There was suffcient interest to fill a 4 car 80 for a railtour. Why did the dcdr get the crane then?
All very valid, but it doesn't explain how a non working steam crane arrived at the DCDR one day. The same argument that is given for the non preservation of a Thumper was convienently not used in its acquisition.
Interesting that you don't actually give a timeline for this... the steam crane was acquired as a museum exhibit back in the early 90s when there was about less than half the current stock in Downpatrick, long before the Class 80s were anywhere near being withdrawn. It's not as if Downpatrick said "no thanks" to a Class 80 and then a steam crane arrived...
It would have been 92 plus 752 which were adjudged to be in the best condition at the time (indeed 752 is still in service)
Downpatrick claimed that they were short of space but this did not stop them taking the ITG locos later when they had not gained any additonal space. (There is an additional shed currently under construction)
I think what K9 means is that there is plenty of talk about preserving an 80, none of which develops into a serious proposal, much like all the hot air that is expanded by those allegedly campaiging for the Derry/Londonderry to Coleraine line.
It does not help that the one place where it is likely a preserved 80 could run, Downpatrick, REJECTED THE DONATION OF AN 80 CLASS AT NO COST TO THEMSELVES in 2005
Seriously? I didn't know that. Did they give a reason?
In 2005 it will likely have been in good nick. I don't think it was a specific 80, just a case of 'you can have one when we've finished with it.'
Again, a lot of presumption here...
It is true that the DCDR did inspect the vehicles that were lined up for scrap in Adelaide back in 2006. However there were several key factors that had to be taken into consideration from a business point of view and not the emotional "something must be done!!" point of view, or indeed an "idiot's" POV...
The offer spoken of was to cover the costs of transport, and if I remember correctly quotes actually came in higher for our partner than were expected, so there probably would've been costs involved, plus whatever price NIR was looking for the vehicles.
These particular units were withdrawn for a reason, they were knackered. One only has to take a look at the expense RPSI went through to get their Mark 2s overhauled. As someone high up in NIR said, remember the British cars of the 1970s? Rust buckets. Same technology. No. 92 and indeed 99 were the best ones, and actually when NIR realised 752 was in as good a condition as it was, fetched it out pronto. However it is safe to say that the powercars would probably have needed major surgery at some point.
Secondly, as everyone's probably aware from the photos on Facebook the DCDR was putting in for its new Carriage Display Gallery. While I don't think anyone expected the grant application processes and the various stages you have to go through to take 4 years till construction started, we were aware that if the application was successful that it would essentially wipe out HALF of our yard in terms of storage space during the period of construction. Any visitor to the DCDR will note that we have carriages sitting on isolated pieces of track within the yard, and the aforementioned steam crane is stored at the far end of the line. Add in 128ft of a 2-piece Class 80 and that's a lot of room you've got to find.
Finally, we knew that NIR were retaining a number of Class 80s for its own services, and that there was no immediate risk of extinction to the class.
And, yes, as others have said, the mums and dads who pay the fares come to see steam trains. It's a hard economic truth here in Northern Ireland. But it's there.
So, as much of a fan of the Class 80s as I am, I'm hard pressed to see how we could've taken a different decision back in 2006. So, while being called "idiots" for not taking one in 2006, I'm doubly sure that if 99 or 92 and a trailer had come down, and it hadn't been used or had had to be stored somewhere less than ideal during construction work, we would be the worst in the world.