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Steam loco hire availability?

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by Azrall, Apr 12, 2022.

  1. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    Mention was made earlier about the Great Central Austerity. This would be the J94 68067 which has a boiler ticket until 2028. However it was on jacks in Dec and is still up in the air, having work done on its axles/bearings.
     
  2. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    @D1039 can you advise?

    Is 813 available this year? 7714?
     
  3. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    I suspect the smaller engines will see more use this year to save coal and less likely to be out on hire
     
  4. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Does any covenant condition rule out hiring one of the Austerities from the IWSR?
     
  5. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

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    IIRC they are air brake only

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  6. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    @nick813 is the person to ask regarding 813.
     
  7. Paul Grant

    Paul Grant Well-Known Member

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    I know its on a bit of a tour just now but Caley 419 might fit the bill. Theres also a couple of other tanks in service too.
     
  8. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    One line has/had hoped to secure it themselves as they are also without steam
     
  9. Paul Grant

    Paul Grant Well-Known Member

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    Bang goes that idea then. Perhaps ironically, theres 4 new builds underway that if complete would have been ideal.
     
  10. D7076

    D7076 Well-Known Member

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    Where’s austerity 72 these days ?
    MRC and Battlefield appear to have nothing for the summer unless 47357 and 6989/419 ?
    Wensleydale too if having a steam presence rather than a bus depot theme .
     
  11. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

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    Peak Rail

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  12. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Not Austerities, but are Bagnalls Victor and Vulcan gainfully employed at the moment?
     
  13. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

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    One's at Lakeside & Haverthwaite, the other is at the Stephenson Steam Railway.

    Both appearing at the Victor & Vulcan Reunion Gala at the Stephenson Steam Railway on 30th April - 2nd May.

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  14. toplight

    toplight Well-Known Member

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    Could the SCR not run diesels for a while, save some cash and put its money into getting the Polish loco Spartan running again. It was bought from the Spa valley by the railway as the 'solution', during a previous steam shortage, used for the 3 years it had left on its ticket and since then just left with it seems now little interest in it and nobody working on it, despite it taking up shed space. Same could be said for 5637.

    What would it take to get it running again ? as it would seem to be better for the railway to spend its money on a loco it already owns and which it wouldn't have to pay hire fees for. Seems in general, less and less people actually working on maintaining steam locos there compared with say 10 years ago.
     
  15. Azrall

    Azrall Member

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    Spartan requires a FULL mechanical overhaul, boiler and motion, this requires significant investment. The trust recently agreed to top up Spartan's pot more regularly. That being said, it's at the back of the overhaul queue.

    Once 6695 is ready, 5637 will next, alongside no. 70 - these will be shorter than Spartan's to achieve.

    We are working as hard as we can to get things sorted. Yes, we could run diesels, but they don't often attract our main customer base, which is families and they prefer steam.

    How's that 20+ year toplight project? Not many seem to work on that, despite it taking up shed space....
     
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  16. Chris86

    Chris86 Well-Known Member

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    Would the guys at Alnwick be able to spare a loco I wonder?

    They currently have 3 locos in service I believe.

    Has the chunky 0-6-0 (I can't remember which flavour it was) Ryan Pope was working on come into service yet?

    Chris
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2022
  17. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    one of the broader challenges for preservation is even if you can train the next generation in Carriage and loco restoration , you then have to retain them . I've seen numerous reports of trained apprentices going off to better paid roles on Network Rail and TOC's plus eleswhere. Cost of living won't help skilled staff retention either

    I also sense lots of people wanting engines restored and in steam but there is always a reason of why they cannot help
     
  18. nick813

    nick813 Well-Known Member Loco Owner

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    Hello,
    813 has been booked for the season. She will be going 'Up North'. We have had to turn down quite a few railways who wanted the locomotive.
     
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  19. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    It is reassuring - in one sense, that there would seem to be a shortage of moderate sized steam locomotives. We read of the "imminent" demise of some heritage railways and the lack of volunteers. But the reality is that several railways are expanding and extending their lines, there are more heritage lines in operation for longer in the year. It is not surprising that some established lines have fewer volunteers - because they have more other places to volunteer. I suspect that the total number of volunteers may actually be greater than ever.
    Similarly, the number of working steam locomotives may be higher also - after all the number of "Barry wrecks" has steadily decreased.
    All credit to the whole Heritage Railway movement.
     
  20. Adam Tandy

    Adam Tandy Member

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be worth enquiring if the Foxfield Railway might be able to spare one of their resident locos? Since they've got two 0-6-0STs (Bagnall & Austerity designs) & several 0-4-0STs operational within their fleet, it might be worth looking into, perhaps?
     

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