Re: WCR leasing R766?

[pcc@ocean.com.au (Les Brown)]

James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au> wrote in aus.rail:

>    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.
>
Why can we not have all R's restored James?

I remember Barry yard in Wales about 20 years when it was full of
rusting ex British Railways steam engines, now I 've been told that
there isn't a single one left, they've all been restored, bar one or
two, this means hundreds of steam engines back in operation.

I believe that if it ain't workin' it's rustin'. Better all
steam/diesel/electric locos be restored to working order, that's the
best way to be sure that they'll be around rather that just heaps of
rust.

The other advantages are that any parts made for one can be made for
others as well and reduce the unit cost - the more steam engines there
are of one class the cheaper it is to maintain them. In some cases due
to standardisation of parts, a boiler made for a D3 can also be used
for a K.

I would love to see R-700 back at work.

Les Brown