Ah! The impossible restoration. many years ago I got tapped for £75 by the 'obvious lunatics' trying to restore this unique Caprotti valve geared beast after it had most of one sides working parts robbed for display at the NRM. It should have been the future for BR Steam but the diesels were coming and it was only in preservation that the draughting problems around the firebox were sorted. It is a high maintenance beast though, and they are always trying to raise funds to keep it main line worthy It has always put on a good show whenever I've been out for it By U.S.A standards it is tiny! Scanned from a tatty old print cos I still have to scan the neg here we see it being wound up by the driver in 1996 ready for the climb out of Askam Kev
just as a matter of interest my first encounter with the 'Duke' was in 1960 at the open day at Derby locomotive works. just one look at the picture below will tell you how times have changed! Our safety department at DRS would have a meltdown if the public were allowed to do this at one of our open days. the pic was taken by my dad who was a railway photographer long before I took over the mantle. I was five at the time so I am obviously not climbing all over the loco although there is are a couple of pictures of me in the cab of a Midland steam loco and a Metrovick Cheers Kev
Impressive indeed! Looks and sounds wonderful. Saw it in Crewe works with lots of bits missing, so amazing it did actually get returned to working main line order.
