NEW CLASS V/09 ATLANTIC

If the required level of funding can be kept up, the Saint should be out within 5 years, roundly making it another 20 year project. The G5 group appear pretty sorted, though they seem to keep themselves to themselves.

As for the other two... out in 5 years? I'm not holding my breath.

 

If it's anything like it's model brethren, it's going to be all blastpipe and heavy shovelling!!! Capable of incredible work for a smallish engine, but perhaps that's why there are so few about. They were all clapped out by the end of steam. An atlantic though is surely a more reasonable sight on preserved branch line than some behemoth like a 9F.

Good luck to them.

 

Perhaps that is the point/catch!? Paying out £60k per annum after running costs could still be a challenge, but is possible - if you don't put anything aside for the next overhaul.

Of course, what we must not forget is that a new build 1st 10 year overhaul (and, for that matter, maintenance costs during the 10 years) will certainly be less than we are used to on locos with 50 years boilers (or older), worn tyres and traditional bearings etc. How much less, well, these costs are also very much an unknown quantity for the next decade (i.e. until Tornado has its first 10 year overhaul), so perhaps this proposal mau turn out to have the situation spot on. What is known as (horrible modern phrase) "whole of life costs" may prove to make the finances of new build very different from the simple situation of a very high mountain to climb to build it. After all, one of the arguments for new "traction units" has always been comparing the maintenance saving against up-front cost on new with the written off capital cost but higher maintenance on old. That is why we have American built Class 66s working almost all freight traffic in this country (but the owners of most of them - DB - still have 1960s diesels in traffic in large numbers back home!)