Home»All Photographs»Heritage Railways»Didcot Railway Centre»2019_04_06

Is the Didcot Railway Centre the most disappointing of all British Heritage Railway locations? Or is it the Great Western Railway Preservation Society that is so convinced of its supremacy it feels it can do no wrong? I feel I was let down badly after booking for a Time Line Events charter to see the new build Saint in lined BR black livery only for that to be withdrawn at short notice by Didcot with no acceptable alternative by way of compensation. Please note it was not Time Line Events that were to blame. I was delighted to note that the weekend of 5th to 7th April 2019 would see the completion of 2999 LADY OF LEGEND, in steam, fully lined and running on the demonstration line. What a disappointment - no lining on locomotive or tender - no number on the front buffer beam - no crest or company name on the tender. The only lining I could see was on the backing plate to the nameplate but the green paint did not match that on the rest of the locomotive and a red line around the cab-side number plate. Incidentally that was held in position by four Allen setscrews the patent for which was not granted till 1909! This might be bad enough but I don't think I have ever heard an engine so badly off-beat. Just three beats to a revolution of the driving wheels. It wasn't a bit out; it was totally out of adjustment. What had they been doing for the month that passed between the initial steam test and the official launch? They were happy to take your money with neither warning nor apology for the state of the locomotive but they failed totally to live up to the reputation of the old company that they purport to represent to the modern world. What would Brunel, Gooch or Churchward think?