A new-build BR Standard Class 3 is planned.

It takes just a little longer, for some obvious and some obscure reasons, to construct a new build loco than a ford car.
But don't let the reality get in the way of a good moan !

 

Reality is that many of these projects have been running for almost half a lifetime already which is quite long enough. It's not even terribly certain whether the ability to make satisfactory medium or large boilers still exists in this country. A bit more "moaning" and considerably less diffusion of effort would have been an advantage.

One of the things which impresses me about the A.1 project is the businesslike way in which it is run. Two examples of this are, firstly, the bonds issued to facilitate adherence to the construction timetable and which are now being repaid early. The second example was the occasion when Mr. Allott picked up stranded commuters at Ashford and whisked them up to London, plying them with gluwein. It cost him nothing but the publicity in prime time news coverage was worth thousands.

Lessons to be learned.

PH

 

Does anyone have any idea when the next new build loco will steam. It's now been a few years since 60163 was finished and I was hoping we would of seen another new build in traffic by now.


Thanks

 

from an enthusiasts point of view, it's the doing that matters not the finishing.Sure it's great to see the object of your labours steamed, but a great deal of pleasure is got from taking part.

 

I feared so! It's a bit like the old chap in his shed never quite finishing anything. Only there's a devil of a lot of money tied up in these projects.

PH

 

I'd think it would be the G5 possibly? They have the new boiler built for it. They were aiming it for last year i seem to recall, not sure what it's current status is but i can't imagine it too many years away now. I don't think any of the GWR 4-6-0's will be ready before it.

 

At the moment, my illustrated presentation puts the G5 next but, having seen the work now going ahead to finish 2999 at Didcot, this may now be finished first. After that its 6880 Betton Grange, 1014 County of Glamorgan and then 45551 the Unknown Warrior. Then its the 2-2-2 Bloomer (but that's just a wild guess as I have no idea how much work actually needs to be done on this but it seems relatively close), then 84030 and 32424 Beachy Head, followed by 82045 (one to watch as its moving up the charts now!) and the Holden F5 2-4-2T and then 4709 (another one which will probably leap up the new-build timeline chart) followed by 72010 Hengist which has gone from "bubbling under" to "blimey!" quite quickly recently. After that, we have a lovely LNWR George the Fifth but then it gets a bit hazy with 2 times B17s, 2 times P2s, a GCR Pollitt 4-4-0 and then a Fowler 2-6-4T is being thought about and of course that well-known 2-6-0 from the M&SWJR that they are rushing ahead with at Blunsdon, or not. Not a very scientific treatise but the first 12 are, in my view, worth putting your money on (and indeed I have on a couple!). I can't believe I have just written out this list of extinct locomotives that we WILL see again sometime, oh to be living at this hour!

 

The Saint is coming on fine according to the website , it could follow the G5 .

 

"Joking aside though, hasn't the 82045 website always said that if the tank is successful then they would look into a 77xxx new build?"

Not exactly! This is what we said on our home page.......

"Success with this project would also open the door to the recreation of the elegant Riddles Class 3 mogul, another long- lost type which is eminently well suited to service on today`s heritage lines".

Not quite saying we will build one!

It is perhaps worth noting that the team building 82045 are a group of highly skilled but nevertheless retired engineers/draughtsmen/machinists etc.etc. and it is being built to a very high standard.




"It's a bit like the old chap in his shed never quite finishing anything".


.....and for those who think it`s not all coming along quickly enough, check our website. Wheels on order (delay not our fault) and cylinder castings imminent. Also a great deal of work going on with the less glamourous `bits` behind the scenes.


When 82045 takes to the rails we will all be ready for a very well earned `real` retirement! .........and just imagine how satisfying that will be?

 

Yes there is, but that money would not be available for anything else. That "old chap" is spending his time and money on what he is interested in, not what you or anyone else thinks he should spend it on. That's because heritage railways are at heart a hobby.

 

And i didn't say one would be built.... hence why i said they would LOOK into a 77xxx new build.... nothing in what I said was 'once the tank is finished they will start building something else'.... the sentence quoted from the website hints that the group would look into it at the very least which is surely what i said...?

 

My last thoughts on this matter. If this were really just a "hobby" then we would not be getting requests for financial assistance. If money is "accepted" from outside then those concerned are under a moral obligation, if nothing else, to use it efficiently and promptly. It is a pity that the 82045 people have got drawn into this matter as they appear to be the least of offenders and it is unfortunate they have not got the benefit of indoor accommodation. Certainly it is one of the most sensible prototypes to be selected.

PH

 

"It is a pity that the 82045 people have got drawn into this matter as they appear to be the least of offenders and it is unfortunate they have not got the benefit of indoor accommodation. Certainly it is one of the most sensible prototypes to be selected".

Thank you PH. and now I`m going to stick to our own thread.....

Regards.

 

I wonder how many of these new builds that don't have a donor boiler will be completed. There seems to be lots of activity assembling frames and making new parts but you don't hear about how where or when a new boiler is going to built. I can envisage seeing completed chassis's and no boiler on the horizon.

 

Two 77XXX's !!

 

You do hear in some cases as both the 82045 and 45551 groups have information on their boiler building schemes, the latter running a fund now and the former preparing to do so. The boiler is, of course, the real financial issue when it comes to expertise and funding and this is also true for ex-Barry and ex-BR and industrial locos. I agree, however, that it is the amount of finance needed for the boiler which may decide whether a new build project stands or falls.

 

Apart from finance (and I speak for 82045 here) there is a big problem with space at Bridgnorth - not a hope of storing anything that is not needed immediately. Supporters may also recall that our inner firebox copper which was purchased so far in advance disappeared on a lorry one night. These issues are all considered in the plan and course of action - our boiler appeal (the final push) is planned for launch next year.

 

I wish 77021 every success. It certainly would be good to have a line up of all the BR Standards. As for 82045, I have nothing but admiration for the guys that are working outside and making such great progress.
A boiler is certainly something that needs looking at as early as possible from a design and supplier point of view. The Clan Project is working behind the scenes with several potential boiler smiths in the UK but no large boiler has been built from scratch in this country since the 1960's which may prove a challenge. Every conceivable piece of boiler has been replaced in the various works (thinking LNWR, SVR, Devon etc) but never a 'new' boiler!

 

I'm firmly of the opinion that the most important single investment that the Beachy Head team ever made was, early in the project, funding the building of a dedicated shed to construct the loco. OK, it's a slightly awkward location (at right angles to the main sidings, meaning that anything going in or out has to be turned 90deg by crane) and it doesn't have its own overhead cranes (meaning that tasks such as re-wheeling have to be done with jacks) but it does mean that all construction can take place in the dry and components and patterns can be kept together and secure. The only components for Beachy Head currently stored outside are the driving wheels.

Tom

 

Ok so when were taking "new boilers" i suggest many of you speak to 61264 as their boiler is in essence brand new(LNWR Crewe done). Ok there are a few original parts. but questioning if it can be done seems to me a bit daft, if you speak to LNWR Crewe there is no one who doesnt think it cant. I know from speaking to them about 45551s boiler they cant wait to get started. And also on that subject we have ordered our Copper (thankyou to SVR for this) which is due to come to the UK later on this year. We are also launching our boiler bonds later on this year (just before Warley NEC model show) and will be looking for the bonds to build the boiler and our normal donations to complete everything else.

Yes PH you are correct that not many of the "newbuilds" have been completed but lets look at it another way. Many of the newbuilds started when tornado was on its last stretch to completion and people finally believed it COULD be done. so that in its self means that new builds have only been going for a short time in comparison to restoration projects, ok there are a few that have been around a while, but most havent been around that long, and over the next 5 years we will see many of these start to arrive around the scene. I cant talk for other projects but i know the LMS Patriot project IS still on target to steam for 2017 and hopefully with our boiler bonds, and the Warley exhibition coming up later this year we will see the money come in to hit our targets to 2017 to keep on track. so thats a project that started in April 2008 and should steam before it hits its 10th anniversary, im sure there are plenty of restoration projects that havent managed to do it in 10yrs, never mind build it from scratch.

Best wishes to this project though, keep at it and you'll achieve your target!

Gavin