We need to be realistic that running a scrap yard is a for-profit business and that preservationists in the UK were incredibly fortunate that the owner of the Barry yard had enough other scrap available for sale to allow him to indulge his passion and still make a buck. On the other hand, Illinois Terminal's ill-fated streamliners sat in the scrapyard for decades but the owner of the yard refused to sell them to preservationists for whatever reason. They were eventually cut up.
There is a great article about Dai in the out-of-print magazine "Locomotive and Railway Preservation" from Nov-Dec 1990. It would have been nice if someone had the foresight to preserve at least one of the Dreyfus-designed Hudsons of the New York Central, not to mention many others. "The Barry Miracle" should be an example to everyone, wether it's the ship graveyard on Staten Island, or the airplane graveyards in Arizona.
Whatever the decision that Dai made regarding the scrapping of locos in his yard the UK preservation movement must be eternally grateful to him.
Not all UK preserved locos were from scrapyards. A few were purchased direct from British Railways.
For information on Dai Woodham and the Barry, South Wales, scrapyard, here is a link:
Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad
https://www.buckfast.org.uk/
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)
Great Western It is worth remembering that most of the Heritage Railways in the UK rely on ex-GWR locos to operate their systems: even though the GWR never ran anywhere near their present lines.
It is worth remembering that most of the Heritage Railways in the UK rely on ex-GWR locos to operate their systems: even though the GWR never ran anywhere near their present lines.
With all due respect, I think that is mostly thanks to Dai Woodham. The wonderful quantity of active steam locomotives in Britain is due to the number that lingered in one specific scrapyard, and so survived long enough to be bought back and restored to operation. Most yards scrapped them immediately; Woodhams always cut up other equipment first. The majority of the heritage railway fleet are "graduates" of his scrap yard. I am not saying that the GWR locos are bad engines, but the reality is that they are relatively widespread only because they survived the great scrapping binge.
Geography had a lot to do with it. His scrap yard was in Wales, in GWR territory in the west part of the UK. With perhaps a couple of exceptions, no LNER (on the east side) designs went to his scrapyard, which is why the preservation movement has been forced to the very costly expedient of building "Tornado" to recreate a vanished type. The few LNER heritage locomotives are mostly single members of the few classes that did survive. The A4 class Pacifics were an exception, of course, with I believe six preserved.
John
Great WesternI do not share the view previously expressed about the GWR: I volunteer on an ex-GWR line and am naturally biased. It is worth remembering that most of the Heritage Railways in the UK rely on ex-GWR locos to operate their systems: even though the GWR never ran anywhere near their present lines.
I do not share the view previously expressed about the GWR: I volunteer on an ex-GWR line and am naturally biased. It is worth remembering that most of the Heritage Railways in the UK rely on ex-GWR locos to operate their systems: even though the GWR never ran anywhere near their present lines.
If you can read this... thank a teacher. If you are reading this in english... thank a veteran
When in doubt. grab a hammer.
If it moves and isn't supposed to, get a hammer
If it doesn't move and is supposed to, get a hammer
If it's broken, get a hammer
If it can't be fixed with a hammer... DUCK TAPE!
Unusual looking loco to British eyes. To those familiar with the erstwhile Great Western Railway of the United Kingdom will be reminded of the attempts, short lived, to streamline GWR locos prior to WW2. Why this new loco even has the 'Teddy Boston' bulge on the smokebox. Two factors seem to be obstacles as far as I can see, Firstly cost and secondly I believe there would be great interest if it were based on a prototype as Tornado was,
The cylinder casings and smoke deflectors do have a Teutonic appearance.
A ten-wheeler 4-6-0, with a narrow firebox between rear drivers? Wow!
A new Castle class. The Grerat Western lives again.
This one escaped my attention as I had essentially let it drop off my radar. The feasibility study for this proposed locomotive was released, and I wonder if this will follow on the success of Tornado Project..if anything, the website makes for an interesting read inasmuch as it is a rarity to read something new about steam..rather than the same old same old...I thought Id post this for what its worth...if anything it looks fast..reminiscent of like a sports car..the Jaguar of steam? Looks somewhat like Porta's long forgotten locomotive..
http://5at.co.uk/index.php/current-plans/feasibility-study-3.html
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
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