Re: [VIC] H220 (was: Surviving R classes)

[bf0017@hotmail.com]

Stuart,

As far as I've read, X 36 was saved for preservation because it was the last
one left - legend has it that it was in the very early stages of being
scrapped when the decision was made to save it.

Keeping good ones rather than those with some historic importance?

In NSW, one group (DSR & M) has done so.  In NSW, another group (NSWRTM) has
gone the other way.  Neither way is wrong - the collections reflect what was
held to be important when they were being gathered.

Late in 1945, the US Air Force Museum selected aircraft just off the
production lines for representatives of WW II service aircraft - the
reasoning being that these aircraft would be absolutely pristine and need
minimal work to get to display condition, which was a far cry from aircraft
that actually served in war.  A few years later (during the 1960's) the US AF
Museum lamented that they had followed this path as none of those aircraft
had any significance - they had no story to tell.

Basically, we have the steam locomotives & rolling stock that we have, no
matter which part of the country that we live in.  Be thankful that we can
have this condition vs historic importance debate at all.

imagine if everything went the way of the D-58s, Dds, 720s et al!!

Brett



In article <86ft49$a4a$1@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au>,
  "Stuart Thyer" <s.thyer@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au> wrote:
>
>
> ----------
> In article <5qkl8s86d8dlevl1jonf470fdvk6q4rhgf@4ax.com>, John Dennis
> <jdennis@mpx.com.au> wrote:
>
> >
> >Actually, many/most of the locos in the museum have indeed been
> >modified.  Just not since leaving VR service (excluding paint and
> >rust, of course).
>
> This has probably been the greatest failing of the museums acquisition
> policy in the 1960's. The policy of collecting the 'one offs' and different
> engines has meant there are some real lemons now in the museum. R 704 with
> its knackered boiler collected because it was the exhibition R, X 36 the
> only non-booster fitted X class. N 432, the last N built, one of only 5?
> with the different deflectors so somewhat 'non standard' as well as having
> stuffed driving wheel tyres.
>
> I suppose at the time the people choosing saw the appeal in different
> engines after having seen everything else, but personally the emphasis
> should have been on collecting good condition engines just in case
> restoration was ever considered.
>
> Stuart Thyer
> Photographer
> University of Melbourne
>


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