Steam engines available for traffic in 2014

That would be something interesting to compare, and probably easier to get data for as well, although I don't follow mainline activity much, I know plenty do.

 

But this doesn't necessarily mean bring out the gas axe. Until recently, the "Blaenavon Five" would have fitted your criteria perfectly. There they lay for many years, rusting away owned by someone who didn't "have the million pounds to make (them) chuff", but things have changed dramatically for these engines which many, I'm sure, would have been tempted to write off. The team restoring 4253 at the K&ESR are going great guns. OK, given how beat up the engine was when they bought it, it's not going to steam for a bit yet, but their progress and enthusiasm are most impressive. Just follow the updates on http://www.4253.co.uk/Latest_Progress/ Likewise. Andy Booth seems to be getting on pretty well with 3855. OK, the tender wasn't quite ready to run with 7820, but this engine now has a promising future, rather than just rusting away in South Wales. I don't know about what has happened to 5967 Bickmarsh Hall since it found a new owner, so won't comment, but 2874 is now in the custody of the Dinmore Manor LL, and looks to have a secure future, Like 4253, it won't be steaming any time soon, but given time and commitment, it will one day be hauling trains from Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse. This only leaves 5668, kept in store in Rolvenden until 4253 is finished, but still looking to have a most useful future in about 15 years' time hauling trains from Robertsbridge to Tenterden. Not bad for five locos which only 5 years ago were widely regarded as among the most hopeless cases of the unrestored Barry wrecks.

 

... and to the Blaenavon 5, I might add that, on the C&W front, at one point serious consideration was given to burning one of the Metropolitan centre coaches on the grounds it was beyond saving - and where would the LU150 celebrations (or indeed the Bluebell) have been without all four coaches forming a lightweight, high-capacity set of carriages?

Tom

 

We should probably just club together and buy a massive warehouse, lay track in it, and just stockpile locos and stock then. Would save the movement hundreds of thousands in repairing deterioration.
The three massive hangars at MOD St Athan are available for a mere £120m I believe.

 

I think that was discussed before Corbs, in another thread PH managed to turn to this direction, we decided it would cost too much and would be inconvenient for all sorts of reasons; railways not connected to the mainline, rolling stock that couldn't go on the mainline, the transport costs to get around this etc.

Someone was asking a while ago, when the gwsr get to honeybourne, could we use long marston that would be fantastic, we could store everything on the railway there!

 

Yes and although restoration of any of these wont be easy or cheap it WILL be a whole lot easier and cheaper than new building. Many now seem to write off the remaining unrestored Barry locos as "beyond it" whereas in reality many still have most major components with considerable unused life remaining.

 

The daftest Facebook review I've seen is of the Talyllyn. 1/5 and the comment 'Never heard of it. Where is it?'. There aren't half some morons out there.