Current and Proposed New-Builds

There’s been a fair old bit of time for that to happen do you not think?
When was it the Doncaster P2 group announced they were ‘building a real P2?’ ‘94, 95? There’s been plenty of time to ask about a collab.

 

I don’t think that’s going to happen. Who wants a loco that will be confused with an A4

 

The Darlington team had to make decisions about various aspects of their P2 but the distinctive appearance of the front end is clearly an important selling point.

 

Charity commission website. You can search for every charity out there and see how they are doing. If you wish to donate to a project and want to know if your money is likely to be well donated or unlikely to achieve the goals its a great place to check.

 

The Clan has done much better, although the last couple of years have seen a slight dip, hopefully that is changing. Im unsure how much money is required to finish Hengist, however should it be 2 million, at the current rate thats 25 years, anymore then just keep adding years unless there is a considerable increase in money, or reduction in build costs.

I really hate to be bleak, and i DONT enjoy looking at these figures at times because i would love to see all of the projects get over the line, however most projects have gone from estimates of about a million to achieve their goals, to 3-4 million (of projects that aim to go on the mainline)

 

A question that no-one seems to be asking is, if all the new-builds that are intended to go main-line actually reach the point of doing so, and assuming there is a finite limit to the work available, what is going to become of the locos that they displace?

 

But are all these new builds going to go mainline at the same time?
Look how long the likes of say 60007 or 6024’s latest overhauls have taken/ or are taking.

 

The huge success of the A1 Steam has perhaps lulled others into thinking it is easier than it actually is? They raise and spend between £1.5m and £2m a year.

 

If they’re like 60009 and 61994 they’ll be stuck in some barn for a vanity project in the back end of nowhere rather than let someone else look after them…

 

If we look at the list of new-builds currently under construction or projected how many of them will be suitable for working financially viable excursions on the mainline? Apart from 2007, 72010, 61673 and 5551 what else might become available? The GW offerings are most unlikely to figure so with Tornado that leaves us a handful of engines to consider. The movement has recently lost two mainline stalwarts, overhauls become increasingly more protracted for various reasons, some locomotives are finding it very difficult to raise funds and as locomotives get older they may well become less available due to the hither to unforeseen events (though we should know better by now). I do not believe that locos will be displaced but some might take an easier life and if you are looking after a machine as it gets older beyond its design economic life you might be grateful for more time to raise funds and to get work done.

 

His locomotives and he was paying the bills - for decades in the case of 60009. The costs associated with keeping a locomotive running don't go down and keeping running on the mainline gets steadily more difficult. The decision to stop using the engines was understandable and there are very few individuals prepared to take on the financial burden of running a large locomotive.

 

What does sadden me is that while there a re a number of operational A4's the Mogul was one of very few Gresley locomotives in preservation and suitable for 'heritage' lines in a way an A4 isnt

 

Quite like to see a B17 Streamlined and that is mostly an ' add on'.

 

Agreed it is sad, but let that lie. As someone on here is fond of saying if you use it you wear it out. At some point Mr Camerons children or grandchildren may decide to let these machines go - and they will be less worn out than engines that never got to take a break...

 

As it seems popular to compare income and expenditure graphs for the various new builds, the group building B17 61673 appear to be showing strong growth in their income each year (from Charity Commission website)

 

Of course, in such comparisons, how much is raised is only half the story - there is also the care with which it is spent.

Tom

 

I agree and the B17 Trust have every component and design change from the original, checked and certified by Ricardo Rail

 

Was about to say that every new build with any aspiration to run mainline would be doing so with a 'NOBO/VAB/ whatever the latest version of this is' but perhaps this hasn't always been the case...

 

Patriot graph is interesting ...

 

Looks pretty par to the course to me? A drop off in income after problems identified which I imagine impacted donor confidence, combined with covid which I suspect impacted trading income.

Meanwhile expenditure relatively consistent as most of the ‘income’ generated will be used on the build of the loco which is capital and thus doesn’t go through the p&l until the asset starts to depreciate on completion.