Re: WCR leasing R766?

[david <david@nmit.vic.edu.au>]

Stupid Question 2 : How many "R"  still exist ?
Stupid Question 1 : How many "R" may be able to be restored?

Question 3:  With the reduction of Broad gauge planned it seems, what other historic
class of VR locos can be restored ??  "R"'s seem to be able to haul the trains to
schedule - perhaps that is why they are favoured. WCR may continue their policy of
using their Steam for regular haulage.

Regards,
David Head




James Brook wrote:

>     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