Flying Scotsman

[Rfairlie]

How can you 'just find' an extra £1/4 million worth of work? I hate to think how many other locos could be put back into traffic for that sum alone. I've never seen an overhaul of a working loco (not ex Barry wreck) cost so much. Either the NRM are being wasteful with their cash or taken for a ride by contractors.

One of the people working on Flying Scotsman is a friend of and from what hes said its needed every penny. I think the best way to put it is the previous owner was a bit of a cowboy, the loco is littered with dodgy repairs on top of the fact its absolutely knackered. Most barry wrecks even though they are missing bits are probably in better condition.

Tim

[davidaward]

How can you 'just find' an extra £1/4 million worth of work? I hate to think how many other locos could be put back into traffic for that sum alone. I've never seen an overhaul of a working loco (not ex Barry wreck) cost so much. Either the NRM are being wasteful with their cash or taken for a ride by contractors.

One of the people working on Flying Scotsman is a friend of and from what hes said its needed every penny. I think the best way to put it is the previous owner was a bit of a cowboy, the loco is littered with dodgy repairs on top of the fact its absolutely knackered. Most barry wrecks even though they are missing bits are probably in better condition.

Tim

Come to think of it having heard reports of its condition when it came to the SVR in the early 90s, complete with loose con rods etc........I'll agree. Sorry I jumped to that conclusion, but I have seen in my short career (so far) in the heritage sector how easily prices can be inflated by contractors here and there (not naming any organisations.......)

Time has definitely caught up with it! That nice shiny coat of paint sure must have been hiding a lot. At least this one big investment and a better routine maintenance regime may bring longer term savings. I seem to get the impression that previous owners have run it into the ground with very little forethought for its future, but just thinking about running for the next day, a common scenario with many steam engines, not just of the railway type.

[MuzTrem]

I can see that the misinformed public seem to regard this loco as iconic because they can't distinguish between the loco and the named train !

I agree that that was probably the case before 1963. But I think Alan Pegler had a flair for publicity, and his main line agreement allowed him to take Scotsman all round Britain, and make not a few headlines in the process. Add in two overseas tours, both of which had something of an ambassadorial role, and 4472 has probably been seen by more people and had more media exposure than any other locomotive in the world. By contrast, the name of the 10am KX-Edinburgh train is now little more than a footnote on the timetable; even GNER's "Route of the Flying Scotsman" branding is gone. So whilst some confusion persists, which the NRM have done their best to clarify in their displays, I think these days it is the engine that is more famous.

johncas, I am sure Flying Scotsman will get about a bit once the overhaul is finished - after all, the NRM does have a duty to make the collection accessible to the whole nation.

[TheAmateurBasher]

4472 was one of the few things that got me into trains in the first place; my first encounter with her was at Llangollen in 1993. Since then I've seen her at Doncaster, York and Crewe (the latter sighting was in 2005, just before the overhaul began).

[spartacus]

johncas, I am sure Flying Scotsman will get about a bit once the overhaul is finished - after all, the NRM does have a duty to make the collection accessible to the whole nation.

Now, I really wish the NRM would do that, bring in some form of squad rotation for it's locos, instead of wheeling out the tiring "1st team" year after year. I know there's 3 or 4 locos in the collection that haven't steamed in years which would guarantee big crowds if they were restored to operational condition on the main line or on heritage line.

Admittedly the policy would cost more in the short term, but I can see it costing less in the long term as many of the NRM's main line locos must be nearing a point, like Flying Scotsman, where they will need outrageous sums to bring them back on the main line. Having a rotation would mean more locos for a longer time. 7MT rotating with 9F, A3 with A4, Duchess with King, V2 with BoB, Crab with Black 5, King Arthur with Lord Nelson, 4F with Q1?

[johncas]

Now, I really wish the NRM would do that, bring in some form of squad rotation for it's locos, instead of wheeling out the tiring "1st team" year after year. I know there's 3 or 4 locos in the collection that haven't steamed in years which would guarantee big crowds if they were restored to operational condition on the main line or on heritage line

Yes like Butler Henderson GCR Director running with the 04 no way
Most of the NRM'S Locos need a lot of work on them Butler Henderson's boiler has had it and would need thousands of pounds to repair it even a new one so they won't do it at the moment

[MuzTrem]

Admittedly the policy would cost more in the short term, but I can see it costing less in the long term as many of the NRM's main line locos must be nearing a point, like Flying Scotsman, where they will need outrageous sums to bring them back on the main line. Having a rotation would mean more locos for a longer time. 7MT rotating with 9F, A3 with A4, Duchess with King, V2 with BoB, Crab with Black 5, King Arthur with Lord Nelson, 4F with Q1?

I think they do try to rotate the locos to some extent. Oliver Cromwell has just taken Green Arrow's place in the operational fleet. 63601 and 49395 have returned to steam whilst C1 is now at York. 30587 has returned to steam for the first time in preservation. Some old favourites, e.g.Duchess of Hamilton and No. 1000, have taken a backseat but they may well run again in the future. In any case, restoring an A4, Duchess or King now would be a rather futile exercise as their are other examples currently on the main line that would end up competing for work. Finally, much of what the NRM can restore is dictated by what sponsors are willing to pay for, e.g. 49395, 60800, and 30587.