|
||||||||||
WELCOME
TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TERRIER TRUST |
|
Correspondence - Terrier No.3 Bodiam by Mike EsauFirst published in issue
97 of The Tenterden Terrier Summer
2005 Sir – I was very disappointed to hear that the [Terrier] Trust has rejected the idea has rejected the idea of painting the locomotive in plain black as No.32670 for a short time prior to its official relaunch in Rother Valley Railway blue. The inspiration for this idea was that the locomotive ran in this livery on the K&ESR just after nationalisation. The cost of this work could have been met by the photographers, led by Geoff Silcock and help would have been offered for the preparation and painting of the locomotive. I expect you know that a similar exercise, funded by the photographers, has recently been successfully carried out on the Bluebell Railway with the E4 0-6-2T “Birch Grove”, which has been turned out in British Railways lined black as No.32473. This initiative has created an enormous amount of interest with comprehensive coverage in the principal railway magazines such as Steam Railway and Heritage Railway; first class publicity for the Bluebell Railway. On the Bluebell we are lucky that our Commercial Manager, Tim Baker, has an enlightened attitude to such initiatives and recognises the value of ideas suggested by the photographers and enthusiasts, supported by their expertise and contacts. These assets are essential for the successful running of events on the railway such as Branch Weekend, Goods Train Day, Giants of Steam and so on. I think that this positive attitude, supported by attention to detail and an effort to make our trains as authentic as possible, contributes in no small way towards the steady increase in passenger numbers [that] the Bluebell enjoys. Sadly on the K&ESR things seem rather different since I note from page 26 in the last issue of the Tenterden Terrier, that passenger numbers are declining. It seems to me therefore that every initiative ought to be taken to help the K&ESR reverse this trend, such as the temporary repainting of “Bodiam”. The appearance of “Bodiam” as 32670 and the interest this is bound to generate, with widespread coverage in the national railway press, would surely be an ideal platform to publicise the official launch of the locomotive as Rother Valley Railway No.3. With the availability of 32678, there is also obvious scope for the appearance of two British Railways liveried Terriers together, a wonderful prospect, which I think might be preservation first. Surely this opportunity is too good to be passed by! It would also demonstrate an imaginative and enlightened approach to the event, not only by the Terrier Trust but also by the K&ESR. I very much hope that the Terrier Trust will re-think its decision to the benefit of all - E N D - Footnotes:- This letter, by one of, if not the most esteemed railway authors’ and photographers’ of his generation, raises some very interesting points that need to be addressed |
| Charity
No. 1050480 |
| |
The fundamental reasons for the rejection of this proposal, were that the members of The Terrier Trust voted for No.3 to be re-commissioned as Rother Valley Railway “Bodiam” in a livery approximating to Oxford Blue, and there would have been serious logistical difficulties getting rid of the black and into the blue in time for the relaunch in May 2006 at the Terrier Gala. There may well have been an implied aspiration that due to timescale involved and resources needed, the engine would have then stayed in black for a period. This would have been in fundamental breach of the desires of the full members, who have all contributed at least £150, to help enable the reconstruction of “Bodiam” from the shabby and embarrassing wreck that the K&ESR allowed it to descend prior to the formation of TTT in 1995
Unfortunately the situation was not helped by a reply from the General Manager to another letter from former Secretary of TTT Gerald Siviour, in the same issue, which also touched on the subject, when he stated “I note your comments about the Photographic Charter that was turned down by the Terrier Trust last year [2004]. This was effectively outside the control of the K&ESR”
Since such preparation and painting would have involved voluntary labour on the K&ESR, the lack of space generally as well as Health and Safety concerns for non-members, this comment was rather ill-advised.
The livery preference of K&ESR for No.3 at the time of the vote is not known but perhaps, and ideally, needs to be known in the future ahead of any long-term change
It has been stated elsewhere that the policy of the K&ESR generally keeping out of the hire market, and devoting its resources to keeping the home fleet going, has served the railway well over the years and doubtless will continue to do so in the future. Regarding the recent Locomotive Strategic Review, I expressed the view that 32678 should be considered as an exclusion to this policy in the future. Whilst this is not the place to review the history of 32678, it must be stated that none of the heritage lines that the engine has visited to date, chose to run photographic charters, although to be fair those proposed for Bluebell in November 2006 were abandoned due to the state of the tubes
It is unfortunate that the traffic needs of the K&ESR have now reduced the prime role of small engines to RXD (Railway Experience Day) use; but history has a habit of this – the equivalent of being demoted from passenger to departmental use
I have not been able to confirm exactly when “Bodiam” lost its green livery following nationalisation in 1948; Peter Davis reported it still in green at closure on 02 January 1954. Also, it must be stated that, exotic repaints from preferred livery to specials tend to occur towards the end of a boiler ticket, and hence paint life, rather than at the beginning. The mechanical problems that have beset the engine since its relaunch in May 2006 have merely served to underline the decision of TTT.
HN-21/02/2007