Costs of repatriating a locomotive

[eldomtom2]

Theoretically, how much would it cost in turns of shipping etc. (not including purchase or restoration costs) to repatriate a locomotive from South Africa to Britain? Would it be within levels practical to fundraise?

 

[Flying Phil]

Hi
The cost will very much depend upon the size and weight so you will need to be more specific. I believe the Welsh Highland line imported some Narrow Gauge locomotives from South Africa, but that was a few years ago.

 

[eldomtom2]

3ft 6in gauge tank locomotive. Apparently 36 tons. While I'm not presently in a position to do anything, I'm interested in the possible feasibility of doing something in the future.

As a side note, the Welsh Highland Railway's South African locomotives were all purchased from other British railways, who imported them in the 1990s.

 

[Ploughman]

A loco was brought back to Glasgow from S Africa a few years back.
Found it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-11372129

 

[eldomtom2]

Apparently several others have also been repatriated a few years ago by the North British Locomotive Group. They have fundraised for costs around £5,000 to £15,000 for transport and basic restoration, but it is unclear how much in addition they got from private donors. If nothing else, there are people who've done it before and recently, so it's by no means impossible. The murkier part is whether or not Eskom would let go of it...

 

[Steam loco]

I want both the A4 to come back and terrier waddon I just hope it happens thanks

 

[eldomtom2]

I'm not sure what that specifically has to do with a thread about repatriating a locomotive from South Africa. Besides, we have four A4s and nine Terriers, personally I believe that getting a unique locomotive (last surviving locomotive of its railway, last surviving locomotive of its island, last surviving (I believe) 3 ft 6 in steam locomotive built for British use) back is much more important.

 

[CarltonA]

Another repatriation example: https://www.brc-stockbook.co.uk/25nc.htm

I had not noticed much restoration going on at Quainton Road a couple of years ago. Apparently they had plans for a 3'6" running line at some point.

 

[AndrewE]

...a unique locomotive (last surviving locomotive of its railway, last surviving locomotive of its island, last surviving (I believe) 3 ft 6 in steam locomotive built for British use) back is much more important.

Do you mean "built for British Empire or Commonwealth" use? Please tell us what loco you are talking about...

 

[eldomtom2]

"Built for British Isles". It's Jersey Railway No. 5 La Moye, presently owned by Eskom. While as I've said I'm not presently in a position to start anything, I can find out whether or not people have done it before and whether or not it's practical.

 

[Tim M]

As a side note, the Welsh Highland Railway's South African locomotives were all purchased from other British railways, who imported them in the 1990s.

Only partly true, some of the Garratts were bought direct for use on the WHR, further details here (scroll down to WHR locos post 1997):
https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Locomotives_used_on_the_WHR

 

[Journeyman]

The Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway recently repatriated an 8F from Turkey.

 

[Spartacus]

It seems almost containeriable if you could lose about 10 tonnes to another container!

 

[theblackwatch]

£15,000 was needed to move a Class 04 from Italy back to the UK earlier this year.

 

[reddragon]

What about the LMS jackshaft shunters in Italy before they're lost?

 

[alexl92]

I want both the A4 to come back and terrier waddon I just hope it happens thanks

During the Mallard 75 celebrations, when the two A4s were in the UK on a two-year loan, a British individual with railway interests (and I genuinely don’t know who - I’m not just being cyptic) made a couple of offers for one of the A4s. My gut feeling says it was Dominion of Canada that was the subject of the interest but I can’t remember for sure. Anyway, the offers were fairly significant and would have seen the loco remain here rather than return at the end of the two years, but the owners flat out refused.

I do wonder if they’re truly appreciated over there, especially given the state that DDE was in when it arrived.

 

[keith1879]

Only partly true, some of the Garratts were bought direct for use on the WHR, further details here (scroll down to WHR locos post 1997):
https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Locomotives_used_on_the_WHR

Specifically - three garratts were bought (and brought) directly from South Africa to the WHR. Numbers 138, 140 and 143. 138 and 143 had been overhauled before sale (although needed further work on arrival) whereas 140 was bought unrestored and it may be that it will never operate in its own right although parts of it have been used with locos in service. (There are endless debates in FR/WHR circles about what constitutes the essence of a particular locomotive but when I read that Taliesin was "a rebuild" of the original because it used the old reversing lever I gave up caring).

I think the Garratts were all moved in shipping containers (1 each) so the international shipping cost should be easy to obtain.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

If the loco is not containerisable, it should be possible to move it on the specialised ro ro ships used to carry vehicles, large cranes and other outsize loads, using a trailer that is towed onto the deck of the ship - I'd guess the likes of Wallenius Wilhelmsen (www.2wglobal.com) would be able to oblige.
Other possibilities are carrying it as deck cargo on a containership or, if it's small enough, using an open flat-rack 'container' or similar.
As an extremely rough ballpark figure (don't hold me to this), I'd say around £10-20,000 for the shipping, plus the cost of moving to and from the ports at either end, which is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' item. (I guess rail movement might even be possible in South Africa.) If the load is an outsize one for normal road transport needing escorts it would obviously cost more than if it can squeeze onto a normal truck. Plus bits & pieces like handling in port, customs clearance etc.

 

[DaiGog]

The Snowdon Mountain Railway brought a Swiss steam loco over this summer (and sent it back again) so it's possible that costs for that, along with a passenger coach and a crane, are in the public domain. It was funded by the Swiss tourist board.

 

[reddragon]

https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/l...d-uk-preservationists-bid-to-bring-them-home/

What about these?