Is a real Bulldog possible ?

Lads, it isn't a serious proposal, it's merely an academic exercise.

It is absolutely up to the owner and therefore almost definitely will never happen.


In the same vein though, as a GWR interloper, what would happen if the Bluebell was offered a swap with a hypothetical desirable Brighton loco by someone wanting to rebuild it? Would it be so cut and dried then?

 

My understanding is that the loco was donated to the Bluebell on the understanding that it stayed there. So I supect you would be into serious lawyer territory if you wanted to change the terms of that bequest after the fact - even if Didcot did suddenly discover a remarkably well-preserved K class mogul in the undergrowth...

Tom

 

cut up years ago to provide a few bits for the Broad Gauge replica

 

I'm sure it was but these things have a habit of gaining momentum. There'll be a Facebook group next.

 

Hmm.....How do you start one of those a Facepaint thingies?

 

A very thoughtful post from Jimc , just what I joined this forum for.

I would however point out that I had no intention of suggesting the Dukedog permanently disappeared , in fact my original post suggested a way in which it might quickly reappear on the expiry of the Bulldog certificate , and on the Bluebell of course.

The phrase used by Tom was "Except perhaps the owners are quite happy with the loco in its current form and see no pressing reason for change?" This is indeed the clincher but maybe the fact that a genuine Bulldog might bring in a great deal of "new" money , that it could be billed as a once in a lifetime opportunity - perhaps guarantee that the Bulldog would only re-emerge for just the one 10 year certificate- might begin to change a few minds?

 

one very good reason for keeping 9017 as she is is that a BULLDOG boiler is much heavier than an EARL boiler, and given the fact that 9017 is a very old engine and a bit delicate the less strain on the frames the better. the boiler would also be of increased pressure which would impose more strain on the bearings, motion parts etc.

as a fan of the original DUKES there is a another solution!

cheers,
julian

 

you mean build Duke frames with 9017s boiler and use a taper boiler on 9017s frames?

 

i was only jokingly hinting at something!

i think poor old 9017 is far too delicate for any such schemes. she was already worn out when withdrawn in 1960.

cheers,
julian

 

Yes, though she did get almost entirely new frames at the last overhaul...

Tom

 

Says who ?, would you mess about with Green Arrow because you fancied a K3 ?.

Conversion or not, we should not be losing one type to make another, a Hall boiler here or 28XX pony truck there is different as there are plenty of things, Dukedogs would cease to be once you mess with 9017.

 

That's daft!

 

I've edited my post since, I was thinking more of tinkering with sole survivors, the fact it's a rebuild/conversion is irrelevant to me the fact it's "last of the kind" is in my mind, reason enough to leave it be.

What's the fascination with a Bulldog anyway ?, we know what a double framed 4-4-0 with a Churchward boiler looks like.

 

Fair point, I just don't believe a Bulldog is asthetically or historically (as in telling a story) different enough from City of Truro to justify butchering the only Dukedog left.

Also as said earlier, we have enough new build or conversion projects on the go already, of which precisely 1 has reached the finished line, out of how many ?.