Which locomotive would you most like to see return to steam?

Thanks to both Jamie and Mighty_Mogul for the info. Has the unpopularity of 'Gordon' with Severn Valley crews been reflected in the attitudes of enginemen on the NYMR, NNR and KWVR to their dub dees, or is this peculiar to the SVR?

I'm quite surprised incidentally that the tendency on the SVR is towards favouring non-railway owned locos, when on other lines the opposite appears to be the case if for no other reason than that a railway owned loco isn't going anywhere.

 

There is but a lot of these engines are very closely tied in. From what I know, how likely is it that 43106, 42968, 48773, 2857, 4930, 7802 and 7812 leaving the railway? That's before you go into the 2 Standard 4s, the Jinty, two panniers and 3 prairies.

 

Love to see Glenn Douglas, or L&Y 1008 in steam.

However, my first choice would have to be 4771 no questions. There is just something about her that makes her that little bit special.

 

Would anyone else join me in wishing to see the NRM's M7 revived and reunited with Swanage's?

Failing that, I would agree with previously mentioned votes for LMS 2500 or Duchess of Hamilton.

 

This is a very easy question - I would most like to see the J21 returned to steam .....AND SO SHOULD EVERYONE ELSE!!

 

The best suggestion so far!

 

It's an interesting scenario with the Austerities. On the one hand the three 2-10-0's in the Uk seem unwanted and destined to never turn a wheel for a long time, if ever, yet the 2-8-0 version seems to be very popular with all and sundry. From what has been said Gordon on the SVR seems to be disliked by footplate crews but it is certainly not he case on the NYMR with crews attitude to 3672. 90775 was also a popular loco in its few years on the line. This loco was hailed as a good buy when it went to the NNR but the vibes I've had are that it is very low down the prioritiy list now. Is this true, I wonder?

 

Odd, isn't it? The Worth Valley's S160 also seems to have had a better time of it than most locos of that class in the UK (not counting the Churnet Valley's pair).

Is it a coincidence that, while we have seen S160s, 8Fs and USA tanks imported in reasonable numbers, there doesn't seem to have been any interest in repatriating the remaining Greek WDs? Or have attempts been made which have come to nothing?

 

It makes me wonder why the SVR don't consider selling Gordon the Austerity if they feel it's so unsuitable for their line ? and then using the money to purchase other stuff they need, or locos which are more suitable.

At the moment we have a situation in that some of the well established railways have far more locos and stock than they really need or can ever hope to run all at the same time, so many of them get stored and are not really needed for services, whereas some of the newer lines either have no steam locos or only a few, so I hope in time that some of these "surplus" locos etc migrate/change owners or whatever and move to the newer lines.

A loco like Gordon running at the SVR, people might not take much notice off because there is so much else to see, but being based at a new generation line it would suddenly become the "Star of the show", and really help that new generation line to develop.

 

I guess there must be an outside chance that it will be overhauled and run at some point or else surely they would have sold it by now, after all what use is it have such a mavelous locomotive sitting in the Engine House?

 

If a railway like the SVR can't find a place and time to overhaul who exactly will? The little 1/2 mile railway in the back of nowhere?

 

My thought exactly. Is 'Gordon' destined to sit in the Engine House forever?

 

Hopefully, the best place outside the NRM to house out-of-use locomotives. At least in there it can be seen by the thousands that pass through the doors each year. I imagine it's quite a good exhibit being pretty big and colourfully painted, and of course having a name out of the Thomas series.

 

Whilst Gordon was not the most popular SVR loco it is absolutely fine just where it is - in the engine house. This facility stores locos in near perfect moisture free museum conditions. When the time comes it will be capable of extraction from the EH in exactly the same condition as it went in. Morally the SVR cannot really sell it - it was donated to the railway by the Army(?) for safe keeping. It may take a new generation to emerge though before there is any appetite or money to overhaul it. It does come with a brand new spare steelinner firebox.
It would be far too big anyway for the railways which are apparently short of power,short of ££s,short of facilities,are only a couple of miles long and could not afford the coal to run it!

 

60532 please!

 

If a railway like the SVR can't find a place and time to overhaul who exactly will? The little 1/2 mile railway in the back of nowhere?

Remember many well established lines were originally started from small beginnings. What I was thinking more in terms of, is that there are several newer lines like for example the Mid Norfolk (which I have visited) and others such as Wensleydale and Weardale (which I haven't yet been too) which have already have a decent length running line, lots of original infrastructure and the real potential in future to become much bigger players than they currently are.

They have mostly acquired diesels, dmus etc because that's all that is relatively cheaply available today, (no Barry scrapyard any more, or only a few ex Barry wrecks commanding really high prices)

Now if in time a few locos like for example "Gordon" could move/be sold to these "new" lines then it would help "unlock" the potential that these lines have, and perhaps older lines like the SVR might be able to get Engineering contracts to carry out work on said locos thus earning money for them too ?

 

Gordon was a gift to the SVR from the Army who were confident that they were giving it to an organisation that would be able to look after it for a very long time (and no, looking after it does not neccesarily mean steaming it), and that was quite recently. It would not surprise me if a clause in the agreement whereby the loco was gifted to the SVR precluded the Railway from passing it on to somewhere else.

Moreover, whilst I appreciate that Gordon or a similar locomotive would be an added attraction to enthusiasts to fledgling railways, enthusiasts it must be remembered make up a very, very small percentage of visitors to heritage railways, so the overall added bonus of having it would be negligible. The added visitors would probably not cover it's fuel costs compared to an Austerity 0-6-0ST, unless it was limited to a very few steaming dates per year - and then it would never make back the money spent on its overhaul.

Well established lines did indeed start from small beginnings, but very few of them did with big, expensive engines! And remember, coal is much, much more expensive than ever it was in the early days of the current 'premier league' of heritage railways. Gordon is best where he is, one day I hope to have the privilege of pulling off the starter and letting him blast out of Bridgnorth with a ten year ticket and a trainload of happy passengers, but that probably will not be for some time yet.

 

Collett Mogul 7325, a big fan of that loco in the 90's. Cracking loco!!!

 

Tornado would be a good start!

In the real world - Kolhapur

In the fantasy world - "City of Birmingham"

And this from a GWR fan! Eeekkk.