Loco 76017

I saw an interesting comment under a video of today's move on YouTube which suggests that the ownership of 76017 changed nearly a year ago.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Very much doubt 44781 will ever return to Carnforth .

 

Sorry got my digits mixed up, i meant 44871

 

We had roughly the same thing. As a line more used to tank engines, while casting around for a hire engine to get us through a bad patch, we were offered something much bigger than we usually had. However, the excitement drained away when it was reported back by our people that, in their opinion, said loco was a "bag of nails".....

 

Although today’s opinion is what counts I do think that, back in the day, steam locos on both BR and in industry would be working in a far worse state than we now consider to be acceptable. One of the attributes of a steam loco was that it would generally keep going until someone decided enough was enough. Provided an injector worked and the firebox leaks didn’t put the fire out it would carry on.

 

I can remember, one engine, a Castle, that tried very hard to do just that, Put it's own fire out, the firebox seam was like a waterfall, We had it, and a Jubilee for a Gala, in the late 90's / early 2000's, i was overnight charge hand,because the engines were being kept in steam overnight, our own ones, was easy, we only had to check round every now and then, put a few shovel loads in, a splash from the injector, and they were happy, but this damn Castle, There was i think 3 of us, on that friday night, and one said, " You need to see this, so, i looked said i need to fail it, so Phoned Frank, who briefed me saying, any problem call me, i told him, i want to fail it, and will light up the yank, He said ok, your call, but keep it in light steam, the seam might tighten up, so we prepped the yank, and got her into steam, And when the crews started to sign on, I explained the situation, and told them, it's up to you, but in my opinion Clunk isn't fit to be used, anyway the driver said, we will try it for one trip, and if it doesn't seal, have the yank ready to go, needless to say, i get a call from Alton, Telling me to have the yank ready to take over as soon as we get back, the engine got up the bank somehow, but we changed engines, by this time the PIC, who was Frank, was in, so he, and i brought the castle back on shed and i signed off, next morning i was on a third man turn, and i ended up fireing on 506, because the fireman didnt turn up,

 

I think that was in 1994 for the "Summer Steam Sensation" gala.
5593 and 7029 both visited the MHR and from what I can recall at the time Footplate crews said that they were both very tired and worn out. The trip we had behind 7029 was certainly a slog.
7029 is now back in top form. Hopefully it won't be too many years before 45593 returns to action.

 

Have I missed something here. I have seen no announcement that the loco has been purchased by WCRC or anyone else and that it will be somehow going mainline. Can you point me at a press release or some other reliable source?
There are after all many heritage lines connected to the national network that the loco could also be moved to.
I assume this is all pure speculation on your part?

 

I agree, no definitive announcements or press releases have been seen.
Known facts = 76017 has been moved from Ropley to the Bluebell and back to Southall. West Coast were the TOC for the movements. Allegedly ownership of 76017 has changed.

2 + 2 = Wherever the foaming has reached ....

Cheers, Neil

 

It's Nat Pres. Of course it's speculation!

 

Im sorry to say, but it's very unlikely that there will be any press release from either party, so nothing to clarify what I and others have posted, but we do, have to look at whats actually happened, Why tow the engine to Southall, when it could have been towed just as easily to Alton, or put on road transport, The engine has changed hands, it now is owned by JMB loco services, this from the official Bluebell gala publications, The management of the MHR, have been very tight lipped so far, but things do have a way of leaking out, but of course, nothing has been confirmed or denied, who is JMB? the initials would indicate someone, who does have past history, so it's very unlikely that 76017 will return, but stranger things have happened, So yes its speculation, but from a point of having very well-placed friends, who happen to be involved with the railway movement,

 

Better for who?

Simon

 

Better for those people who are more interested in everyone else’s lives than their own.

 

There are obvious issues about engines changing hands when much of their "value" may have been generated through the work and efforts of volunteers. It's probably a whole new thread to speculate about volunteer motivation and how happy these volunteers are when seeing engines change hands particularly if they feel their work to have generated a "profit" for a private owner.

 

Better that information is shared than allowed to leak out and be subject to rumours.

 

Why?

I'm not privy to the inner circle where such things happen, but my impression is that the precise ownership of many steam locomotives has always been somewhat opaque, sometimes, according to allegations I once saw, even to people who've put part of the money up.

I don't know anything about ownership of 76017, but I had gained the quite possibly inaccurate impression that Mr JB has been involved in its ownership for many years, and there was some kind of agreement/settlement about it being with the MHR that I had assumed was bound to be temporary.

 

I think you are probably in a minority there, then. I suspect most of us thought it was on the MHR because Mr. JB didn't have any say in the owning group.

Enthusiasts outside the "inner circle" of owners and supporters have no "right to know" but it ought to be good practice to make material changes like this known more widely, simply out of courtesy to those who have cared for and supported the loco in the past.

 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C26817/2022-12-08/detailed

Is this 76017 heading North?

 

5M43, so Class 5, so there must be a carriage(s) in the mix somewhere.
Pat