Sandstone and the Paddock NGG16s

[rhydddu]

In the latest NGW magazine (October) there is on page 14 a slightly cryptic and unclear article about sandstone’s apparent failure to acquire the NGG16s stored near Paddock. Albeit there is a note that more info may be forthcoming in the next issue.

 

Looking on Wikipedia someone has added the following detail to the NGG16 page:

 

Scrapped!!! October 2017 - 114, 126, 142 and 149

In scrap condition, expected to move to patons country railway as source of spares for 116

151 - transfer of ownership to paddock motors following a court case around storage fees

139 - unclear fate.

 

This is terrible, does anyone else have any info? I can find nothing on the sandstone website or elsewhere.

 

??

 

Colin

[Andrew Charman]

It is indeed terrible news - we have a double-page report on it from Dave Richardson of the Sandstone Heritage Trust in our next issue out at the end of the month.

[brack]

I'm probably going to upset somewhere here, but over half the class of 34 are preserved in various safe, secure locations on several continents. Whilst it seems a bit of a shame to lose steam locos in 2017, I'm not sure that there's a purpose in keeping all of them as there's only a limited number of lines they can be used on, most of which have several ngg16s needing restoration themselves.

[Ohmisterporter]

Have to agree with brack on this. As much as I like them there are "preserved" Garratts that will probably never turn a wheel again but may be used as a source of spares to keep others running. I would rather that happen than simply rot away in a siding because it has to be kept "complete" and there is no money for restoration.