Why are the J94/WD austerity 0-6-0's Unloved?

[Gordon A]

 

WPR No 15 at the Avon Valley Railway, Bristol.

These are a lovely engine to drive and fire, but a right pain to dispose, especially if you dont have a pit!

 

Gordon A

Bristol

[Michael Delamar]

comet now do a chassis for the j94

 

http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/

[Pannier Tank]

The Tanks are the wrong shape for me   

[RThompson]

comet now do a chassis for the j94

 

http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/

 

Hmmm, 2 chassis kits on the market now!

[simon hudson]

I can thoroughy recommend RT's a lovely piece of kit to make up Now where's that Lambton cab says he ducking!!

[Horsetan]

Hmmm, 2 chassis kits on the market now!

...plus a full kit from Mercian (which may be the ex-Wychbury Loco Works kit)....

[glenng]

There is a Facebook page for Austerity 0-6-0ST

https://www.facebook.com/groups/212337688819164/?fref=ts

[avonside1563]

Just to show that some of them aren't unloved, here's a photo of the cab of Hunslet 3839/1956 'Wimblebury' at Foxfield having had some tlc and elbow grease applied to it.

 

[RThompson]

I can thoroughy recommend RT's a lovely piece of kit to make up Now where's that Lambton cab says he ducking!!

No need for ducking, its still being tweaked like a lot of drawings at the moment.

[simon hudson]

No probs I've just aquired another couple of the old Airfix kits so I could have 58 and 60 to go with 59 and 7 and still have on left for one of the South Hetton locos

[numpty]

I recently came across this thread which didn't surprise me however I would like to add my thoughts.Austerity class locomotives are like other industrial locomotives, are underrated and little respected by the average railway enthusiast because simply they aren't mainline express engines which is a great shame. As said in earlier replies, an industrial steam loco is better than a diesel.

 

Unfortuanatley I grew up after the steam era and as much as I like old blue British Rail diesels such as class 47s, 37s, DMUs and class 20s steam has the edge!

I don't think people flock to heritage railways to see old diesel trains, Ok there are diesel locomtive fans but for a heritage railway to survive they need steeam! Unfortunatley there simply aren't enough

of them in the country and that's including industrial engines.It takes a long time to build a new one and as long if not longer to rebuild/overhaul an old one.

 

A volunteer at the SVR said to me that the SVR needed ten operational steam locomotives for full strength, how's that determined? Are there any heritage railways running at full strength?

When I visit a heritage railway I like to see a variety of locomotives in use and I guess other people do as well?

There are some heritage railways that don't have any at all which surely is a disadvantage.

 

My interest in railways is mainly GWR branch lines and Welsh narrow gauge but after visting the Foxfield Railway and Churnet Valley I now can appreciate industrial steam locomotives whatever they look like.

I think their looks could be improved with Swindonisation.

Edited February 22, 2018 by numpty

[shedman]

The Austerity is one of my favourite locos. I was brought up near Walkden Yard, west of Manchester, and my earliest memories of steam are the NCB Austerities and North Staffs New L's blasting up Walkden Bank with a rake of mineral wagons full of coal. There was a footbridge over the line just across the road from my grandmother's house where I spent many happy days in the school holidays. In later life this has led me to an appreciation of industrial locos.

[PaulRhB]

For me I think it was a mix of there being too many of them,

too many steam locos preserved?

Now that's a first.

How many preserved railways relied on Austerities to start up and keep them going while bigger 'correct' engines were restored? Surely that makes them as important to the history of preservation as the assorted ancient acquisitions were to the Stephens Light Railways?

As mentioned earlier they are as appropriate as a big mainline engine on most branchlines but they are cheaper to run and please the general public who pay the bills.

Also note that without them think of the uproar if any other class had been used as a basis of a broad gauge loco or James the Red Engine

[Tim Hall]

For any non believers, here's some I prepared earlier:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8oNkIWyw1A

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDhrUL9YBTY

[br2975]

I was fortunate to see many Austerities working in NCB service in NE England and South Wales in the early 70s. The sight and sound of one of Maesteg's allocation propelling a string of loaded wagons up an incline is something never to be forgotten.

 

Yes, we are the 'lucky ones' - I have similar memories

e.g.

"No.8" banking a diesel hauled load of 'duff' for Abercwmboi out of Mountain Ash, virtually pushing the train and diesel, the sound echoing around the valley for what seemed like five minutes.

or

One of the three at Nantgarw raising the echoes as it struggled up to the higher level, through a huge puddle (or was it a small lake ? )

.

As for the OP - I suspect  the original opinion is that of a 'visitor' to preserved railways and not an active 'volunteer', who had to find a steam loco quickly whilst the ex-Barry Black 5 or 4MT was restored.

.

Brian R

Edited March 29, 2016 by br2975

[br2975]

The problem I have with Austerities on heritage railways is that they are doubly inauthentic: not only do they not resemble any locomotive that hauled passenger trains on the main-line railway; they also don't resemble any locomotive used on a Colonel Stephens-style light railway because they are too modern - by the time they were built, most of the passenger-carrying light railways had been closed.

 

I suspect this comment was 'tongue in cheek' .

.

Otherwise, every preserved / heritage railway in the UK is "inauthentic"

.

I mean, a Deltic or an "8F" at Arley, a Western at Watchet, 42xx at Kingswear or even a 'JA' at Barry Island ?.

.

Of course, if there was a strategic reserve somewhere that contained 'Hecate' and/or a Fordson railcar then the volunteers (and punters) at say the K.&.E.S.R. would be ecstatic.

Edited March 29, 2016 by br2975

[Dunsignalling]

too many steam locos preserved?

Now that's a first.

How many preserved railways relied on Austerities to start up and keep them going while bigger 'correct' engines were restored? Surely that makes them as important to the history of preservation as the assorted ancient acquisitions were to the Stephens Light Railways?

As mentioned earlier they are as appropriate as a big mainline engine on most branchlines but they are cheaper to run and please the general public who pay the bills.

Also note that without them think of the uproar if any other class had been used as a basis of a broad gauge loco or James the Red Engine

Agreed. Also, whilst there may be plenty of ex-BR locomotives "in preservation" , it's unlikely that more than 30% of them are in serviceable condition at any given time.

 

John

[avonside1563]

The Austerity is one of my favourite locos. I was brought up near Walkden Yard, west of Manchester, and my earliest memories of steam are the NCB Austerities and North Staffs New L's blasting up Walkden Bank with a rake of mineral wagons full of coal. There was a footbridge over the line just across the road from my grandmother's house where I spent many happy days in the school holidays. In later life this has led me to an appreciation of industrial locos.

You'll be pleased to hear that the Summer Gala at Foxfield will be themed around Walkden, with two austerities in action and a big announcement due soon on another loco suitable to the theme.

[AMJ]

These are some of the newest industrial locomotive built. As there are plenty parts are easier to replace than most. Even Hunslet update some in late 70's

 

Fareasier than 100++ year old locomotive

[Legend]

Well sorry to say but I kind of agree with the OP , even though this thread is very old. I don't tend to view Austerities as proper locomotives but a poor substitute for the real thing. They didn't really pull passenger trains before preservation. So they are really a non typical symptom of the preservation movement .Its a bit like waiting for a proper train and a Pacer turns up! I do tend to avoid railways where they are the principal power, preferring SVR or West Somerset with "proper" engines.

[ForestPines]

A volunteer at the SVR said to me that the SVR needed ten operational steam locomotives for full strength, how's that determined? Are there any heritage railways running at full strength?

A routine timetable day on the SVR, on the busiest timetable can require 5 locos in steam - yesterday did, in fact. If you allow a 50% availability margin, that gives you ten locos required.

 

I have a bit of a soft spot for Austerity tanks because one of the first real locos I can recall knowing the name of was the ex-LMR "Brussels" on the KWVR. For me, even though not all steam locos are equal, I don't see any reason to turn my nose up at an ex-industrial loco.

[rockershovel]

Well, I like them. They have all the right sounds and smells and the preservation movement would be much the poorer without them.

[PaulRhB]

They didn't really pull passenger trains before preservation.

Except on several MOD systems, and no doubt some big industrial systems too though brake vans rather than coaches. They are passengers and they were regular services too.

Look at your average preserved railway and ask how many of the locos actually served that line. It's all a representation and an Austerity is actually more likely on the Severn Valley than an A4 or Bullieid. It's possible the colliery at Highley 'could' have used one in later years while highly unlikely either of the Pacifics would have got there

[avonside1563]

East Lancs think very highly of their austerity, and many of their crews prefer it to some of the other locos, and plenty of other lines regularly run them. I'm pleased by the more recent trend of painting them in genuine liveries rather than fizzed up Mainline which shows a genuine respect for their history and helps to educate the public about the less well known industrial heritage of Britain. Plus, as Paul says, plenty of industrial railways operates their own internal passenger services, just look at Longmoor!

[br2975]

"Anyone wishing to bad mouth an Austerity, will have to go through me first . . . . .!"

Edited March 29, 2016 by br2975