‘B17’ TEAMS SHOULD POOL RESOURCES

The conclusion a reader may draw from Steam Railway’s LNER newbuild analysis is perfectly clear: building two new ‘B17s’ costs approximately twice as much, and consequently has about half the chance of success as building one. There is no confusion.

While I always welcome statements on progress from new-build groups, the joint statement issued by the B17SLT and NBLPG fails to address the obvious: the two groups should pool their resources to jointly build and operate one locomotive. The locomotive’s identity could then be changed periodically to favour each group in turn. To this end a small design modification to allow easy removal of the lower cab side sheets might be incorporated, along with an alternate pair featuring the ‘other’ number.

I think NBLPG’s mock-up is a waste of time and energy; resources which would be better put towards restoration of the original LNER tender to run behind the locomotive frames taking shape slowly in Llangollen. While it’s clear that Manchester United FC enjoys tremendous support worldwide, I doubt that many of its fans could care less about a steam locomotive that used to exist on the other side of the world and much fewer would wish to contribute towards recreating it.

This new-build ‘blind alley’ is diverting attention and funds away from the actual locomotive, and as such NBLPG have to bear responsibility for any resulting ‘confusion’.

James Briggs, Cullingworth See the latest part of our New-build Analysis on pages 50-54.