Re: [VIC] R766 and R711 Ballarat tour.

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

Yuri J Sos wrote:

> I'm glad all the naysayers and colour/headboard critics were out and
> about yesterday snapping away merrily at the objects of their
> complaints: dilutes the force of their arguments, doesn't it?

Yuri, do we have a choice if we want to see steam in Victoria? There isn't a
mainline volunteer tourist train operator that doesn't have a headboard,
nameplate or non-VR colour scheme on their steam locomotives. Also you
obviously haven't understood or read most of my posts. I said that I have no
problem with R711 because I put it in the same category as their diesels. It
is a commercially operating steam locomotive in revenue service. Although I
don't fully agree with it, R766 will soon be in this same category in the year
2000. It will be a commercially operating locomotive in revenue service.
Although I mightn't fully agree with the way Steamrail and other volunteer
tourist train operators do things. Why shouldn't I enjoy a good trip and have
some fun. Although I might criticize the current colour scheme of R766, I have
nothing against the loco itself. When the loco is rebuilt it will be in its
proper colour scheme because there is no difference between what WCR is doing
now and VR steam 40 years ago. As far as I'm concerned WCR can paint their R
classes in whatever colour scheme they like. Its the "preservation" groups
that should be painting their locos in the colour schemes of their loco's
former operators, not a commercial operator like WCR.

> Those of us who had a chat with Gary McDonald up on the bridge at

> Warrenheip will be looking forward to 2000 in anticipation of the
> ongoing revolution in mainline steam working in this state.  With two
> "hyper Hudsons" on the loose, the video and film sales are sure to
> skyrocket (Gary commented that with the number of inquiries for R
> class charters he's fielding at the moment, there are times in 2000
> where he'd need 5 Rs to satisfy the demand <g!> - that can only augur
> well for the future of steam in this state).

Although there is plenty of steam running, not one steam locomotive on the
mainline is running in its proper VR condition (within modern operational
restrictions). Steam might be looking good for typical railfans who don't care
about the heratige but for people like me who do care about heratige, its
extremely sad that both Steamrail and SRHC almost do things properly, but not
quite. It's the little things like headboards and nameplates that can really
wreck what would otherwise be an excellent example of a VR steam locomotive.
Also Yuri, I am not talking about WCR's steam in this paragraph. I am talking
about volunteer tourist train organisations.

--
- James Brook -

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