Unrebuilding a Merchant Navy

[Spamcan81]

From a sensible h&s aspect, i think main line steam locos should be fitted with a pair of front and rear facing cameras including video recording. These could be so located as to be virtually invisible and are cheap nowadays. The reason is the relatively poor forward vision from a steam loco cab the video recording assisting should an incident occur.

Off topic
Any road vehicle where vision is restricted like hgvs, some vans, buses etc should also be so fitted."If you can't see my mirrors I can't see you" is NO defence. A competent lawyer ought to be able to get serious compensationshould an accident occur, particularly while reversing.

So having mirrors fitted that conform to legal requirements is no defence? Better get the law changed before you turn the lawyers loose.

 

[matacaster]

So having mirrors fitted that conform to legal requirements is no defence? Better get the law changed before you turn the lawyers loose.

I accept you do have a fair point here. The problem is that when the current law was enacted, it was impractical to have anything more effective than wing mirrors. Improvements in technology have resulted in a situation now where you can pay around £400 for a bmw heated electric car mirror yet a cheap camera and screen can be had for less than £20. A fully fledged multi camera system offering all round vision ought to be practicable for less than £500 on an hgv or a steam loco.

 

[Flying Phil]

Whilst I have a huge amount of admiration for this project I do wonder if it might not be too much of a "cheat" to just put an air-smoothed casing over the rebuilt MN. Obviously this is not the purist approach but would the average person, or even moderately knowledgeable steam buff, notice the valve gear just projecting under the lower edge of the casing?
It would certainly be a "Lot" less expensive to get to fruition.

 

[Spamcan81]

Whilst I have a huge amount of admiration for this project I do wonder if it might not be too much of a "cheat" to just put an air-smoothed casing over the rebuilt MN. Obviously this is not the purist approach but would the average person, or even moderately knowledgeable steam buff, notice the valve gear just projecting under the lower edge of the casing?
It would certainly be a "Lot" less expensive to get to fruition.

No point in doing a "fake" flat top. All or nothing IMO.

 

[GWR saint]

Maybe steam it with just the casing and no other modifications as that could be done relatively cheaply then have it run the heratige circuit for a few years to raise the Money for it to be fully un-rebuilt when it comes in for overhaul

 

[Train wasp]

More to the point. I wonder how long the overhaul will take. Don't forget this loco isn't even on a perserved railway yet.

 

[Spamcan81]

Maybe steam it with just the casing and no other modifications as that could be done relatively cheaply then have it run the heratige circuit for a few years to raise the Money for it to be fully un-rebuilt when it comes in for overhaul

It will be far easier to "un rebuild" it starting from scratch than go through the rigmarole of restoring her to running order and then pulling her apart again to make the necessary mods to return her to original condition. It's a big enough task as it is without them making life more difficult for themselves.

 

[Flying Phil]

It will be far easier to "un rebuild" it starting from scratch than go through the rigmarole of restoring her to running order and then pulling her apart again to make the necessary mods to return her to original condition. It's a big enough task as it is without them making life more difficult for themselves.

Indeed it may actually be cheaper to start from scratch, as I believe the front of the frames, cylinders and lots of other parts were changed, in addition to the valve gear, so only the wheels, some axles, the boiler and part of the frame would be re used. Thinking of the relative cost of Tornado and Flying Scotsman.......:eek: