Standard 9F no. 92219 off to the Highlands

[oldman]

I saw the much-travelled 92219 heading north from Perth on the A9 yesterday afternoon (31 May).

 

[Harvester]

I saw the much-travelled 92219 heading north from Perth on the A9 yesterday afternoon (31 May).

I remember seeing this penultimate built 9F (minus tender) stored at Buxton in 1988, after it had been rescued from Barry. Since then very little, if any, restoration work seems to have been done while stored at various locations. Is 92219 just going to the Strathspey Railway for further storage?

 

[CJSwan]

Any updates on 92219’s destination?

 

[1Q18]

Any updates on 92219’s destination?

‘Steam Railway’ reports it is now at the Strathspey Railway, initially for storage.

 

[Harvester]

‘Steam Railway’ reports it is now at the Strathspey Railway, initially for storage.

For storage! It’s had 35 years of that since leaving Barry in 1988.

 

[Ashley Hill]

For storage! It’s had 35 years of that since leaving Barry in 1988.

And yet people throw money at new builds,replicas and fakes.

 

[CJSwan]

‘Steam Railway’ reports it is now at the Strathspey Railway, initially for storage.

Ahh, I see, thank you. That’s where I thought it was heading. Would be interesting to see a working 9F on the Strathspey… But I’ll not get my hopes up just yet.

 

[Fragezeichnen]

And yet people throw money at new builds,replicas and fakes.

As operational preserved locomotives 9Fs are far from ideal. They are banned from running on Network Rail, and greatly overpowered for most preserved lines at a time when they are trying to save every lb of coal they can.

 

[1Q18]

As operational preserved locomotives 9Fs are far from ideal. They are banned from running on Network Rail, and greatly overpowered for most preserved lines at a time when they are trying to save every lb of coal they can.

The vast majority of preserved lines, including the Strathspey, have no need to run their engines on Network Rail so that’s hardly a drawback. AIUI 9Fs are relatively efficient for their size on preserved lines because they’re designed for slogging along at around 25mph.

 

[Alanko]

The vast majority of preserved lines, including the Strathspey, have no need to run their engines on Network Rail so that’s hardly a drawback. AIUI 9Fs are relatively efficient for their size on preserved lines because they’re designed for slogging along at around 25mph.

Four or five Mk1s aren't exactly a slog for anything.

I'm a bit surprised as the Strathspey line seem to be doing pretty well at getting their existing larger steam engine fleet up and running. Their Black Five is superb looking and I gather their second Ivatt loco is nearing completion. A 9F is a bit puzzling, unless it was a case of grabbing it now or seeing it scrapped.

New-build locos are possibly easier to manage and plan for than ex-Barry stuff. How much of this 9F could currently be carted away with a dustpan and brush? Who knows what horrors they find when they start to disassemble it. Or what new parts will need to be created.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

The vast majority of preserved lines, including the Strathspey, have no need to run their engines on Network Rail so that’s hardly a drawback. AIUI 9Fs are relatively efficient for their size on preserved lines because they’re designed for slogging along at around 25mph.

Good luck finding a load that will make a 9F slog on a preserved line!!! Even the recent filming on the NYMR saw their 9F cheerfully hauling 400tons up a 1:49 gradient without breaking a sweat.

 

[Richard Scott]

As operational preserved locomotives 9Fs are far from ideal. They are banned from running on Network Rail, and greatly overpowered for most preserved lines at a time when they are trying to save every lb of coal they can.

Their coal consumption isn't actually too bad.

 

[1Q18]

I'm a bit surprised as the Strathspey line seem to be doing pretty well at getting their existing larger steam engine fleet up and running. Their Black Five is superb looking and I gather their second Ivatt loco is nearing completion. A 9F is a bit puzzling, unless it was a case of grabbing it now or seeing it scrapped.

Nowhere have I seen it stated that the Strathspey have taken ownership of 92219, or that it’s changed hands at all.

 

[47434]

Given the owner also owns the 37 at Strathspey, there may be an offer of a home....for it to rot away a bit more......

 

[Alanko]

Given the owner also owns the 37 at Strathspey, there may be an offer of a home....for it to rot away a bit more......

The 37 was an orphan from the Wensleydale Line I think? Maybe an owner who prizes owning big locos, with consideration for long term accommodation coming a distant second.

 

[Marmaduke]

The 37 was an orphan from the Wensleydale Line I think? Maybe an owner who prizes owning big locos, with consideration for long term accommodation coming a distant second.

Whilst no one wishes to see any Steam loco never get restored, this particular one has for the better part of 20 years been taking up valuable space at various locations. Its highly questionable whether this loco will ever be restored in the middle or distant future. I suspect that given the lack of any progress, the powers that be at these past locations get wise and move it on? Perhaps the Strathspey will also do the same in time? Who knows...unless they have a "cunning plan?"

 

[Alanko]

Whilst no one wishes to see any Steam loco never get restored, this particular one has for the better part of 20 years been taking up valuable space at various locations. Its highly questionable whether this loco will ever be restored in the middle or distant future. I suspect that given the lack of any progress, the powers that be at these past locations get wise and move it on? Perhaps the Strathspey will also do the same in time? Who knows...unless they have a "cunning plan?"

The Strathspey have accommodated two fairly rotten Class 26 diesels on behalf of an absent owner for years, so don't hold your breath!

 

[Wynd]

Speculative, but it would be the first time a 9F had visited Granton, which I what my mind went to when I heard the news, is this a view to running a bigger railway in the future...

 

[Richard Scott]

Did 9Fs work much in Scotland? Can't recall seeing any pictures of them up there.

 

[lakeland844]

Did 9Fs work much in Scotland? Can't recall seeing any pictures of them up there.

I have seen pictures of a 9F heading a freight on the Waverley Route between Carlisle and Edinburgh during the Sixties. Whether this was a 'one off' trial or a regular occurrence, I don't know. Can't think of any pictures of them on WCML north of the Border unless someone out there can enlighten ?

 

[Harvester]

9Fs were never allocated to the Scottish Region, but from May 1964 a large number were transferred to Carlisle Kingmoor. On occasions they worked freights north over the WCML, G & SW and the Waverley route (Carlisle-Millerhill).

 

[swanhill41]

If its the 9F that was evicted from Kirby Stephen a while back,and its the same owner,then chances of it being rebuilt are nil..No money to talk of.

 

[Harvester]

If its the 9F that was evicted from Kirby Stephen a while back,and its the same owner,then chances of it being rebuilt are nil..No money to talk of.

Kirby Stephen was one of 92219’s many storage locations after spending twenty years, minus a tender, rotting at Barry. There is a photograph in this months Railway Magazine of it at the Strathspey Railway, illustrating it’s present condition. A total wreck!

 

[yoyothehobo]

Is it the new 45015?

 

[Alanko]

Is it the new 45015?

I think that baton could be passed to 37042 on the Eden Valley railway. A curio as it is on full and frank public display, is sporting EWS livery, is a split headcode box machine and looks very rough at the moment. It garners a lot of intrigue online as I see photos of it posted every few weeks.

People aren't as phased by Barry-grade steam locos for some reason. Until the cutter's torch appears...


Why do heritage railways struggle to say 'no' when large, obviously basket-case projects are 'offered' to live on their line? This 9F will either take up valuable shed space or go to die in a scrap siding. Strathspey have enough scrap in various sidings already.

 

[Flying Phil]

What appears to be useless "scrap in a siding" is a more complex situation. The price of many items for, and of, rolling stock, to be replaced by new, is often eyewatering. To get a rusty part operational is a lot cheaper - if you have one. This applies to wheels, axles, couplings, Mk1 coaches and...... locomotives.
But it is better if they can be seen to be being worked on, or protected, or tucked well away from public gaze.
If the GCR had scrapped all those rusty wagons in its sidings in the 1990's, it couldn't have run a 50 wagon train in 2023 to celebrate 50 years of preservation operations.

 

[Alanko]

What appears to be useless "scrap in a siding" is a more complex situation. The price of many items for, and of, rolling stock, to be replaced by new, is often eyewatering. To get a rusty part operational is a lot cheaper - if you have one. This applies to wheels, axles, couplings, Mk1 coaches and...... locomotives.

I understand. I guess things get even more complex when every item in the scrap line belongs to a different owner, or various groups (with lots of cross pollination between them).

Can parts from a 9F be used in other locos?

 

[yoyothehobo]

I understand. I guess things get even more complex when every item in the scrap line belongs to a different owner, or various groups (with lots of cross pollination between them).

Can parts from a 9F be used in other locos?

Probably quite a few different locos if it goes via Newport/Rotherham/Kingsbury first

 

[Flying Phil]

Apparently there are a lot of parts already available with the locomotive and so it might not take too many years to get it back into service.

 

[37114]

I think that baton could be passed to 37042 on the Eden Valley railway. A curio as it is on full and frank public display, is sporting EWS livery, is a split headcode box machine and looks very rough at the moment. It garners a lot of intrigue online as I see photos of it posted every few weeks.

25244 will be the next 45015 in terms of "virtually impossible" restorations ahead of a number of locos...