Sandringham New Build(s)

82045 was never down at the SDR. It was one of the members down there that had the original idea. He made a number of small components, prior to the 82045 team at the SVR taking the actual build on.

 

I don't know the precise legal relationship between 82045 and the SVR, but I suspect Beachy Head is somewhat unusual in that the project is directly run by the railway in our governance structure, with its construction being a specific objective of our Long Term Plan and the ownership when complete being by the railway rather than an independent group. Credibility really derives from the people driving the project, but the fact that the group is part of the railway, rather than an independent group, has I am sure made things like negotiating for space to construct the workshop simpler.

That said (and moving away from strictly new builds to look more generally at loco overhauls), there are other groups (such as the Maunsell Locomotive Society, Camelot Society, Bulleid Society) that are nominally independent but have very tight and mutually beneficial relationships with the railway, with all the benefits that that confers.

Tom

 

The B17 is being constructed at Llangollen, so is in a well regarded railway engineering workshop....but must be paying for a significant portion of the work being done. They are looking at getting more engineering done in the East of England. I think their fundraising is accelerating well.
The earlier point about aging donors is also valid....but bequests upon death are increasingly common.....and I believe a new generation of steam enthusiasts are coming through with no knowledge of BR steam.

 

Remember also that it is not enough simply to gain credibility; it must also be maintained. About 15 years ago many people would have seen the Clan project as the best-established new build scheme after Tornado. Since then, they have had all kinds of problems (e.g. having to replace the frames) and they have lost ground to other schemes e.g. the Patriot. I think it is quite telling that Gav106 didn't include it on his list of credible schemes.

 

Many commentators on here may be Bipartisan on new builds, each favouring LMS/BR/LNER/GWR/others. Whatever troubles the CLan had, the future has dusted off its troubles, and grinds along slowly. Clearly it had a huge set back, but it seems the onward team are doing very well.
As to the Sandringhams, every penny to the ManUtd is slowing down us seeing a wonderful B17 again. The main issue here is they weren't as capable as the GCR Robinson 4-6-0s/Holdens they were replacing. Like the U1 Garratt, magnificent but slightly criticized, there is no line big enough for that newbuild!

 

that is not so
they had a reserve on the Hook Continental the B12s never had , and their early days on the GC produced some sparkling performances for what was nominally a class 4 loco..
the Jubilees in their early days showed little advantage over a B17

 

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Good point. The historic damage (as, due to the professional and energetic approach of the current team, that all it now is) done to the 6MT's credibility, during the initial phase, evidently still casts it's baleful shadow in the minds of many. The fact that the project's website's "news" section plays second fiddle to Facebook updates - which is kept updated - is a niggle (and one common to many websites!*). Recent progress has been impressive and the odds now have to be on a lot of speculation concerning the loco's eventual performance. Bring it on!!!

See for yourselves ..... https://m.facebook.com/theclanproject/

Sod's Law being what it is, as I write this, the main 'Clan' project website seems to have taken the day off!

*Congratulations to the Swindon & Cricklade on sorting their website out, btw .... much better!
'Av a butchers ..... https://swindon-cricklade-railway.org

 

Find that Puzzling as the website is more upto date than the 'Official' facebook page ( There is also an Unofficial 'Clan Fans' facebook page). Perhaps you are still hooked upto the old website. Try the link on the Facebook page.
The Clan project have recently had a change of luck.
The first meeting i went to was a ' do we really want to Carry on ?' meeting.
When the frames were discovered to be unusable and had to be replaced that question arose again.
When Rileys had to move again the future looked cloudy ...
But the Clan now has a fantastic and secure base, contacts at the cutting edge of modern engineering and half a dozen capable engineers on its books. It is well managed financially and has a some very personable front men. The only thing lacking is that thing that most new builds dont have either, but the A1/P2/ trust do which is a top drawer marketing/ publicity/ fundraising person to get the money in...

 

PS. I like the idea of having a B17 in the Stable (perhaps not two....) though only the latest incarnation of it plus the modern design mitigations makes any sense to me.
Hope the SoS group are not daft enough to say 'never' to the streamlined version, even if its a bolt on, seperately funded not thinking about it until later ' option' it has a special appeal.....

 

Here are another two pictures from the B17 Society 80th Anniversary leaflet

 

This is the leaflet cover so the SoS group are well aware of the B17/5....

 

I know trains were somewhat noiser in the days of jointed rail, but "Dinning at all seats"?

 

From various sources it has been said that the streamlined casing on the B17 was literally just a casing over the "regular" B17, however, looking at those photographs, they must have also altered the top front of the smokebox and chimney to get that sloping A4 style front. So we may need a second smokebox!

 

Nah, just build it with a detachable ' wedge '. !

 

I find the harsh sound of CWW rail on concrete sleepers far worse than jointed track on timber

 

No, the Spirit of Sandringham group are not daft enough to rule a streamlined version out. Indeed, more publication of this version is evident in various sections of their website recently. And in 2017 they even promoted the East Anglian streamlined train, as pointed out elsewhere in this forum. But to put on a streamlined casing, you first have to have an 'ordinary' B17. The streamlining was a bolt on, and for those with a sharp eye to detail who say the smokebox needs to be modified when looking at the distance from the chimney to the buffer beam, in actual fact it doesn't - my understanding was that the bufferbeam was extended with another bolt-on to get the streamlined shape in, so in fact a B17/5 was longer than the unstreamlined B17s.

 

The give-away there would be the distance from buffer to bogie wheel. I wonder if there are any comparable side on shots?

 

To me that's a different smokebox, different cab, different tender. Removal and replacement side valencing. All possible but expensive to do and their priorities seem to be fundraising for the casting of the wheels. Visit https://bseventeensteamloco.charitycheckout.co.uk/#!/ To donate

 

It's quite clear that the Great Western was the only company to produce a magnificent streamlined express loco by just bolting bits on.