KEEP THE ‘K4’S’ FLAME ALIVE

Since my letter, which was published in the last issue, I have received emails, tweets and Facebook messages, all to the effect of: “Why can’t some of us get together to form a trust for the restoration and running of the Gresley ‘K4’?” Suggestions thus far have been that John Cameron would remain its owner and be the trust’s honorary president. The caveat would be that the trust takes decisions on fundraising and a future overhaul with respect to the owner and with appropriate compliance and advisors for the mutual benefit of locomotive, owner and trust. If Mr Cameron is amenable to discussing this idea in a wider forum, I and others would be happy to come together to see if such a thing is possible. I am sure there are many people within preservation who would also be willing to advise a new group on how best to approach their dream (with appropriate remuneration rightly agreed for such support). One thing has become clear to me. There is great love for The Great Marquess. As I write this, another apple green steam locomotive is running over the Settle & Carlisle in a scene not seen for over 50 years. Railway preservation is capable of making dreams come true. So I would like to encourage everyone who would like to make this shared dream a reality to write in. Don’t let the fire die in Gresley’s last ‘Mogul’. Simon A.C. Martin, The British Railway Stories Limited

DON’T HIDE LNER CLASSICS

While John Cameron’s commitment to his engines and lifelong love for them is unquestionable, I would ask him to reconsider his plans for placing them at a farming and rail museum on his land (SR462, et al). The Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway has a fantastic set-up and museum on site. Surely expanding the footprint to the rear of the Bo’ness site and having his two locomotives based there would allow more people to continue to see and appreciate what great engines they are. They would be based at a location rich with steam, and would add significant footfall to the railway which has continued to expand over the past decade. Don’t hide them away. David Mclachlan, by email

VISCOUNT RECOUNTED HIS ‘BIG BOY’ EXPERIENCE

In your piece on the preservation history of The Great Marquess, you mention that its first private owner, Viscount Garnock, had worked for the LNER. His steam and railway experience was far greater than that statement suggests. In the late 1950s, he gave a talk to the Sheffield branch of the RCTS, in which he described his work experience with Union Pacific in the USA, crewing 4-8-8-4 ‘Big Boys’ from Cheyenne up the 30-mile slog over Sherman Hill, with nearly 4,000 tons behind the tender. The last of these 535-ton monsters had just been withdrawn, and listening to someone who had actually worked on them was a memorable experience! Peter Ellis, Market Bosworth

HERE’S TO MORE ‘PLANDAMPF’

I enjoyed reading your reports on the S&C ‘Plandampf’. I was not quite sure what to expect, but can only say, both as a spectator and traveller, that it was a thoroughly enjoyable event. It brought a lot of pleasure to many people, as witnessed by the crowds at Appleby and Skipton. Even the weather, particularly on the very wet Thursday, failed to dampen spirits. I was pleasantly surprised too, that while I had to reach the Skipton-Appleby section by DMU, the loadings on the first and last trains were such there was plenty of room, so I did get my steam haulage on the southbound return. The Round Robin ticket, at £9.90 with my Railcard, was a real bargain. As much as anything, I enjoyed the atmosphere I found every evening at Settle station. People happily chatted to each other in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Above all, it is good to learn that such events may now enter the main line steam programme, after Northern’s Paul Barnfield said that more “in future should not be ruled out.” Let’s hope so. David Mathias, Haslingden, Lancashire.

RED LAMP QUERY

We are looking to paint some GWR lamps red with which to adorn Toddington-based Churchward engines Nos. 2807 and 4270. Does anyone know what the correct colour is or - even better - do they have one in its original red that we could borrow to get an accurate colour match? John Cruxon, Chairman and Process Manager, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Steam Department

ONE MORE DAY IN STEAM FOR AYRSHIRE YEOMANRY

In SR460, you make reference to No. 45156 Ayrshire Yeomanry having been withdrawn from Rose Grove on August 3 1968 when, in fact, I fired this locomotive on August 4 1968 as Driver Ronnie Clough’s fireman. The engine worked one of the last passenger trains on this day, starting and finishing at Lostock Hall. We left 10D, running light engine to Stockport, then worked a special that departed Stockport at 9.25am to Carnforth and return, via Manchester, Bolton, Blackburn and Hellifield. Joseph Booth, by email

AN UNNERVING COINCIDENCE

I was amazed to see in SR463 not one but two reports relating to momentous events in which I directly participated. There is a tentative connection between the two occasions, but it was really quite unnerving to be taken back to two of the most significant memories in my life in one edition! Firstly I, along with many others on August 3 1968, crammed into the 9.25pm Preston-Liverpool Exchange, which was the final scheduled BR (standard gauge) steam-hauled service - much to the bemusement of the ‘normal’ passengers who clearly had no idea of the significance of the occasion. After a suitably swift race along the virtually straight and level route across West Lancashire, it was all over rather too quickly and home beckoned. With no return train service to my home town of Preston, I simply cannot now recall how I got back that night except that it must have been in someone’s car from the Liverpool end! However, I do remember this highly significant and historic event leaving me feeling both euphoric and saddened. Thirty two years later, with the sanction of the then Railtrack Zone Director Mike Cowman, I was able to arrange the steam-hauled ballast train on December 19 2000 to take surplus ballast from a temporary stockpile in Ribblehead sidings to Carlisle Kingmoor yard. This involved much dialogue with EWS and West Coast Railways, and was undertaken in my capacity as the project manager for track re-laying during a four-week blockade of the route, as part of a major infrastructure upgrade. Officialdom would probably say that steam haulage wasn’t strictly necessary to clear the ballast - and of course they would be right - but it showed what was still possible with a bit of creative thinking and the whole exercise was actually a lot of fun. To ensure it went smoothly, the ‘8F’ had to be ‘accompanied’ by me from Carnforth to Hellifield (to pick up the ballast hoppers) and on to Ribblehead. From there, Mike travelled in the brake van immediately behind the engine and I rode in the rear brake van. As a bonus, I was also given a cab ride (with Mike) on the light engine move back from Kingmoor to Carnforth. This time it was pure euphoria and no sadness! Alan Fell, Topsham, Exeter

LONGMOOR RAILWAY HAD MORE THAN ONE ‘DUB DEE’ 2-8-0

‘Dub Dees’ return home’ (SR464) states that there was only ever one 2-8-0 on the Longmoor Military Railway. This is not correct - WD No. 79250, later LMR No. 401, was allocated new to Longmoor for training purposes, like 2-10-0 WD No. 73650, and was named Major General McMullen. Like Gordon, it never served anywhere else, and was scrapped when in need of heavy repairs in 1957. The other and better-known 2-8-0 was WD No. 77337, later No. 400 Sir Guy Williams (NBL 25205/43). On return from overseas service, it was selected for Longmoor from the dump at Richborough, probably because it was the locomotive involved in the munitions train explosion at Soham on June 2 1944, for which its crew, Driver Benjamin Gimbert and Fireman James Nightall, were each awarded the George Cross, the latter posthumously. This engine was withdrawn in 1965. George Moon, Burnham-on-Sea