2020 was rounded off nicely with the delivery through the letterbox of the latest edition of the FR magazine.
These days there's very little within the 'news' pages of the magazine which we haven't heard about on social media - either officially or unofficially - but it usually contains a host of really interesting feature articles, and comment on what's happening in the wider district, which is essential reading.
Along with the quarterly Heritage Group Journal these publication are worth the annual membership fees on their own, and I would commend them to anyone who is thinking about joining up.
There was, however, something which jumped out at me in the piece by the company chairman which I don't think can pass without comment.
Mentioning progress with the new James Spooner he referred to it moving closer to 'being our third Fairlie'.
Excuse me, Sir, but I rather think you mean our fourth!
We can give the benefit of the doubt and presume that what was meant was a third double engine in traffic, but I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to ensure that Earl of Merioneth is not airbrushed out of the fleet.
'The Square' has many supporters. And I think most of us have accepted that it faces a prolonged period out of traffic - and we also understand that at this time the railway has many far more pressing priorities - but I for one will never accept that its future is only as a static exhibit.
There has been too much of a crucial period in FR history - the Return to Blaenau era - already lost to us, and the Earl is one of the key artefacts which remain with us and must be cherished and actively celebrated.
It will soon be half a Century since construction of the locomotive began - it is heritage in its own right.
Consider, for a moment, the extensive 'rebuilding' to return Welsh Pony to service, or read in this edition of the magazine of what considerable repairs and replacements are required to overhaul Linda, and ask yourself if the work which is needed on Earl is really of a different magnitude?
No one expects that next overhaul to begin anytime soon, but begin - one day - it must. And in the meantime words matter.
We need to be clear: James Spooner is the FR's fourth Fairlie.
It's arguable that given the statement is 'our third Fairlie', that it's even more wrong, as the FR has 2 operating (DLG and Merddin), 2 awaiting overhaul (EoM and Tal), 1 on static display (LT) and 1 under construction (JS2). At a best count that makes it the sixth Fairlie, and if you count those that have gone to the scrapyard (LW, JS1, MT) then it's the 9th! Never the third though.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was an attempt to airbrush EoM out of existence. More likely he's referring to it being the third double Fairlie built by the company during the 'preservation' era, following EoM and DLG.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it will also be the fifth own-built double Fairlie to run on the rly and seventh overall, not including the single Fairlies, T1, T2, and MT.
So calling it the third, fifth, seventh, and tenth, would all be accurate depending on the criterion employed.
There is a tendency for enthusiasts to want to pickle whatever line they are following (never actually working on) into a specific time period and ignore anything outside this - even the modern day. Often, that period is imaginary, but that doesn't worry them.
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