Back in the olden days, fans of railways on the brink of closure copied The Titfield Thunderbolt film to save their line, but soon discovered just how impractical high maintenance open cabbed ancient museum locomotives could be outside the summer months. Getting parts was also an issue with demand outstripping an almost nonexistent supply, so dubious bodges were frequently used to keep things operational.
With the British Railways Modernisation Plan of the mid-1950s, there suddenly became a surplus of more modern locomotives available, most with enclosed cabs and that all important plentiful supply of parts, many almost brand new in many cases.
Waving Willy has managed to cop himself a bargain for the price of a round of drinks from his local secondhand railway dealer who just so happens to be Terry Tuttle-Thomas-Smythe. So now now he’s the proud owner of his very own Titfield Thunderbolt inspired train.
Hopefully he’ll be able to keep it running, because it will almost certainly be a money pit, for running and maintaining vintage locos and trains is rather like running a classic car, for you need deep pockets, skills and unlimited hours to work on them (known from first hand experience of having a couple of vintage MG cars back in the day).
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Vintage train maintenance fund… www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3
