Flying Scotsman single chimney poll

By the time Scotsman does make it to King's Cross, it will be at least 92 years since it first emerged from Doncaster works. How often it will be running up the ECML remains to be seen, but I'd be very surprised if it does not make at least the occasional trip to York. Just imagine the absurdity of a parallel situation 50 years ago: the Stirling Single (which would have likewise been over 90 years old at the time) being let loose on the ECML in the heyday of the Deltics! When you think of it in these terms, the question of which chimney or which colour green rather fades into insignificance - we will have the chance to enjoy a loco not far off qualifying for antique status being allowed to run on one of the most important and busiest trunk lines in the country. For this, we should all be thankful.

 

Absolutely. They were extremely popular with the trainspotters of that time. We all thought they were the coolest engines around.

 

Frankly I would give them more credit than that - a poll on here is hardly a broad spectrum of the general public/visitors/enthusiasts to the NRM, and if they needed a 'poll' for a return to its 'former loved form' they would be a little more scientific than to look at an 'enthusiast site' such as this . . . . . . . . for a start the way the questions are posed on here are a little misleading IMHO.

 

We have over 9k members on this forum but only 111 have voted in the poll. Does that mean the other 9K don't care what happens to FS?

 

Maybe we should make it illegal not to vote

 

Maybe people are just happy that the loco will be back in one piece and in the best condition probably since it was built, and aren't worried either way whether it has a single or double chimney, is painted in a representative livery or carries smoke deflectors.

Personally I've been both horrified by the amount of work required and, at times, the way it has been managed, and, more recently, admiring of the quality and scale of the work being carried out by Ian Riley & Sons.

 

Its posed deliberately in this fashion, not to mislead but to see how many people are willing and able to back up the moans with the money. The ferocity of disappointment with the BR green option has been backed up with pledges of £1000 - 2000 to make it happen. That might be a record amount for a poll on here for only a few days, but im not sure it would lead the NRM to believe that such a direction is a) 'Popular' or b} Could be Self funding.
The arguments for how this exhibit is presented can ( and do) go backwards and forwards ad infinitum but without either strong public demand and / or private funding there will be no impetus for change at a later date when such a change might be considered .

Consider this scientific experiment

If three Models / brand variants of FS based products we're available in the NRM shop; all the same price
1) in BR form- double chimney Smoke deflectors ,
2) Apple green single chimney,
3) Hybrid Apple green double chimney/ smoke deflectors

and the actual locomotive was absent , and brand adverstising/reinforcement was sufficiently vague not to reinforce any particular appearance
which would be the biggest seller....?

 

dunno, everyone seems to have the apple green one already

 

I dont! Never had a Hornby Flying Scotsman, had Mallard and Bittern (both in BR Green) but I always wanted a Blue Peter. ;-)

 

Still not very scientific I'm afraid, but better than the poll on here - just!

Consider another experiment with questions given to visitors to the NRM:

Our iconic locomotive 'Flying Scotsman' is in the final stages of restoration and would like your vote on which livery it is to be finished in:

1. Drab dark green as the locomotive was retired from BR service - Double chimney Smoke deflectors.

2. Bright apple green as first preserved and carried for the majority of the last 50(?) years - Single chimney.

3. BR Blue - not authentic (?) but looks jolly nice - Double chimney Smoke deflectors (who cares) .

Not very fair is it, and just shows getting a true picture will take a bit of work and you can easy see how one can draw the wrong conclusion if the way the questions biased one way or the tuther. . . . but one thing is sure, the limited number of people that put their name to the National Preservation poll should never be taken as a true indication what all visitors/customers to the NRM would want to see.

 

The A3s did carry BR blue.

 

Running Steam trips from Kings X is going to become more difficult anyway on ECML as Network Rail have already stated 29 less Steam trips will run once Virgin starts, due to the higher intensity timetable, this figure will rise much higher once the new trains arrive a couple of years later as timetables won't leave enough spaces for steam locos running.
I know it's been reported elsewhere and in Steam mags but does anyone find with all the new TOC contracts to run many more frequent fast services is going to cause the Heritage movement on main lines to many problems through basically, lack of space!

 

Along with a few Streaks.

 

Hullo.
Im really dont think that I am underestimating the public as such. Im not saying that themases cant tell the difference when shown, just that its not really of great interest to most people. Re Spit/Hurricane. Hmmm maybe, most certainly know the names but i stronly suspect if i showed 1000 people a photo of a Hurricane in WW2 livery and asked them what it was that there would be a lot, possibly a majority that would say Spitfire since that type is the famous ww2 fighter. I really do think that people of my age25-35 do generally not have an opinion on the Flying Scotsman. Im willing to be proved wrong but I genuinly believe that the concept that the public wamnt to see it as 4472 is more to do witha percieved boost to the movement from public interest than from a genuine logical belief that the populas at large is that involved with the livery of the A3.

I would like to see the magazines do a poll of the public. Snd out some people with clipboards and ask members of the public what is FS's numbe. or even what is FS(with diffenet option for train and loco. Or even better have a series of photos of say 4 locos ie 46229 as is now, 4771, 4472 and a castle, edit out the names and numbers and ask jo public to point to FS because Ive always been interested whether this is a myth viz the public and Flying Scotsman.