RSH 0-6-0T "Flying Duchess" Meaford No2 in the US.

There have been several posts asking about what happened to this locomotive.

In the early 1970's this locomotive left the UK, purchased from Meaford Power Station with Meaford No1, which remained at what became the East Lancashire Railway and RSH no2 left the UK to the Boyne City Railroad in the US with a few Mark 1 coaches.

This railway folded and the stock sold in the late 1970s.
The engine first moved to the Tennessee Valley Railway in Chattanooga, and operated there with at least 1 coach.
Thereafter RSH 7745 Meaford no2 effectively disappeared.

Circa 2000 I saw a British coach in a resales yard in St Louis. I was told around 5 years ago it was in Louisville, but never could confirm it.

After asking around for a number of years, It appeared there has been a sudden surge in interest and it's location has apparently come to light and it is indeed in Louisville, ky..

I understand RSH no2 is in a partially dismantled condition, and needs a thorough overhaul. The engine has been stored outside for more than 10 years since work on it's restoration ceased.

It is understood to be for sale (but probably scrap), the boiler was inspected circa 2000 with view to it's restoration, following private sale. It left mechanically complete.

and it's location...

I have been given the following link, which it is viewable in google maps in it's dismantled state, as ive not seen it I cannot verify.. but it's looks as if it's the boiler/wheels and cab.

goto maps.google.com
enter the following coordinates..

38.260834,-85.77229 zoom right in to the weeds (the green arrow, not the Orange address) on the map.

 

Re: RSH 0-6-0T Flying Duchess

Here are some pictures of the locomotive, taken in 2000, before it was taken for restoration.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheneworth/2675388759/in/set-72157606273405256/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheneworth/2675389301/in/set-72157606273405256/

 

Re: RSH 0-6-0T Flying Duchess

Even clearer on Bing "Bird's Eye" map:
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qc...e1=38.260834, -85.77229&q=38.260834,-85.77229

Richard

 

Re: RSH 0-6-0T Flying Duchess

Impressive! Does someone want to ask Bing to get an aeroplane over Carnforth?

 

Love the livery! I wonder if it the lack of comment means it has rendered Mr. Denscombe apoplectic!

 

Arguably that could be a regarded as a historic livery..........

 

I do hope so......!

 

I was just considering whether it'd be worth asking Chasewater to (TEMPORARILY, I MIGHT ADD!) add some embellishments to Meaford! :lol:.

 

I'm skeptical on the livery being historic, but the locomotive IS historic, and deserves as much a return home to the UK as, say, Dunrobin did (until its repatriation by Beamish). Perhaps if a willing magazine were to at the very least, air the predicament the locomotive has come into, perhaps a feasible rescue attempt could indeed be made.

 

Historic, certainly, but the cynic in me has to wonder how much use it would be. Just one operational example from those preserved probably speaks volumes - well built and very powerful, certainly, but sadly a requirement for their power seems lacking in the modern world... They're arguably too big for regular use on the smaller lines - not cheap to run with such a large boiler - and certainly not intended for long periods of running at 25mph as required on the larger lines... Rather like the 14s in BR service - excellent masters of work which barely exists...

 

That is certainly an interesting point and I agree that their capabilities may be in excess of what nascent lines need and not enough for the bigger lines, but I wonder if there's another reason why there's only one working - didn't these engines have steel fireboxes? If so they are probably at the end of their useful lives, and it is only recently that firebox replacement has stopped being regarded as beyond the realms of possibility. This, I believe, is why the one at the Battlefield Line is OOU for example. That is a line that surely can make sensible use of one of these engines.

 

That's also a good point. In which case, anyone considering a repatriation project may find it worthwhile to consider a project replacing the firebox of one already here instead... Far from cheap or easy, but the same could be said of transporting a loco (or indeed a kit of parts) half way across the world before beginning to overhaul it! As much as I'm normally an advocate of any excuse for more industrials in preservation, the evidence seems to be on this occasion:
- We're not short of them in this country already.
- Those that are preserved are mostly out of use, whether through lack of available work or expiring fireboxes (most likely a combination of the two).
- The loco's overhaul was presumably abandoned for a reason - the firebox maybe? - and so is likely to require considerable work, to say the least.
- Even if it were to be repatriated and restored, and the firebox is still ok for now, it'll have a limited time before this needs replacing.

I suppose it'd be a good project for a static exhibit somewhere (it would fill something of a niche in the NRM!), but again anyone considering such a project may be better off making an offer to the owner of one already here... That said, if someone wants to have a go at bringing it back, fair play to them, and good luck! But I can't help feeling any magazine to whom you appealed would reach the above conclusions.

 

Just a comment on the initial post: the loco was from Meaford Power Station, near Stone, Staffordshire, not Meaford Colliery which, as far as I know, doesn't exist!

Much as it is a shame to see the loco in the state it is in, I do agree that there probably isn't much call to repatriate one of these, unless you could pick it up at scrap value!

 

The only thing that really makes this locomotive different from hundreds of others exported from our shores over the 19th and 20th centuries is that it was exported as part of a preservation scheme, rather than for 'genuine' work. There are thousands of other rusty products of Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle all over the globe that could be repatriated, but just as in this case that doesn't mean they ought to be.

 

The fact that the loco is dismatled is presumably helpful to any would-be repatriator - ship it as normal containerised goods rather than a complete locomotive!

 

7151 of 1944 (ex Hams Hall No 9) is still operating at the Avon Valley Railway. It had a new inner steel box about 10 years ago. Anybody that has crewed one will agree, strong as an ox (near class 5 rating) but the ride quality - oh dear. When 7597 was at Bodmin it wasnt called Zebidee for nothing. . . the heavier the train the better they settle down. still i'd like to see one doing it for real with a decent load!

 

Apologies, 7151 completely slipped my mind! Now whether importing the loco for parts could be feasible could be another matter - if parts can be shipped as containerised goods it could well be worth the effort to keep Meaford (the 'other' Meaford No.2) and 7151, or indeed any others, in operation.

 

If I were in charge at Peak Rail I think I'd be looking at this - they are down to just two engines there now and I would have thought that (apart from the dubious ride qualities, which they ought to be familiar with via 7597) it would be a useful loco for them.

 

It'd even be worth considering as a selection of spares to assist with 7597's overhaul (WD150 can't last forever!) both this time round and next time...