Re: WCR leasing R766?

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

    I really hope they don't convert R766. I like the locomotive the way it is at
the moment. If WCR want another "super R" ("R2" is the name I give to it. <g>)
then why don't they get R700 and convert it? R766 has already been restored and
is currently close to its original condition. The livery of R766 and the tender
are only minor alterations to its original VR condition and they are easy to
convert back. Once R766 has been converted to R711's condition it will be
wrecked. I like R711, but that loco was never restored to its original VR
condition.

    The number of R class locomotives being returned to service is ridiculous.
Why does Steamrail need two (or more) R class locos anyway? R707 is sitting,
ready for use in the west block right next door to Steamrail! There is also R711
in use with WCR at the moment. Personally I think that four R class locos in
service is the absolute limit. In Victoria there are extremely limited resources
in volunteer labour, materials and funding to restore and maintain steam
locomotives. While it might be nice to restore every single R class in the state
that wasn't scrapped, we are going to reach a point where we will have too many
restored steam locomotives in the state and not enough resources to look after
them all. Where do we actually draw a line? There are plenty of other steam locos
around the state. Do we just keep restoring locos until we get to the stage where
we can't look after them properly? Does Victoria really need five R class
locomotives in service? Most R class tours only use two locomotives and there is
the odd tour that uses three.

This is a list of currently restored ex Victorian Railways steam locomotives:

- Steamrail

    - K153
    - K183
    - K190
    - D3 639
    - R761
    - R766 (766 inc.)

- SRHC

    - J515

- VGR

    - J549
    - K160

- Mornington

    - K163

- WCR

    - R711
    - Y112

- Puffing Billy (2'6")

    - 7A
    - 8A
    - 12A
    - 14A

    With this many restored locos in the state and more to come (I haven't
included the interstate locomotives at the Bellarine Peninsula Railway and ex
privately owned locos around the state in the above list), is it really sensible
to restore more locomotives of the same class, especially a class with four
examples already running?


Stuart Thyer wrote:

> Just to clear up any uncertainty in the situation following a general
> members meeting of Steamrail at which Gary McDonald from WCR spoke.  WCR are
> negotiating to lease R766 from 766 inc, but as yet, nothing is concrete.
> The plan at the moment is for WCR to take 766 and convert it to another
> 'Super R' and have it in running as a backup engine by Easter.
>
>  To cover the problem this creates by leaving Steamrail without a second R,
> WCR will carry out the bulk of a restoration of R700, which will remain
> under Steamrail control.  Steamrail would carry out component overhauls
> while the engine itself would go to Ballarat to be worked on.  The tenders
> would be swapped due to the extended bunker modifications already been done
> on 766.
> Gary believes this work can be completed by the end of 2000.  R700 is in the
> best unrestored condition of any R.
>
> This is as I understand a deal dependant on WCR retaining the warrnambool
> passenger contract.
>
> Stuart Thyer
> Photographer
> University of Melbourne



--
- James Brook -

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