Flying Scotsman trials announced (BBC News)

[62440]

KGV Was NOT purchased from BR by Bulmers! It was, and still is part of the national collection, administered by the NRM. Bulmers negotiated a loan agreement with the late John Scholes who was in charge of the collection in the 1960's & '70's. Bulmers paid the bills to transport it from storage at Swindon, and for overhaul at Newport to main line standard. The loco was looked after and maintained by the 6000 Loco association.

Regards, 62440.

[Toddington Ted]

Originally Posted by 62440

KGV Was NOT purchased from BR by Bulmers! It was, and still is part of the national collection, administered by the NRM. Bulmers negotiated a loan agreement with the late John Scholes who was in charge of the collection in the 1960's & '70's. Bulmers paid the bills to transport it from storage at Swindon, and for overhaul at Newport to main line standard. The loco was looked after and maintained by the 6000 Loco association.

Regards, 62440.

Sorry 62440, you are absolutely smucking right! Too much reliance on memory! I just remember seeing it at Bulmers of Hereford when I went there on a geography dept visit as an undergraduate. I was very impressed, blown away even, or was that the cider?!

[62440]

Probably the cider, it was good stuff as I remember! Lovely and cold on a hot summers day, the main reason my photos from the later part of my visit were distinctly shakey! Happy days.....

Regards, 62440.

[Toddington Ted]

Originally Posted by steam for ever

Great locos they really were. Something to do with 4472s early fame is that it had the same name as the train it pulled, which distinguished it from other locos.
I occasionally go down to the NRM to see the progress for myself. Not much was happening last time I went, but lots more progress has been made.
The amount of money people have paid for it just shows how much people care about it.
Even Jeremy Clarkson wrote about it in one of his books a while back and he adores it.
You find an enthusiast in the most unlikely places and this locomotive has ensured that and has done much to advertise the heritage movement and may have made what we have now materialise and for that it deserves 4 million to be spent on it.

I disagree! £4 million would buy you nearly 2 brand new A3s. 4472 needs putting in a bottle at the NRM with a big label on it reading "Drink me if you want to empty your wallet." What a waste of money. I want 111 "The Great Bear" instead! (Yes I know it wasn't very route friendly!)

[Steve from GWR]

Originally Posted by Toddington Ted

I disagree! £4 million would buy you nearly 2 brand new A3s. .......... What a waste of money. I want 111 "The Great Bear" instead! (Yes I know it wasn't very route friendly!)

It might have done, but the trouble is that a proposal for "nearly 2 brand new A3's" (or even removing the "nearly") would not have raised that £4 million. The 4 million came in because it is Flying Scotsman, because it's famous, newsworthy, because it's a national treasure. You can have 111 The Great Bear as well, not instead, all you have to do is persuade backers to stump up a different £4 million. I hope you do, I'd love to see it.