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Drink/keyboard interface issue!( also most of these locomotives are like Cher - none of the parts are more than 10 years old )
Drink/keyboard interface issue!( also most of these locomotives are like Cher - none of the parts are more than 10 years old )
One of the advantages of the MK1 TSO is the relatively high capacity and the 4 seats around a table layout. Whilst compartment stock has an appeal it tends to be under utilised as people dont seem to "want to "share"
Hats off to you for that one - made me chortle...( also most of these locomotives are like Cher - none of the parts are more than 10 years old )
Agreed to both above comments. I think some of the posters here have little experience of projects and especially heritage restoration projects!
Agreed date for completion? In the time it took you to read this sentence that just changed? Now what? Penalties you say? Well the reason we are late is that we don't have the funds to get the recently discovered failed item replaced.........................
Using my GF as the litmus test: Would she care? We had a trip out on Tornado and Flying Scotsman. Do you think it was important when either we built? Not in the slightest. Does it look, sound and smell right? Does it chuff and peep?
( also most of these locomotives are like Cher - none of the parts are more than 10 years old )
I think you have to have a date for completion in mind. What it cant be is infinity!! Even if depending on the project in hand, a realistic timescale needs to be considered. If it was 5 years so be it!! The thing is as someone who has been involved in one or two restoration projects over the years AND also been on the other side of the fence for a railway, I can see both sides.
IMHO buying the stock or loco is the easy bit, however you need funds, lots of cash, more than you can ever estimate - I was involved in a project where the loco was placed on some private non-related land - we only had the peppercorn rent to worry about with no timescales either.
Why do people still persist in bringing stock or locos to railways with precious little space? Beyond me?
You might also ask why the railways keep accepting them. Guess we’re back to the whole question of this thread!Why do people still persist in bringing stock or locos to railways with precious little space? Beyond me?
Totally agree - But break it down and lets analyse it a bit further.You might also ask why the railways keep accepting them. Guess we’re back to the whole question of this thread!
This, if anything is the right answer.Personally I think you want to see a proper business plan, funding streams, a proper logical project plan and progress against a schedule of small milestones to show that the society is capable of repairing their item in anything like good order and that the understanding the complexity involved in repairing their item and crucial are realistic about the time scales. You also want a proper lease agreement with clear review/break clauses drawn up by legal professionals
Absolutely agree with DarlorICH AS REGARDS a Business Plan - Its fundamental. Sadly the cycle what happens in many cases is enthusiastic optimism eventually giving way to pessimism and lack of interest.This, if anything is the right answer.
I have no involvement in railway preservation, but from having seen other voluntary activities, the important thing is to be business-like, even if you're not a business.
But the railway location can give you the much needed railway expertise together with many of the tools needed to get the job done. Having these activities on site also gives the railway more attractions. However, as has been said, try to keep it attractive and keep the scrap/and or detritus out of view.Absolutely agree with DarlorICH AS REGARDS a Business Plan - Its fundamental. Sadly the cycle what happens in many cases is enthusiastic optimism eventually giving way to pessimism and lack of interest.
There's nothing wrong with speculators, dreamers, entrepreneurs, to get it off the ground idea wise, however you need a few realists in the mix with experience not only in hands on but the accounts etc.
So IMHO....Plan the dream & deliver on some non railway location and see it happen with good solid management.
Why do people still persist in bringing stock or locos to railways with precious little space? Beyond me?
Whilst it is true that many of the "general public" do not appear to be interested, these wagons do help to justify the preservation, education and historic aims of many of the charities that help to support these heritage railways. They also provide an opportunity for "relatively" low skilled practical work for volunteers. The GCR "Goods Galore" events are well supported.The trouble is that one persons junk is another's treasure. Take wagons. One item in the linear scrapline could be the only surviving wagon of its type or company. The owner may have loved it but died leaving it to the railway. Does it get scrapped as junk or wait patiently for restoration. We've run demonstration freight trains on gala days and the general public have shown little interest in these immaculately turned out wagons. So there's the dilemma,keep them for historical posterity or scrap them as nobody is interested.
Indeed, the GC has done very well with the Windcutter and other wagons like the Palbrick. No vehlcles should ever be scrapped unless written off beyond repair.Whilst it is true that many of the "general public" do not appear to be interested, these wagons do help to justify the preservation, education and historic aims of many of the charities that help to support these heritage railways. They also provide an opportunity for "relatively" low skilled practical work for volunteers. The GCR "Goods Galore" events are well supported.
I've been behind a 9F on the Great Central Railway. Given it seemed to be putting more energy into creating a smoke screen than making itself move, it did seem considerably overengineered for what it was doing. I can't help feeling it would have preferred to travel far more quickly and pulling far more weight....
I'm not sure it's as clear cut as that.Likewise I once asked the Caledonian Railway (via Facebook) why they took on another thrashed 26 when they already had a stockpile dead Type 2 diesels at Bridge of Dun. Apparently the thrashed 26 was being kept for parts, but there were plans to restore the other diesels. This is lunacy, surely. They operate on a five mile track from Brechin to Nowhere, and already have a good example of both a 26 and 27. Do they need a fleet of eight of the things, to pootle along at 25 mph? Again the phrase 'magpie-ism' springs to mind. Somebody is getting rid of their 'McRat', lets pounce on it.
As I said in another thread, a heritage railway really just needs a couple of Black 5s (or Hunslet Austerity thingy), a rake of maroon mk2s with droplight windows, and a 31/33/37/47 for quiet days. You simply shunt happy passengers from A to B (where B is anything from a platform in the middle of the weeds to a small market town five miles away).
Well, if you must be a hoarder, as opposed to a preservationist, keep the stuff tidy.I'm not sure it's as clear cut as that.
Excess stock is only a problem if you don't have space for it, or if it's costing you too much to acquire/look after. If it's going cheap/free then I can't see why even the most buisness focused railway wouldn't take it? Even if it's a lame duck there will be spare parts that could be used to keep other trains going, or you could combine parts to get one more locomotive operational, which could be sold if it's surplus.
You could run a 100% business focused railway for tourists with minimal stock, that's not gonna keep your volunteers happy though, and your business doesn't work without them because you can't afford to pay anyone.
1) Because even free locomotives take up space that may have a better or more profitable useIf it's going cheap/free then I can't see why even the most buisness focused railway wouldn't take it?
If it was a wagon or a wrecked coach I might agree with you, but for a small amount of siding space even a dead locomotive is valuable, it can be restored, stripped of valuable spare parts to keep other ones going or sold on.1) Because even free locomotives take up space that may have a better or more profitable use
2) Because while looking like a linear scrapyard may not have a tangible cost in the way that (1) above does, it might put off visitors who will take their money to the Tidy Preserved Railway down the road.
Tourist railways are in competition with things such as farm parks or country houses for visitors. People, be they enthusiasts or "normals" are interested to see things being worked upon. However people do not go to see manure heaps at farm parks or the dustbin area at big houses. Pieces of saddle tank locomotives torn apart years ago, scattered around but then left are a turn off and not just to "normals"If it was a wagon or a wrecked coach I might agree with you, but for a small amount of siding space even a dead locomotive is valuable, it can be restored, stripped of valuable spare parts to keep other ones going or sold on.
Plus, enthusiasts and volunteers like locomotives.
enthusiasts and volunteers like locomotives.
In respect of the Col. Stephens yes there were large amounts of redundant equipment. Ashford works also had quite a lot of scrap lines in my youth.Before anybody says anything about being authentic, I'm pretty sure pre-Beeching branch lines didn't have linear scrapyards.
True, I was talking about the relatively complete (but broken) Class 26 that Caledonian acquired. I agree entirely that hoarding total junk is a bad idea.Tourist railways are in competition with things such as farm parks or country houses for visitors. People, be they enthusiasts or "normals" are interested to see things being worked upon. However people do not go to see manure heaps at farm parks or the dustbin area at big houses. Pieces of saddle tank locomotives torn apart years ago, scattered around but then left are a turn off and not just to "normals"
Cant also help that think that leaving "scrap" lying around encourages unwelcome guests looking for stuff to "liberate". How many heritage railways have had tools and other valuable materials "stolen" because it has been made so easy?
Cant also help that think that leaving "scrap" lying around encourages unwelcome guests looking for stuff to "liberate". How many heritage railways have had tools and other valuable materials "stolen" because it has been made so easy?