Colne Valley Black 5s

Hi, does anyone know when the two Black 5s on the Colne Valley are likely to steam, I believe 45163 is owned by the railway and 45293 is privately owned?

 

From their respective websites, it seems that both locos are owned by independent groups - the CVR just being a base in both cases.


Keith

 

Thanks for the info

 

The Colne Valley have those two and a Merchant Navy, but I can't really see why. Probably some over visionary pipedreaming by the management there when they just got started. The CVR should be concentrating on cheaper industrial engines and ex-BR diesels. Restore or overhaul a smallish industrial engine rather than a bigger BR one. And try to extend, because if you can see one end of the line from the other, it's not ideal. But as a result, priorities are assigned and nowt gets done on these engines. The owning groups should try to get in somewhere that can offer them the chance to restore them properly.

 

That's not a very nice thing to say (bordering on libellous?), just from reading the websites it is quite clear that the locos are being properly restored, albeit slowly. I think you owe those groups an apology.

Keith

 

Didn't someone recently try to buy one of these but was refused ? There obviously not abandoned.

 

I thought both were privately owned?

45163 has her own restoration shed, i have been inside it before and it is a very good set up. The group who own 45293 i understand are more in the elements with that restoration and launched an appeal for 35010's cylinder a couple of years back. Very recently she has been moved closer to visitors access to i assume generate some interest in her. Though her restoration would be when 45293 finally runs.

 

Just had a quick look at the websites for 45163 and 45293. Both locos are being worked on. Nice to see an item off 48518 will be on 45293 (a rear steamchest cover). Some people should remember that Rome was not built in a day!!

 

I am sure both the CVR and the respective owning groups of the locos very much appreciate being told what they should or should not be doing!
Perhaps some credit for what they have actually got done would not go amiss.

Stan

 

As others have said, it is one thing having a secure and friendly restoration base, where you actually operate your restored loco is quite another. Two well restored Black 5's would, given the current situation on a number of Heritage lines, have a ready market for hire-in use.

Equally if either group got to a point where they wanted for say financial or even advancing years ( NO disrespect intended...! )to sell on their engines, then there should be a ready market for a Black 5.

 

from what i can see 45163 is under going a slow and detailed restoration by its owners which will take time but have a great result in the end. 45293 is owned by a group that also owns 35010 and they were working on the cab in 2009 and according to an issue of steam railway a year or 2 ago they had embarked on work on the locos frames which need part replacement so the cab could have been restored for a pr exsersize and this has lead on to funds available for work on the locos frames. I ideally to find out what really happening you could pay a visit to the Colne valley railway and the respective restoration groups or use the emails on the websites
thanks
Patrick

 

As Chairman of the Colne Valley Railway, I'd like to answer a few of the questions raised on this thread.

As has been stated, both Black 5s located on our Railway are owned by different groups. They are located here because it's the closest railway to where most of their members live that also had space to accommodate them. Whilst 45163 Ltd was primarily set up by CVR members, it is not exclusively so. British Enginemans Steam Preseration Society, who own 45293 and 35010, are north London based and the locos used to be in Docklands until development of that area of London meant they had to find a new home and after searching the London area without success, settled on the CVR because of our easy access by road from north London.

Both groups are very active and steadily working on restoring their own Black 5s independently, there is of course knowledge and skills sharing as benefits having two identical locos. Both groups have good websites giving the latest state of their progress.

It is also very clear to both the groups and the CVR that once restored, apart from testing and some galas, the locos will go out on hire to bigger railways as the CVR could not afford to operate them on a day to day basis. However, the locos base is likely to remain the CVR for the reasons given above.

Finally, over last winter 35010 was moved to a new display position to allow better public access, and work is in progress to provide access to the cab for CVR visitors. This loco is stored pending completion of 45293 so this is a welcome move to generate some more interest in the loco and group.

Paul
Chairman
Colne Valley Railway