Re: James pull your head in. Was: 3801 Black No More

[James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au>]

Stuart Thyer wrote:

> So James, perhaps you can explain your philosophies to the ng. You seem to
> describe a preservation group that fits headboards, nameplates or different
> color schemes as 'so called' preservation groups. Are you denouncing the
> huge efforts put into restoring these items purely on the basis of a single
> piece of metal or timber placed on the engine? If so, I think you are being
> extremely harsh in degrading these groups, especially in a public forum.
>  Are you aware of the modifications done to R761 that don't make a
> reasonable effort to portray the past. It's rear sanders and the headboard,
> that's it. The D3 has less, just the headboard. No concessions to modern
> crewing requirements, no mirrors, no comfy seats, they're just as they were
> built.
> If that makes those efforts only 'so called' in quality then do better, get
> out there and find out what it's like to try and preserve in the 90's, find
> the balance between heritage, authenticity vs practicality and money. I put
> in the hours in preservation and it isn't easy and it isn't always
> pleasurable, so I will get my back up if you degrade my and others efforts
> as 'so called'. Put your back into it or put your money on the table because
> your attitude is really starting to grate.

I do put time and effort into restoring items of railway heritage with the
Central Highlands Tourist Railway. The CHTR does an excellent job in restoring
rolling sock and infrastructure within their limited budget. This society is
also a lot smaller than Steamrail so don't go telling me to put my money on the
table because I do it with a society that actually appreciates heritage, not
just a fantasy representation of what might have been. Although Steamrail does a
tremendous job in returning these locomotives to service, the strange colour
schemes are not required. How can you say that you are restoring locomotives
when you don't present them correctly. Obviously you haven't even understood any
of my posts because I said I agreed with things like modern concessions to make
the locomotives operational within modern environment. Things like comfy seats,
sanders, the oil system on Y112 and many other minor modifications are ok if
they are required to allow the locomotives to run over the mainline network.
Things like strange colour schemes and headboards are not required. The
steamrail attitude to the headboard really annoys me. In one of you previous
posts you more or less told everyone that the headboard is kept on the loco at
photostops simply because none of us like it. I think this is being rather petty
and I think it takes revenge a bit too far. Also the rollingstock is restored
exceptionally well, apart from the paint job. Its extremely annoying to see
groups like steamrail almost restoring items to their VR condition (within
operational restrictions) but not quite, especially when these things are a
yellow stripe along the window or a K class painted a hideous shade of green.
While I respect the time and effort that all steamrail volunteers put into the
locos and rollingstock and I do know how much goes into it, I think it is a
shame that people of my age have never seen an R class or a D3 in a condition
that is representative of what it looked like during the VR days. Things like
extended bunkers and rear sanders can't be avoided to make the locomotives
operational but things like headboards and colour schemes can be avoided.

--
- James Brook -

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