WD 196 Errol Lonsdale

The IWSR has two ex-Army Austerities; WD192 'Waggoner' which worked at Longmoor for a few years (1953-55?) and WD198 'Royal Engineer' which did not.

Some years ago I did two complete round trips of the IWSR, around 22 miles, on 198 with one tank of water - there was still plenty left over.

 

i can vouch that austerities are livily at 25 mph, thomas certainly was once rebuilt as a side tank and as for the backhead feeds, they always seemed to get in my way when shoveling we used to always make sure and water at ropley and alton, just to be sure but they do steam well it took 4 up the bank no problem

i understand that Antwerp might be heading south for overhaul at selinge and i expect to be involved with this overhaul once she arrives its going to be good to be involved with steam again after we lost norman to swanage

 

Errol spotted on a low loader at Buckfastleigh this morning.

 

On a low loader and leaving this evening from what I gather, Sapper is also sold but I'm not sure who to!!

Also there are a few who quite like auterities and obviously a few sentimental people who worked and used them and others who hate them.

In fact Errol is one of the first engines I ever cabbed round the loop at Totnes in about 1996 before the wonderful world of health and safety

 

Interesting that he is off to Belgium. Belgian Railways hired a number of Austerities after the war for use in Antwerpen docks. In Continent, Coalfield and Conservation it states that they were liked and had a reputation for reliability and good performance. No surprises there then!

Belgian Railways were modernised early and very few steam engines were preserved. I think this is the third missing gap filled by a foreign purchase - a P8 and a 52 have already been purchased from elsewhere and now run in Belgian Railways livery. Hopefully Errol will be more appreciated in Belgian and may one day be able to join up with the NS one under restoration in Rotterdam? It will be worth a visit if only for the beer!

 

I wonder when the repatriation fund will start?

 

Yes, imagine the outcry if it was an ex-Big Four or BR loco, as opposed to 'just' an industrial (OK, military) tank engine...

Perhaps they'd like to buy Flying Scotsman instead, then the NRM could get back to a semblence of interest in the rest of its considerable collection! ;-)

(Tin hat on. Trainers on. RUN!)

 

HOW DARE YOU POST SUCH UTTER... sense! =D>

Flying Scotsman - considered vital to be owned by the nation owing to a status achieved mainly through spending less time here in preservation than most other locos!

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by DisusedBranch
Yes, imagine the outcry if it was an ex-Big Four or BR loco, as opposed to 'just' an industrial (OK, military) tank engine...

Perhaps they'd like to buy Flying Scotsman instead, then the NRM could get back to a semblence of interest in the rest of its considerable collection!

(Tin hat on. Trainers on. RUN!)


HOW DARE YOU POST SUCH UTTER... sense!

Flying Scotsman - considered vital to be owned by the nation owing to a status achieved mainly through spending less time here in preservation than most other locos!

Utter twaddle of course! How many of the general public have heard of Austerity 0-6-0STs and how many have heard of Flying Scotsman? Why? because Flying Scotsman has noteworthy and newsworthy engine more or less since the day it was built. It's an important part of the national collection for that reason.

There might be an outcry over the loss of an Austerity to the continent if a. it wasn't going somewhere appropriate for its history, and if there were less than about 40 others still left behind, many of them rusting in sidings!

 

spot the smilies old chap....

 

''because Flying Scotsman has noteworthy and newsworthy engine more or less since the day it was built. It's an important part of the national collection for that reason.

QUOTE]

Out of interest is this actually true? The Flying Scotsman train was very famous but was the engine always an icon? I suppose the 100mph thing might have helped it into the public eye...

For me the Austerity will hopefully be better looked after on the continent than in Devon so let it go. Also somewhere else to visit and take photos esp if it on appropriate stock in original WD livery (which we don't have any?). Anyone fancy a charter?

Bit ironic they purchased a post war one though!

 

Well 4472 was also the first loco turned out by the LNER, she did the first non-stop to Edinburgh (I think) and she was also at the 1924(?) British Empire Exhibition.

 

As Mr Maunsell said, spot the smilies... (thank you Mr Maunsell)

Good old NatPres,you can always rely on at least one pseudo-outraged "you're talking piffle" response to an obviously tongue-in-cheek post

 

I appreciated that the first post was tongue in cheek, but I wasn't so sure that the second one was, and I think its clear that there are those who would take any opportunity to knock 4472 and its place in the National Collection

 

Duplicate - deleted

 

Maybe someone could start a petition to stop W196 from leaving this country. I think there is a law that stops national treasures from leaving our shores.

 

Please tell me you're taking the Mickey...

 

which one...not 46441 i hope....