
  15. knotty

    knotty Member

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    As others have stated it would be preferable and you'd be more likely to success if you were to walk before trying to run. Involve yourselves with an established new build society such as the Patriot group. not only do you gain invaluable technical experience and also practical experience and insight into managing such a massive project. Moreover you should attract much needed help, allies and associations which will prove invaluable.

    I note that you're also involved in the Claud Hamilton new build. While both the Claud and the J39 would be ideal workhorses for any preservation society and are tragic omissions from the preservation ledger I suspect that if you're serious about completing any new build, you'll be fairly overwhelmed with completing one project, let alone two. Tackling two quite distinct engines simultaneously may be biting off too much and may jeopardise both projects in the long run especially for the inexperienced.

    For my part, being a one-eyed pre-grouping fan and given the support you've already garnered for the Claud Hamilton, I'd say focus your efforts on that engine, which I suspect will garner more interest than a post-grouping six-coupled goods engine. I don't say that to be mean but that in garnering interest for a new-build you need to have an angle to get people to invest emotionally in it enough to volunteer time or donate money. The Claud is a more prestigious, unique and attractive engine and the reality is most lay-punters will be hard pressed to see the difference between a J39 and a 4F, although we as enthusiasts have no problem. Put the J39 on ice and focus on the Claud. While you establish the society, get yourself involved in another well-established new-build project for the experience, insights, contacts and credentials.

    This all being said I greatly admire you and your young enthusiasm and passion for steam, particularly for pre-grouping and for more obscure engines. I hope you'll all have a long involvement in the preservation scene and get the opportunity to complete a new build or two. I hope too to see a Claud in my lifetime and if you can demonstrate that it has a reasonable chance of success then I'll be happy to donate to the cause where and when I can.
     
  16. New Build Steam

    New Build Steam New Member

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    Nice to see another project - it's a well-chosen class of locomotive and an excellent website, probably the best of all the new-build projects at a stroke (albeit via a free / off-the-peg service - but if the result is good, why not?).

    Could you confirm the exact status of the project - is there a firm intent to proceed, with developed plans (dare I say, business plans)? If so, I'll add a write-up to the site at the weekend. (as an aside, how developed are the business plans of any of the still-building groups...? Does the model of building just for preserved lines, proposed by many, actually stack up?)

    I only recently discovered how young the Claud Hamilton group members mostly are, and though I was a bit taken aback overall I think it's highly refreshing to have such a young group around. I'm also impressed at how balanced the comments on this thread have been - a lot of frank (and I think often very good) advice, but thankfully few of the "stick to Hornby" type comments that must be so tempting.
     
  17. Edward

    Edward Member

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    It's a more sensible idea than many new build projects - simple, robust, ideally suited to 25mph branch lines.

    I'm not going to hammer teenage high spirits, but suggest a spot of introspection:

    - Everyone knows that a J39 would be useful, and that it's a sadly extinct class. Have you considered why no one has pursued this idea before? I'm sure a lot have thought about it.

    - Why not put the ultimate challenge of building a new loco on ice for a bit, and get some experience with some existing ones? The obvious is NELPG, and the overhaul of the J27. It's a generally similar machine, and they are a very switched on group of people.

    I started in preservation at 14 too; loads of big ideas as well. Keep the enthusiasm, marry it to a bit of experience, and then see if you think if this project has legs.
     
  18. irwellsteam

    irwellsteam Member

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    Good advice, Edward, but then there's the challenge of finding somewhere that will allow them to work with them to gain that vital experience. Most preserved railways won't allow under 18s to work in loco departments (H&S tittle-tattle) as I learned to my misfortune.
     
  19. knotty

    knotty Member

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    I forgot how radically laws and perceptions have changed since I was a teenager even a recently as the late 80's/early 90's. I volunteered for a steam preservation society in Sydney (The Paramatta Park Tramway - sadly defunct after vandals torched the shed. most but not all of the collection was salvaged and rebuilt by another group) which had the oldest operating steam tram Sydney from the 1880's.

    As a 15 year old I climbed into a firebox to clean off the clinker during an overhaul and at least doing tasks like topping up oil reservoirs.
     
  20. 8RPH

    8RPH New Member

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    In light of recent events it is good to see some teenagers wanting to do something constructive. As somebody who started working on steam at the age of 14 I would echo the thoughts of others that it would definately be good experience to work with another more established group for a while to learn what you can. 15 years down the line I am now rebuilding my own loco slowly and the skills I learned working on other projects are certainly proving their worth.
     

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