Rebuild The Kestrel

[Kris]

You've all probably heard of the Tornado project and 'Lazurus' locos bought back from the dead. Locos that were all scrapped and none preserved - but replicas being built.

I was pondering this one about 6 months ago. Wouldn't it be great to rebuild a Kestrel?

I imagine that you could use a 47 (or 57) as a base and build upon that. Should be an easier job than building a complete steam engine from the wheels up.

 

[kettlefan]

didn't a Russian (Soviet Bloc) technical college get their mits on it? Wonder what happened to it after dismantaling? Was it all scrapped, do bits linger on?

Also, aren't Kestrel and a 47 pretty disimilar? The bogies kind of look a bit like those of a 56 :?

 

[kestrel]

You've all probably heard of the Tornado project and 'Lazurus' locos bought back from the dead. Locos that were all scrapped and none preserved - but replicas being built.

I was pondering this one about 6 months ago. Wouldn't it be great to rebuild a Kestrel?

I imagine that you could use a 47 (or 57) as a base and build upon that. Should be an easier job than building a complete steam engine from the wheels up.

Now your talking! might be a prob tho! only one of the 16LVA's exist only 3 were built, the body could be adapted from a 47 both being similar in length and construction.
Kestrel was fitted with brush 47 type bogies after being found too overweight with her original set, incidently with original 47 type TM's they took the extra power with no probs .

would be nice tho, the prototype existed until the late 1980's but was nothing more than a shell with concrete blocks fitted where her engine and electrical equipment was!

take a look at my site i have a Kestrel brochure and other material on there

 

[kettlefan]

go on Kris, get on and re-build it!

 

[mbonwick]

I hate to put a damper on things but,
1, Kris probably won't have enough time or
2, that all important thing (that makes the world go round) money

 

[kettlefan]

money

"sigh" the M word.

do we ever have enough?

Its a shame that Kestrel was scrapped. An interesting little deviation in the development of the diesel loco. I have a lovely B/W picture of it hauling an immensely long rake of MGR hoppers somewhere.

This thread does set me thinking. In 50 years, will there be fully operational replicas of long extinct diesels constructed?

It would be interesting to think what classes would need replicas built in order for them to be represented. I cannot honestly think of any modern diesel that would not be bought for preservation. I bet the NRM (assuming its still the NRM, and not some other name) snaps up a 66!

 

[Kris]

I hate to put a damper on things but,
1, Kris probably won't have enough time or
2, that all important thing (that makes the world go round) money

I wasn't thinking about me doing it! I was hoping that all these people who go mad on re-building obscure steam engines (and I'm a kettle fan) that most of us haven't heard of - may be interested.

After all - with more and more railway fans interested in diesels now rather than steam you'd think there would be a drive there for something like this.

It's costing probably £2000000 to rebuild the Tornado - I'd have thought a 47 could be converted relatively cheaply though, the major costs being the Safety Case. That may preclude a fibreglass cab being built.

As for the power plant - does anyone really care if it's not the original?

It'd certainly be a crowd puller on specials

 

[kestrel]

I wasn't thinking about me doing it! I was hoping that all these people who go mad on re-building obscure steam engines (and I'm a kettle fan) that most of us haven't heard of - may be interested.

After all - with more and more railway fans interested in diesels now rather than steam you'd think there would be a drive there for something like this.

It's costing probably £2000000 to rebuild the Tornado - I'd have thought a 47 could be converted relatively cheaply though, the major costs being the Safety Case. That may preclude a fibreglass cab being built.

As for the power plant - does anyone really care if it's not the original?

It'd certainly be a crowd puller on specials

Ah yes all that money being spent on a steam engine that was average in steam days!

I would have thought a figure of around 2/3's that spent so far on the Tornado project would produce Kestrel (or at least a copy of it),

As for an engine no problem there, as Ruston's produce the 16RK215 which is very similar in size and power output of the big 16cylinder Sulzer.

An alternator could be sourced, without too much difficulty, the body shell would utilize an ex class 47's with fibreglass cabs, and existing bogies and motors.

Could be registered for NR without too much difficulty as it is really a class 47 below solebar, so could most prob get 'grandfather's' rights otherwise it would be subject to the more rigorous crash regulations etc!

Right then anyone got £1M quid spare??? ching ching lol

 

[mbonwick]

I know you weren't thinking of it Kris, but Kettlefan was suggesting that you *might* do it So I pointed out the shortcomings of his idea

 

[Kris]

Just trying to roll the pebble .......... that rolls down the mountain........that bumps into a stone.........that hits a boulder ........that starts the avalanche.

OK - what I'm trying to say is their are people on here that know people who have contacts such as : -

railway mag! I know the deputy editor. It has a good format and its good value too

If enough people registered their interest .......

Anybody for a silver Falcon?

 

[Darandio]

I dreamt last night that I am going to win the lottery either tomorrow or Saturday so I will gladly chip in.

On a more serious note, people can be the influence on these types of things so the more of us that get our involved the better. Just like Kris has said, even if enough people registered their interest, that would be a start.

 

[Guinness]

Looks a bit like a Slimline 47.

 

[kettlefan]

I know you weren't thinking of it Kris, but Kettlefan was suggesting that you *might* do it So I pointed out the shortcomings of his idea

heheheh

if I won the lottery I'd build Kestrel and have a lottery for Railuk members for drivers keys

just for the record...I had no faith in Kris being able to build 100 tons worth of diesel :?

 

[kestrel]

I had a Kestrel manufactured recently!

http://photos-by-kestrel.fotodock.co.uk/c1204357.html :cyclopsa:

 

[kettlefan]

I had a Kestrel manufactured recently!

http://photos-by-kestrel.fotodock.co.uk/c1204357.html :cyclopsa:

thats nice!

 

[Kris]

just for the record...I had no faith in Kris being able to build 100 tons worth of diesel :?

Oh ye of little faith. Must admit though ....... if I had a spare £500,000 it would go on a chalet in the Alps rather than a diesel.

Invest in property - you can't go wrong.

(Unless it's a dodgy scheme in Spain or Bulgaria run by the local mafia)

 

[mbonwick]

Invest in property, anywhere except Spain or Bulgaria and you can't go wrong

Thought I'd just clarify that !