60027 Boiler from Merlin question

[neildimmer]

Morning All

Does anyone have any info on this movement A4 boiler from 60027 Merlin in the consist of a southbound freight at Preston in July 1966

http://railway-photography.smugmug.com/ ... 27-Merlin/



Neil

[52D]

ISTR it being sent to Crewe for an A4 being worked on possibly Dominion of Canada.

[Andy W]

With absolutely no facts to back this up, I would have thought this was the boiler from 60041 coming south for eventual use with 4472.

[STAFFORDA4]

I also thought the same as Andy; it ties in with the dates that 60041 was at Cowlairs for removal of its bolier

[1H was 2E]

Reference to Salmon Trout reminds me of an as yet unsolved little puzzle about this loco. I travelled on a railtour visiting Upperby and Kingmoor on 28th Nov. 1964 (memorable because the 'Brit' on it deposited its firebars and some of its fire onto the track at speed near Garstang; which resulted in a very fast dash by unprepared 45018 to Carlisle) and at one of the sheds 60041 was in store - I assumed at the time that this was because of the closure of Canal shed. The word on the tour was that it was waiting works for the removal of its boiler for Flying Scotsman.
However, recently looking through the relevant What Happened to Steam shows this loco as 64B/A continuously from Jan 57 until withdrawal 12/65.
Puzzling... and I have a (poor) photo somewhere.

[Andy W]

I too have seen a picture of it amongst the dead engines at Kingmoor, albeit with a full tender of coal which suggests it had been stopped for some reason.

It returned to traffic at St Margaret's fairly quickly afterwards and was active during nearly the rest of 1965. I strongly suspect that Pegler had his eyes on it for spares for some time, given the date it came out from its last General so the rumour may well have had some basis in fact!

[1H was 2E]

Thanks for that Andy. After a month short of 50 years, another little mystery solved...

[jwealleans]

I strongly suspect that Pegler had his eyes on it for spares

According to the man himself, he persuaded an American friend to buy it, but when the message came back to confirm he was willing the loco had already been chopped.