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the future of A2 Blue Peter ???

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by patrickalanbooth, May 28, 2012.

  1. patrickalanbooth

    patrickalanbooth New Member

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    Dear all
    Does anyone know of the future of A2 Blue Peter?? i know that the agreement between the owners and the NELPG has ended but i have heard no further news since.
    thanks
    Patrick
     
  2. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    There were rumours that Jeremy Hosking was looking into BP (according to SR Magazine from around 8 months ago I think) but had made no offer at the time of writing. I reckon SR could do a lot worse than launch an appeal and get 60532 back into steam. I read that around £600,000 is required to get her back in steam (Personally, I thought this was a little low, having said that I am in no way an engineer...)

    James at SVN
     
  3. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    The problem seems to be that the owner desn't have the funds to carry out the overhaul himself, but is not willing to cede control of the engine to anyone who does. If he was the loco would be running again on the NYMR by now (and presumably on the main line as well). I must admit that I thought that making him a Trustee of Jeremy Hosking's L&G Charity was probably in order to bring 60532 into that stable, but it doesn't seem to have worked so far.
     
  4. guycarr360

    guycarr360 Part of the furniture

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    Just bought a tenners worth of euromillions tickets, heres hoping.............
     
  5. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    :scared: A tenner? on lottery tickets? Us poor pensioners struggle to buy food. :wink:

    If you win can I come and live with you?:couch2:
     
  6. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Even if someone did run an appeal to overhaul it, it's a waste of time till somebody can be found to run and maintain it who the owner is happy with or the owner chooses to sell.
     
  7. 45407&44871

    45407&44871 Guest

    Hi all,
    Just wanted to note something from the article that was wrote on the ending of the contract on the NELPG website:
    'The NELPG has enjoyed a long and harmonious relationship with the Drury family
    and it is pleasing to report that this is very much set to continue. Termination
    of the 1986 Agreement is a sensible first step towards new arrangements to
    ensure the future preservation and operation of the locomotive which, it is
    expected, should in some form involve the NELPG and its expertise on the A2.'

    so though nothing has yet come to frutrition, the nelpg still want to be involved in the upkeep of the A2. We should hear something in the next couple of months I'm guessing :)
    Matt
     
  8. GHWood

    GHWood Member

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    Would the A1 Trust be interested in becoming custodians of 'Blue Peter'? Lots of common parts and an excellent shed mate for 'Tornado'.
     
  9. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Would the owners of Blue Peter be interested in the A1 Trust becoming custodians of the loco? That's a more important question.
     
  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Restoring a main line locomotive to run on a heritage line is a questionable and expensive option if we take as an assumption that the general public are not likely to be all that bothered. So that brings us to the main line, with its additional costs because of the OTMR and TPWS stuff and high level maintenance demands. So possibly the question is "Does the main line charter business...and by that I mean the 75 mph main line charter business.....need another 4-6-2? Let's assume that the future is a semi-permanent pool of such locos at key locations: Crewe, Tyseley, Southall, York as a starter - plus important outliers such as Bristol, Stewarts Lane - then you might be able to answer the question of 'need' before starting to address the issues of how? and funding?
     
  11. std tank

    std tank Part of the furniture

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    How can you say that the general public would not be bothered about Blue Peter running on Heritage lines? Before Tornado came on the scene, Blue Peter was second in the popularity stakes with the general public, with Scotsman being No. 1.
     
  12. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Fair point but wasn't that just to do with a television programme and the world moves on? Mallard would be even more popular and we don't see that running around. Popularity doesn't necessarily lead to money being forthcoming although personally, I would like to see 60532 in action again, preferably on the main line. But it needs a hard business mind to make the decision, not sentiment.
     
  13. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    I think there's a shortage of class 7/8 power on the mainline right now and a pent up demand forming in the next few years.

    Most of the mainline work currently falls in the hands of 70000, 70013, 4464, 60163, 34067 and 46115, with 35028, 71000, 46233, 5043 doing slightly less... That's 10 core engines working circa 3-5 class8 railtours a week across the country in the summer months.

    The profit margin of class5's ergo the demand for them on mainline trips is becoming more limited, but the market is growing, with need for longer trains.

    with 5029 on the bench, 6024 and 6201 bowing out, should 2 or 3 engines suddenly need unplanned maintenace as last year we could see diesels and cancelations again, even the vsoe had to go diesel last year.
    true they are being joined by 60009 and 34046, and by 60007, 4472, 6100 and 6023 at some point.

    All of the core locos, 70000, 70013, 4464, 60163, 34067 and 46115, we're relatively new to the mainline, or overhauled around 2007-2010, which means 2014-2017 they will be dropping out for overhaul in a short time frame.

    It is also obvious some new markets are growing, London and Bristol to Weymouth and Swanage are doing very well, and I would hazard a guess if sufficient class8 MN's were available, a twice or thrice weekly summer schedule from the capital would do well... Maybe that's why there's a sudden flurry for 35009, 35018, 35027 and rumour on 34016.

    On the basis of all that there's a space for 60532, maybe timed around 60163's first overhaul or that of 4464.
     
  14. std tank

    std tank Part of the furniture

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    Yes, it was to do with a TV programme, but is not a lot of Tornado's public following to do with a guy called Jeremy Clarkson and his TV programme? To get Mallard into the public spot light, should it ever work again, would be an interesting project for the NRM's publicity arm. It would certainly benefit the rail connected heritage railways if it were to visit any of them.
     
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Actually, I think to be fair to the A1 Steam Trust, most of the success of Tornado is due to their efforts of which the Top Gear initiative was an important part. There are some that might argue the high profile of this engine has brought with it much unwelcome debate - boiler repairs etc - but IMHO there's no doubt the Trust should get most credit for the profile of Tornado. I agree that no-one seems to champion Mallard in the same way and possibly that's also the issue with Blue Peter.
     
  16. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    Hmm, maybe that's a thread on its own..

    Most famous engines in preservation ? 4468, 4472, 60163, 6100...what follows ?
     
  17. Gwenllian2001

    Gwenllian2001 Member

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    Of course the world moves on but Blue Peter, the TV programme, is just as popular as ever and there's no reason to suppose that today's youngsters wouldn't be any less impressed by a locomotive of the same name as were their parents.
     
  18. guard_jamie

    guard_jamie Part of the furniture

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    You forgot Thomas. I'd put it just in front of 4468...
     
  19. williamfj2

    williamfj2 Member

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    6100 & 4472 might qualify for 'most infamous' thanks to the events of the past few years.
     
  20. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    I thought the BBC were planning on cutting down the number of episodes, allegedly because of lack of interest? The problem with relying on associations with popular things in the media is that they eventually wear thin.
     

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