S&D Railway Trust

Agreed.

 

Sorry Pat, i was under the impression he was still chairman of ULS, My appologies, Others have questioned does the MHR have a need for an 7f with the MN, std 4 both due to be done 2024-25 in the case of the 4-6-0, with 499 in 2025, the railway does not a large stable of engines, and when you look at the RAT, etc, which run to 6 bogies, then the extra power is useful. If the plan is to overhaul 53808, it makes most sence to leave it where it is, the MHR is very well equipted to under go that work, subject to fund raising, if the engine goes to another S&D site, there is little chance the engine will be able to be overhauled. I will discount the engine returning to the WSR, because of the way the owning group were treated, and i can't see any situation where the membership would sanction any move .

 

In addition to the locos you mention Martin, the MHR also has Wadebridge and SFP under overhaul. There is also a Standard 5, Black 5, Standard 4 tank, 828 and Lord Nelson waiting in the wings for overhaul.

So it remains to be seen whether 53808 fits into their plans. They have already returned Cheltenham to the NRM as surplus to their requirements.

 

Wadebridge i would imagine is going to be spending a lot of time away on mainline duties and hire, black 5, and 80000 tank are very long term projects, stnd 5 will still need a lot of fund raising, Lord nelson, i'm not sure if she has a future and might well also end up being returned, or put into storage.

 

Purely personal opinions, these:
The MN is overkill for us, they must have been smoking something to set that project in motion. It will draw a few gricer types for a day or two (and the worth of that has been debated ad nausem here).
88 will burn half the coal of a MN.
Pat

 

Wasn't it originally envisaged that 35005 was going to be a predominately mainline engine again when the project was first set in motion.
I seem to remember David Snow saying something along these lines in an edition of the Mid Hants News.
I agree that the MN plodding sedately at 25mph on the MHR is overkill.

 

The GWSR seem happy with 35006 at 25mph

 

That's because it is in traffic. (The cheapest loco to operate is the one you have already paid to overhaul ...) The proof of the pudding will be how keen they are to turn it around when it next needs an overhaul.

Tom

 

Yes, you are right Tom, but I don't remember hearing any dissent about it before it entered traffic.
The other factor might be that it's not owned (and therefore overhaul to be paid for) by the GWSR

 

But that was around 2015, and overhaul had been underway for years before that - you'd have needed a fairly good crystal ball to have predicted the price shocks that have particularly affected the movement from 2020 onwards back when overhaul was first contemplated.

The same with regard 35005 - arguably the entry into service is really coming at a bad time, but equally having got so far, you may as well proceed and use the loco and realise the investment made. It's next time round that becomes problematic. In general, the lead times for loco restorations are so long that we shouldn't be too critical of locos entering service now that were embarked upon a decade or so ago; but equally it is likely that smaller and simpler locos are likely to find more favour (where possible, i.e. they are available to a railway) for overhauls being planned for starting around now.

It's not an easy decision, and I have in the past noted the general tendency of heritage railways to sometimes fall prey to a "sunk cost" fallacy. But locos are such expensive, and long lead time, items to overhaul that I think in most cases if a railway is a substantial part through the overhaul of a clearly too-large engine, it still probably makes sense to finish the job - but then consider very carefully what the next project should be.

(And further complicated when a loco is independently owned, since for such groups, operating the loco is the primary raison d'être of the group - so they may well have a desire to contemplate a future overhaul even if the host railway is considerably less keen).

Tom

 

Hopefully if the latest video is correct, and as it came from the chairman i would hope it is 53808 looks possibly to be staying in Hampshire, with the plan to overhaul it in 2-3 years no mention made of it returning to WSR, But to balance that the location where the overhaul is to take place was not stated, only that they are hoping to sign an agreement, but very positive views were expresed about the MHR, from the chairman it would make no sence to return it when all the necessary equipment you need to lift the boiler, drop the wheelsets, are availible on one site.

 

Very positive news in the video. Sounds like most of the overhaul will be carried out on the Watercress Line.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Other than retiring i see no reason why everything else can't be done at Ropley, including the boiler, the only limiting factor is space, how far from rewheeling is 499, or the Std 4 ideally if 499 is ready to be rewheeled it could move into the main workshops, and 53808 frames take its place,

 

I would think the boiler will be contracted out elsewhere. SLL enquired about the boiler of 34058 being overhauled at Ropley, but I believe workshop capacity was full and they are reluctantly seeking other options.

 

The boiler going to outside contractors is kind of standard these days though. Good to see SLL try keep the work in the family.

 

The workshop might be full now. However if as stated 53808’s overhaul is to start in 2 to 3 years, there might be space in the boiler shop then.

 

I believe back in service in 2-3 years is what was said in the video, but I may be mistaken

 

Any chance of a link please Martin?

 

midhants films on u tube,forget the actual title but it will be the most recent one, 7f last run, and future plans i think it was , in it roger states they have the bulk of the funding, but some topping up may be required, i;m wondering if selling the track and shed to the WSRHRT provided some funding they might have had to try to get out of the WSR seems quite a neat way to get out of your liabilities, you get your tame charity to buy the shed and track, and in return, the trust dont take you to court for payment in liu of your agreement. and you can then say you have reached an agreement, where by both parties agree to the agreement to overhaul being dropped.

 

yes i believe that also, sounds like they want to get the engine stripped as soon as can be done, then work on the chassis, etc, wheels out to be re tired, it might even be possible if 35005's boiler is reunited with its frames early in 2024, daves boiler is back in, that there might be room at Ropley, as only the std4 and 499's boilers will be in the workshop, 75079's should be quite advanced by middle of 2024, 499's also, Roger thinks that 53808's boiler shouldnt need that much work,