LMS Hughes Crab 42859

Re: LMS Crab 42859

I suspect that if you turn up with both transport and a generous supply of those bits of paper with the Queen's head on that most scrappies are pretty co-operative. Are there many phrases more magical than "I'll pay more than scrap price in cash and I'll take it now"? Whether it would be money well spent is quite another matter.

As for the former owner, well you know things can just get on top of you. I don't know who this chap is, I've never met him, I don't even know his name, or what his particular circumstances are, but I've seen this sort of thing with boats and cars. You think, well next year we'll be able to make a start, or when the business picks up I'll have more cash or something, and then you can't quite pay all the storage charges and they start mounting up, and before you know it you owe a fortune in storage charges and even selling the sorry remains off wouldn't be enough to pay it off, and you feel guilty as hell, but there seems to be no solution, and maybe its easier to put it to the back of your mind with all those other worries going on like the wife divorcing you or the kids needing college fees or the heart attack...

I'm not saying its right, but its very very human to get caught like that. Its easy for people who are lucky enough to have always managed to run their finances simply to criticise, but if it happens to someone you like and you see the emotional mess they get left in then you can only sympathise. Sadly they'll get torn apart on forums like this by people who've never had that bad luck or problems and think its all easy, but the forum warriors will never feel as badly about it or get the stress and blood pressure problems and everything else as the poor ~**~*** who's been in the middle of it all.

Cue, as they say, downvotes...

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

Well expressed Jimc, the majority can't see the flesh & bones sacrificed for their worship of the hard stuff - that is the metal lump steaming off into the distance. I am as upset about the scrapping of any loco. but, I'll not be joining the sofa bound finger waggers in condemning the poor soul who has had to wave goodbye to HIS dream. It's very sad all round and symptomatic of the modern World - or jungle - that we now inhabit.

Cheers

Alan

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

I understand it still exists in kit form and efforts are being made to secure its future, but are by no means guaranteed. If anyone is prepared to help, IF (I stress IF) the chance arises, please post here, or email me at earlswood120@gmail.com.

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

Even if it is not possible to save the entire loco, perhaps a co-ordinated effort can be made to save those parts (subject to condition) that might have a use elsewhere in the future, eg axle boxes and wheelsets, and cylinder block.

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

I'll throw my hat in.

Isnt 42859 the only Crewe built one ?

 

Think the elr crab is a Crewe.

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

Any help I can give, post on here or pm me.

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

If there's any chance to save this loco, the first job would be to get a good lawyer to ascertain that those in possession of it have full legal title. I visualise the original owner trying his best to register an interest in it..

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

Unless the original owner has given up all legal right to the engine, this could open an very ugly can of worms, An appeal could save the engine ,only to lose it if it turned out that it was sold ilegally and the owner raised a claim for it, whats the legal situation if the sale raised more than the outstanding storage fees and this was not returned to the original owner could the sale be deamed ilegal?

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

True enough because if the scrap man destroys it, then there is nothing to posess. Maybe give 42859 a name... "The Binbrooke Marbles" perhaps ?

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

In my experience, it can be a good reason for doing nothing. Thousands of pounds of preservation money has been wasted (there's no other word for it) on privately owned rolling stock which has "gone legal". Others will disagree, but after volunteering for a while I have had to accept that the culture of private ownership of vehicles will sadly always swallow a few vehicles.

I think the only thing that makes this case unusual is that it is an ex BR steam engine, which the preservation community are not used to letting go of.

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

This is my first posting on this forum, I do though expect many will not agree with my comments.

How much is/was 42859 truely worth? Answer, the amount a scrapman will pay for it! OK, someone might be willing to pay a little more but surely if that someone was out there then they would have been in contact with the site owner long ago if the saga has been as protracted as it appears to have been.

Realisticaly was it ever going to get restored? Very very doubtful! Other locomotives are sure to follow in the next few years as anyone visiting railway heritage locations around the country will surely appreciate.

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

It's going to take an established group to take an interest, find out whether the loco still exists, whether it can be purchased with full legal title, find a permanent home for it (Peak Rail?), set up a society, sell shares and solicit contributions to buy it and then remove it from the clutches of oblivion..

If some organisation will take the lead, I will contribute.. Come on NRM, Pete W, Jeremy H, Royal Scot Trust et al...

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

I understand several groups have attempted to buy the engine along the years, including at least one established railway.

The existence of this thread is tantamount to the interest in this engine for a few years. (there isnt say a 47564 thread generating 20 pages for instance).

I would like to quote post number 2 I made nearly 4 years ago..

I guess 3 years later.. it's not so safe, but nothing else changed.

Question: is does preservation want 3 crabs or 2, regardless of condition ?
Answer: it is playing out in front of us now, but once it's gone you cannot ask the question twice. If it's possible to save it..then at the minimum you can postpone the answer.


There's a thread on here titled http://railways.national-preservation.com/heritage-railways-centres-uk/38216-what-preservation.html, if 42859 ever runs again, to me defines the movement, but saving it at all defines preservation.

 

Re: LMS Crab 42859

What Scrapyard and what's left?