Full Steam Ahead ....... hopefully

[AmpH]

Good to see that the Flying Scotsman should be venturing back on the rails shortly, following a protracted, costly and at times badly managed restoration process.

http://www.nrm.org.uk/flyingscotsman/scotsman-season.aspx

I shall look forward to seeing her in steam at some point and certainly at Shildon later in the year.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

. . . following a protracted, costly and at times badly managed restoration process.

.

4 million pounds to restore a locomotive, whereas it cost 3 million to build Tornado from scratch.

[BBMmk2]

Seems quite a ridiculous venture.

[HighlandDougie]

Seems quite a ridiculous venture.

No, not really a ridiculous venture but rather what should have been a fairly straightforward project, which, as seems alas to be too often the case nowadays, went awry at an early stage, budget-wise, and never recovered. Having had it explained to me by the previous chair of the NRM Advisory Board (with whom I have a passing acquaintance), it is a sorry tale - which at £4 milion is faintly disgraceful. Let us rejoice, though, that one of the glories of the steam age should be back in action (and let's look forward to "Cock o' the North", possibly the most beautiful steam locomotive built in this country, being recreated along the lines of "Tornado").

[LeMartinPecheur]

...and let's look forward to "Cock o' the North", possibly the most beautiful steam locomotive built in this country, being recreated along the lines of "Tornado".

HD: very exciting news but 'fraid I don't agree with your notions of steam-loco beauty

[Anna]

HD: very exciting news but 'fraid I don't agree with your notions of steam-loco beauty

All steam locos are totally beautiful! Anything designed by Sir Nigel is doubly beautiful.
I have relatives between Bury and Ramsbottom (E. Lancs line) Did they rush to see Flying Scotsman and wonder at its glory and get enveloped and breathe in the steam? Did they 'eck as like! If I'd known in advance and got organised I would have loved to get up there for that weekend.

[Barbirollians]

All steam locos are totally beautiful! Anything designed by Sir Nigel is doubly beautiful.
I have relatives between Bury and Ramsbottom (E. Lancs line) Did they rush to see Flying Scotsman and wonder at its glory and get enveloped and breathe in the steam? Did they 'eck as like! If I'd known in advance and got organised I would have loved to get up there for that weekend.

Sold out just about everywhere for its early runs .

I am baffled why the restoration of such a legendary piece of our railway heritage could possibly be regarded as a ridiculous venture when the National Lottery fund paid £12 million to the Churchill family for lots of documents that were probably largely Stste property anyway

[Flosshilde]

Quite, and two or three times as much gets paid frequently to 'save' paintings whose only connection with the UK is that a member of the aristocracy bought it on his round Europe trip & it's hung in his house ever since.

(I think the grammar's a bit awry in that)

[cloughie]

No, not really a ridiculous venture but rather what should have been a fairly straightforward project, which, as seems alas to be too often the case nowadays, went awry at an early stage, budget-wise, and never recovered. Having had it explained to me by the previous chair of the NRM Advisory Board (with whom I have a passing acquaintance), it is a sorry tale - which at £4 milion is faintly disgraceful. Let us rejoice, though, that one of the glories of the steam age should be back in action (and let's look forward to "Cock o' the North", possibly the most beautiful steam locomotive built in this country, being recreated along the lines of "Tornado").

HD "Cock of the North" may have been beautiful but why did it end up as an A2/2? Tornado as an A1 was a recreation of a class of locomotive which as I recall were inferior to the A3 class, particularly once the A3s were fitted with double chimneys, albeit with the German windshields which though very functional did nothing aesthetically. Did Thompson and Peppercorn improve Gresley's locomotives?

[mangerton]

Sold out just about everywhere for its early runs .

I am baffled why the restoration of such a legendary piece of our railway heritage could possibly be regarded as a ridiculous venture when the National Lottery fund paid £12 million to the Churchill family for lots of documents that were probably largely Stste property anyway

Indeed. Quite right.

I hope to see Flying Scotsman when it makes a Flying visit to Scotland and crosses the Forth Bridge in May, and then have a closer look when it visits the Severn Valley Railway in September.

[Dave2002]

I too like the look of steam locomotives, and have enjoyed a day out on steam hauled trains. However some of this is a form of nostalgia for something that never was. The recent TV programme on the golden age of rail in the UK reminded us that steam engines were dirty, and really not very efficient, nor even that good at moving passengers around. I did like seeing the Midland blue Pullmans in the film - I was largely unaware of those, though they were the precursors of the HST and the short lived APT. Quite what happened to the APT I was always unsure - was it the tilt, or reliability problems, or something else? I have been on tilting trains - the X2000 in Sweden tilts, and if one lets it be an issue it can be worrying, but it's not too difficult to get used to it, though looking out of the window can sometimes be a concern - forests lean wildly, and on some bends which one can see coming up in front one's thought might me "we're not going to go round that one surely" but the trains manage them.

Having occasional steam trains on our lines is a bit of fun, but overall, modern trains are much more effective, and generally more comfortable.

Also, why the nostalgia only for 20th century steam? What about the Rocket and Puffing Billy? Are there places where one can experience a thrill of a nineteenth century train?

[HighlandDougie]

HD "Cock of the North" may have been beautiful but why did it end up as an A2/2? Tornado as an A1 was a recreation of a class of locomotive which as I recall were inferior to the A3 class, particularly once the A3s were fitted with double chimneys, albeit with the German windshields which though very functional did nothing aesthetically. Did Thompson and Peppercorn improve Gresley's locomotives?

The stock answer is that it was the evil, bitter 'n twisted, jealous Edward Thompson's fault. The truth is rather more complicated. Gresley got a bit starry-eyed about the great Andre Chapelon and the P2 class is probably a by-product of that admiration. It looked magnificent (LMP is right - "beautiful" isn't the right word at all) but wasn't really very successful - and it guzzled coal at a prodigious rate. Intended for use between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, it was, simply, too big.

[mangerton]

Also, why the nostalgia only for 20th century steam? What about the Rocket and Puffing Billy? Are there places where one can experience a thrill of a nineteenth century train?

They are probably a bit long in the tooth to run, though replicas have been built.

The original Rocket and Puffing Billy are in the Science Museum. There is a replica of Puffing Billy at Beamish.

Locomotion No 1, another famous oldie built by the Stephensons, is preserved in Darlington, with a replica at Beamish.

[Flosshilde]

4 million pounds to restore a locomotive, whereas it cost 3 million to build Tornado from scratch.

compare the 4 million with the £125,000 estimated for restoring this -



Full story here -

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/70-year-old-glasgow-locomotive-makes-flying-4622943

mind you, that was in 2014. I don't know what the final/current cost is.

[cloughie]

compare the 4 million with the £125,000 estimated for restoring this -



Full story here -

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/70-year-old-glasgow-locomotive-makes-flying-4622943

mind you, that was in 2014. I don't know what the final/current cost is.

But did they need another 8F?