I wonder how many of the exhibits at the NRM could feasibly just be fuelled up, batteries charged and be started and run? Forget the steamers - most would need a boiler cert (and I don't think Ellerman Lines would manage that!).
I realise there's all the safety gubbins to think of, but what's (potentially) reviveable and what's just a static exhibit?
James
Well, probably all of the steam locomotives on static display would have no boiler certificates. So putting water in and lighting a fire could well lead to the decimation of that part of York...
As far as the diesels are concerned most of them have some kind of issue that would prevent it. Although the NRM does have the odd useable diesel.
Is the class 84 still at York? We could pull it out, raise the pantograph and see what happens.
Maybe there'd just be the kind of smell that you get when you switch on an old electric heater.
Or maybe there'd be just be some spoked wheels and a charred underframe left.
By the time a lot of stuff has ended up on static display in a museum it's often either incredibly tired, or it's in some kind of condition that needs to be left alone for its long term preservation.
It takes a huge amount of work and money to take something that hasn't run for years and get it working again.
Things like joints, gaskets and seals that have dried out and haven't been under high pressure for years would almost inevitably fail instantly. That would be the main problem I would think.
