Loco's still running around after the Nameplates were nicked

Hia there, i was having a chat today about doing the mule in 1991 with the remaining class 50's, and on a Saturday night (i think) 50049 was parked in the bay platform at Salisbury and the nameplate one side was borrowed on a permanent basis and left it unnamed until it was sold into pres. Along with that when 47016 had its replica Atlas plates put on at Old Oak one of them was mangled in a similar quest to make the loco lighter, and 47623 had a very bent Vulcan, and when 37403 had Glendarroch on it one of the corners was missing, i was just wondering if any one else has similar memories

 

Whilst having a stooge around on flickr i found this

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kl475...fbU-qMnRtv-bLbvYa-fCX4AG-bdTmmZ-FRqSJB-EoBWXP

again this was a replica nameplate not the one that was fitted to 47626, it was put on the same time as 47004 & 47121 got their plates

this is 50049 after the event

https://www.flickr.com/photos/68347...MR8-LnAkFh-oj16Vn-ot5DAd-FsTi9x-r1XxHU-aHB65P

And i forgot about 55010 that lost one of her plates in 1981

https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve...MhL-gvwD8X-ar6Ycr-9Df7wd-eaeA3g-RVXDBp-98BcKp

Also the 45's seam to have been liable to having the regimental crest's falling off at random time's seemingly being easier to remove than the plates themselves

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95155...s57-E6fWBJ-DYTwe2-DYTFte-E6fQf5-Ev4wU7-DzDsBo

 

clas 40s?

 

It is often printed that plates were removed for safe keeping but it would be interesting to know how many in "safe keeping" never saw the light of day again.

It is said that even now, at auctions, that the railway authorities keep an eye on what turns up to see if any stolen gear reappears. Can any regular auction goers confirm this?

 

Well i do seam to remember at a Crewe works open day a few years ago several "items" were kept back by somebody uniformed