Re: 442 Class

["Steve Zvillis" <szvillis@netspace.net.au>]

As far as I am aware, the R.T.M's 44211 is the only member of the class
preserved at the moment.

My question to R.T.M. members is, WHY 44211??? I cant see any historical
significance or worth in preserving this particular locomotive, other than
possibly that it might have been in a slightly superior mechanical
condition? But with a fair number of them still in storage and possibly due
for scrapping and available for parts, this seems to be a short sighted
advantage that will disappear in time, leaving a non-descript locomotive
preserved at the expense of more significant class members, such as;

44201 - First of the class and official "handover" loco to Commissioner
McCusker (21/10/70) or,
44206 - First of the "new build" (i.e. not using recycled 40 class parts? I
think?) or any of the class members that marked changes in equiptment (i.e.
44204, 44221, 44235) although, unfortunatly, some of the generationally /
technologically significant machines, such as, 44203, 44205, 44220, 44221
etc. have been sold off to Silverton, the late A.N. or the late M.K.Co. and
the final Mk 2 batch, 44235 to the last of the class, 44240, were scrapped
(for parts for the '80' class?)

I would have thought that for the Rail Transport MUSEUM, for the sake of
history, 44201 would have been the best preservation candidate, even if its
mechanical condition was poorer. Maybe 44211 should have been stripped for
parts to bring 44201 up to scratch? A nice display could have been formed
around 44201, when present at the R.T.M., with photos and media of it's
handover to McCusker. 44211, whilst nicely turned out by the R.T.M. is
historically nothing, especially as it wasnt the last surviving class member
the R.T.M. had no choice in saving.

Regards,

Steve Zvillis