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tary questions to explain<br />
T 3’ 4-4-0<br />
Declaring his intention to<br />
consult on the issue with York’s<br />
own MP - whoever that may be<br />
after the General Election - Mr<br />
Hopkins stressed: “There are<br />
many questions that need to be<br />
answered. Why are they keeping<br />
the Japanese ‘Bullet train’, and<br />
getting rid of the ‘T3’? Is the NRM<br />
somehow saying that the ‘T3’ is no<br />
longer relevant? To me, seeing it<br />
at the museum was always a real<br />
‘wow’ moment - and now that has<br />
been lost.<br />
“If the Museum has space<br />
issues, surely long-term loans are<br />
the solution? And how much is<br />
the ‘T3’ worth? We need to know<br />
how much it was insured for,<br />
because it is now off the books<br />
- and someone else has benefited<br />
from it.”<br />
Kelvin Hopkins was elected MP<br />
for Luton North in 1997 and has<br />
increased his majority at every<br />
election since.<br />
NRM: no national collection ‘clearout’ under way<br />
The NRM has told Steam Railway<br />
that no locomotive and rolling stock<br />
‘clearout’ is under way, in response<br />
to a concern raised by former<br />
director Steve Davies (SR466).<br />
It has also said there has been<br />
no change in the NRM and Science<br />
Museum’s policy on disposals and<br />
that it follows Museum Association<br />
guidelines on transparency.<br />
SR asked: Following the disposal<br />
of the ‘T3’, what other locomotive<br />
or rolling stock disposals from the<br />
National Collection are presently<br />
under discussion or ‘in the<br />
pipeline’? Please give full details,<br />
including the identity of prospective<br />
recipients, in line with the Museums<br />
Association’s guidelines on<br />
Guaranteed paths can be<br />
secured to ensure that steam<br />
does not get squeezed off the<br />
main line, confirms Network Rail<br />
Chairman Sir Peter Hendy.<br />
In an exclusive interview<br />
with Steam Railway, Sir Peter<br />
says that “in the next year to<br />
18 months” space needs to be<br />
reserved in the timetables, to<br />
allow steam to continue on an<br />
openness and transparency.<br />
NRM: We follow the Museum<br />
Association’s guidelines on<br />
openness and transparency and<br />
publish details of all significant<br />
decisions affecting the Collection.<br />
However this does not extend<br />
to providing details of ongoing<br />
discussions regarding the<br />
management of the Collection.<br />
We publicise disposals after the<br />
decision to dispose has been<br />
made by our Board of Trustees.<br />
We believe this is in the spirit of<br />
the guidelines, which emphasise<br />
that disposals occur for curatorial<br />
reasons.<br />
SR: Is the de-accessioning of<br />
the ‘T3’, less than a year after the<br />
‘save space for steam’ says NR chairman<br />
increasingly crowded national<br />
network and run into and out<br />
of London.<br />
The plans will apply to the<br />
East and West Coast Main Lines,<br />
and the newly electrified Great<br />
Western Main Line, as well as<br />
secondary routes, he adds.<br />
He comments: “If we don’t do<br />
this now, in the years between<br />
now and 2025, everything’s<br />
de-accessioning of North Staffs<br />
Railway 0‐6‐2T No. 2, indicative of<br />
a change in NRM policy in favour of<br />
gifting National Collection exhibits<br />
to third parties (where previously<br />
the policy was of fixed-term loans)?<br />
NRM: There is no change in the<br />
National Railway Museum and<br />
Science Museum Group’s policy<br />
on disposals at https://group.<br />
sciencemuseum.org.uk/policy/<br />
group-policies<br />
SR: Talking to Steam Railway last<br />
month, former NRM Director Steve<br />
Davies MBE raised the question<br />
of a locomotive and rolling stock<br />
‘clearout’ by the Museum. Is this<br />
what is happening? If so, why?<br />
NRM: No.<br />
going to be so full that such an<br />
opportunity won’t be there.”<br />
It follows a summit in early<br />
April on the topic of main<br />
line steam, in which gauging<br />
problems, and the impending<br />
need for controlled emission<br />
toilets on all trains, were also<br />
discussed.<br />
For more, see pages 62-67<br />
and ‘Down Main’, pages 72/73.<br />
‘T3’ No. 563 is dragged into Corfe<br />
Castle by a diesel shunter soon after<br />
its arrival at the Swanage Railway on<br />
April 12. As reported last issue, the<br />
‘Purbeck Line’ hopes to return the<br />
Nine Elms-built 4‐4‐0 to steam.<br />
ANDREW P.M. WRIGHT<br />
‘King’ and<br />
‘Railmotor’ up<br />
for Old Oak bash<br />
Didcot Railway Centre’s ‘King’<br />
No. 6023 King Edward II and<br />
steam ‘Railmotor’ No. 93 are<br />
the first two exhibits requested<br />
for the Old Oak Common open<br />
day on September 2.<br />
As reported in SR465,<br />
train operator Great Western<br />
Railway is planning a<br />
gathering of GWR engines for<br />
the event, titled ‘Legends of<br />
the Great Western’, and likely<br />
to be the last open day at the<br />
former 81A depot before the<br />
site is used for High Speed 2’s<br />
West London station.<br />
Like its previous forays<br />
onto the national network<br />
for branch line shuttles at<br />
Southall and in Cornwall, the<br />
‘Railmotor’ would be towed<br />
to and from Didcot over the<br />
Great Western Main Line.<br />
Issue 467 • MAY 19 - JUNE 15 2017 • 13
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