STARS SHOULDN’T LEAVE YORK – OPERATIONAL LOCOMOTIVES DON’T APPEAL TO THE CASUAL ENTHUSIAST

In recent issues you have been taking a pop at the NRM for suggesting it is unlikely that certain locomotives may ever run on the main line again. As a long-standing railway enthusiast, I would like to make a few points.

Concerning Mallard; it holds the world speed record and brings in the crowds, to the museum or on the line.

Most people with even a passing interest in steam will know that Mallard is usually on view at the museum, there for all to see. If Mallard were to be made fit to go out on the line, at tremendous cost, its movements would not be well publicised to the casual ‘steamy’.

In general, it would only be seen by the enthusiast who follows the railway press and is willing to travel to some godforsaken lineside spot, where Mallard may or may not appear on schedule and the weather might or might not suit his photography. Let him take up bus photography instead.

At present, we have the best of both worlds: the casual ‘steamy’ can be more or less guaranteed a good view of Mallard at any time in the museum without the museum incurring the cost of expensive overhauls, while other ‘A4s’ can be seen out on the line by the determined enthusiast, identical, to all intents and purposes, to Mallard. These other ‘A4s’ may not quite have the glamour of Mallard, but cover up their name and numberplates and who is to know the difference? After all, many misguided people were delighted to see Braunton masquerading as Lord Dowding.

Secondly, millions were spent on returning Flying Scotsman to the outside world, and look at the problems that has caused to the police and to other travellers held up by trespass. She is available for the enthusiast to see, but the general ‘steamy’ who helped to pay for the rebuild, doesn’t know where it is from one week to the next. I could, in the past, go to York to see it when I wanted. Today it may be anywhere, even laid up for repair in some dark shed.

Let us keep these few nationally owned aged relics safe for all to see. There are plenty of railways where we can see examples of most types and plenty of main-liners too.

David Cunliffe, Hanley Swan, Worcestershire