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What loco would you own?


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I could only narrow it down to 4 -  each would be in a giant glass box in the front garden (obviously!):

 

43179 'Pride of Laira'  in Swallow livery

50018 Resolution (filthy) NSE livery  with ploughs 

37521 Railfreight Petroleum,

and to round it off with something a bit left-field 

an OBB 'Taurus'  -  in the oh-so funky lime green CAT livery :sungum:  :

post-6893-0-49623200-1546186662.jpg

 

If I could only have one of the above , it might have to be Taurus! 

 

Jon

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EMD SD40-2, virtually indestructible, rugged, spares aplenty and easily to obtain, cheap to buy as a good one will set you back between $100-150k. Just the small issue of getting over to this side of the pond and finding somewhere to run it without taking out bridges and platform edges lol.

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For a while I had Motorail GUV 96137 in the garden - it was going to be a model railway room. 

 

Then I replaced it with Class 101 car 56342. When we moved to Cheshire that caused offence to the local council.

 

For a while I was supporting the restoration of Class 108 51937 - 56484 at Butterley but they sold it to the Poulton and Wyre group.

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Money no object? Then either a Hush-Hush or perhaps Black Prince (9F).

Sensible hat on?  Then something like a J52; seeing Captain Bill Smith's example run again would be good:

 

https://blog.railwaymuseum.org.uk/captain-bill-and-the-old-lady/

 

Middle of the road:  Then a Std. Class 4 Tank or a Thompson L1.

 

Not much danger of any though.  But would I really need the aggro?

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I'd like to see a 76 on the mainline again. It'd have to be either in Holland or on the Tyne & Wear metro though.

 

Failing that, a new build NBL hydraulic, either D600 series or D6100 series.

 

Regarding the big green engine that shall not be mentioned-I can't help thinking the money spent on it would have been better spent building a replica, and either putting the original in York museum or allowing it out on occasion on preserved lines. There will come a point where it'll need a new boiler anyway.

 

If money were no object though, I'd recreate a class 310 emu, original BR blue, original interior, wrap round windows and all. Best units ever built!

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If money were no object though, I'd recreate a class 310 emu, original BR blue, original interior, wrap round windows and all. Best units ever built!

My memory of those were in their latter days on the GE. Draughts through the doors because they no longer fit, over-bouncy & they part accelerate then you hear a constant clanking from below for about 5-10 seconds before they continue accelerating.

I don't think that did them justice but they didn't seem to be particularly exceptional units anyway.

 

309s on the other hand were a different beast. 100mph with nice comfy seating.

The 2 part-preserved ones just don't look right. Their shaved-down corridor connections look a bit odd & sadly no 309-1 driving vehicles with the pans over the cab were preserved.

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Yes they did have a bit of a run down feel to them when I visited the LTS to pay my respects in 2000/2001. I remember the 310's from the late 70's, living at Leighton Buzzard. Then they were only 13-14 years old, still with wood panelling, and every now and then an ex-works example fresh out of Wolverton, still smelling of varnish. Lovely smooth riders, though the motor coach could be a bit lively.

 

I only had one 309, and that was towards the end in 1986, when they too were probably past their best. Wish I'd taken the trouble to do them more.

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In diesel, the LMS Twins, for preserved line use a 25 is ideal and rather feisty little engines and of course 45022.  DMU's W55033 from the Severn Beach Branch, a Swindon Inter City Unit - never ridden one but they look fascinating.& a Hampshire Unit.

 

In electric how about the classic Bournemouth Line set, 4 VEP & 2x4TC with a 33/1 to take it anywhere, 4 VEP of happy memory & a Bullied set of some sort.  I'd be tempted by an EM1 & EM2 but there is no 1.5KV DC to run them on.

 

Steam - Standard 4 tank, & Standard 4 & 5 4-6-0's

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I think I'd probably want to design (or help/hinder the design of) my own.

 

2ft-to-metre gauge-adjustable, about 200hp, which is a good size for visiting lots of interesting railways, and being able to do some useful work.

 

B-B, to give low axle-load and ability to traverse tight curves, outside coupling rods and fly-cranks to look good.

 

Diesel-electric/battery hybrid with AC traction motors.

 

Festiniog loading gauge, or possibly exchangeable cabs, to go down to Festiniog size, and up to 'more generous'.

 

In-cab espresso machine, really comfy driving seat, and a sofa for friends who are coming along for the ride (so it will need a coffee table).

 

I'm imagining it looking a bit like the West Clare B-B locos, but smaller.

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Regarding the big green engine that shall not be mentioned-I can't help thinking the money spent on it would have been better spent building a replica, and either putting the original in York museum or allowing it out on occasion on preserved lines. There will come a point where it'll need a new boiler anyway.

 

I think this is possibly the way to go. Flying Scotsman itself could be restored to whatever condition is deemed favourite. I envisage a huge pie fight in a car park somewhere to decide the issue (Lyons fruit pies, of course), which would no doubt end up with James May's faction prevailing due to sheer weight of numbers and the loco being re-assembled in partly lined apple green with proper tension lock couplings and Magnadhesion.

 

Meanwhile the replica could be configured for best performance on the main line - i.e. double Kylchap exhaust and smoke deflectors.

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I agree with Jim. We need to save a pacer or three, just as a example for the future of what not to do.

Agreed, although the NRM and elsewhere had numerous 4 wheel coaches which British Rail apparently couldn't learn from..........

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Agreed, although the NRM and elsewhere had numerous 4 wheel coaches which British Rail apparently couldn't learn from..........

When I worked at Man Vic the old hands never tired of telling me that the L&Y banned 4-wheeled stock in the early 20th century, and then those contraptions got foisted upon us in 1985!

Appalling things really although I'll admit that I didn't mind driving them. They were certainly 'fun' (ahem) in leaf fall season and to be fair they're damned reliable these days.

 

I heard a rumour which refuses to go away, that the Burmese Railways may end up with them (suitably regauged) as part of an aid package.

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I heard a rumour which refuses to go away, that the Burmese Railways may end up with them (suitably regauged) as part of an aid package.

That in revenge for kicking the brits out Burma lol? You know the saying “Revenge is a dish served cold or landed with a Pacer”

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What would I buy?

 

A 58, and a pair of 20s. Classic coal traction. A pacer or three, one from each class. Dispute their faults, these and the 155 have some of the best visibility of any modern train.

 

Odd ball stuff. How about a new build GC N5.

 

A PEP emu, and probably try some experiments, like fitting a PEP emu with a ford power pack as used under the 230, per bogie, with everything else (compressors, heating, lighting etc) driven electrically off batteries under a trailer car, to amximise fuel efficiency. All modern DMUs have been getting heavier and more powerful engines to pull everything around. When the BR DMUs expire, whee is the cheap to run DMU for the secondary lines with marginal economics? Not every line could support, or need, 100mph DMUs.

 

Or to nick the idea from the new Anglia units, how about a diesel power pack coach, short (like 10m), with a corridor for through access, and two inline 6 cylinder engines to each side, to convert the renatus 321 to a go anywhere electro diesel unit. A four car unit, same length as a pair of 156s, at the cost of the scrap value of the EMU plus the cost of the diesel generator coach. Got to be cheaper for secondary lines than new build.

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