‘Duchess’ dream on hold
229 club discusses future, after statement rules out streamliner overhaul ‘anytime soon’.
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The group that has supported Duchess of Hamilton since the 1980s is canvassing members about its future, after accepting that the National railway Museum sees “no prospect” of it returning to steam “anytime soon, if at all.”
Patrons of the 229 Club, who each donate £120 per year to a dedicated fund for the streamlined Stanier ‘Pacific’, were invited by Chairman Rob Tibbits in March to give their views. “Along with 229 Club Secretary Adrian Ashby, I am concerned that members are contributing significant sums of money, the main motivation for which is the desire to see a return to steam of 6229,” Mr Tibbits told Steam Railway. “There is no prospect of this happening in the foreseeable future, so it seems only reasonable to inform members of this, and to solicit their views as to the future of the 229 Club. “It is early days yet, but so far a number of people have responded, few of whom are surprised at the current situation. Indeed, several have advocated a continuation of the club, even if, at present, the money raised is only likely to focus on the conservation and display of 6229, rather than overhauling the engine to operating condition. Of course, there are members who are very disappointed that we cannot promise a return to steam in the immediate future. It is also recognised that the money raised by the 229 Club, while significant, will not be anywhere sufficient to fund an overhaul of the ‘Duchess’. Once we have collected all the responses, we plan to organise a meeting for members at which all options for the future of the 229 Club will be discussed. This will probably be in May or June. “We are not saying that it will never return to steam, but it is only fair to inform people that the museum can see no prospect of this anytime soon, if at all.” An NRM spokesperson affirmed its stance: “There are no immediate plans to return 6229 to steam. Duchess of Hamilton remains on display in the National Railway Museum’s Great Hall for all our visitors to enjoy.” The then non-streamlined Duchess of Hamilton last ran in 1996, and a subsequent proposal to streamline it and return it to the main line to haul ‘Northern Belle’ trains came to nothing. However, the engine was subsequently streamlined for static display in a project funded by the 229 Club and a Steam Railway reader appeal, and the work was carried out at Tyseley. It was finished in 2009 (SR363). After the newsletter was distributed to 229 Club members, Tyseley Chairman Michael Whitehouse told Steam Railway: “We were more than delighted to be entrusted with the streamlining of Duchess of Hamilton and, if the NRM ever chose to consider returning her to steam, we would be over the moon to be associated with that. However, we fully respect the owner’s right to decide the locomotive’s future.” Duchess of Hamilton has been on static display ever since, although in 2011 the NRM director at the time, Steve Davies, wrote to lapsed 229 Club members reiterating his personal support for the locomotive to steam “at some stage” (SR388). He said: “I am not, at this date, forecasting a date for her resurrection. What I am doing is indicating that this might be sooner than people think.” The 229 Club’s ring-fenced funds currently stand at around £55,000.