A recreation proposal too far

DR Ing. Prof FW Hampson’s letter proposing the creation of a modernised version of the NE 4-6-4 electric loco (July issue) had me reaching for a calendar to check the date.

Two thoughts then came to my head: firstly, Mr McEnroe’s “Surely you cannot be serious?”, and the other the often quoted “If I was going there, then I wouldn’t start from here!”

If No. 13 had survived, it would be as fascinating an exhibit as the surviving City and South London Railway loco at the London Transport museum, or one of the several GG1s that survive in America.

It would be as interesting to look at in terms of the historic and crude technology used and the relatively scant attention to human safety. It did not survive, however, and was put to the cutter’s torch, along with other historic electrics like the prototype EM1 ‘Tommy’.

At least the latter had a full working life and earned its keep. Whether any of the existing preserved electric locos can ever do the same is very debateable.

The UK sadly has a surplus of 25kV electric locos; some have been sent to Romania while others – such as the wonderful Class 91s – are next in line to be scrapped. So, do we need another main line electric loco, purely for occasional use, based on a positively archaic design that never actually earned a penny? If the object is to preserve examples of early 20th century electric loco technology, there are two candidates in desperate need of attention but safely sheltered in the benign environment of the Statfold Barn Railway: The Eclipse and The Coalition. They both have interesting Bagnall steam origins, were converted to electric power in 1927 and 1930 respectively, and worked at Llechwedd Quarry until the 1960s and 1970s. Sadly they were then allowed to get into a shocking state, despite being on public display.

Like most other electrics, it is unlikely that these can ever run again under power – nor do they have anywhere to run, even, if that was possible. But they need properly conserving to prevent further deterioration and restoring enough to show how they worked using the technology of that period. James Day

By email

I AM all in favour of recreating defunct locomotive classes and recognise that for operation on today’s railway, some departures from authenticity are required. Prof. Hampson’s proposal to build a modern electric locomotive disguised as NER No. 13 is, however, going too far. Leave it to the film companies. John R Batts Banbury