Tis time for a TVR Limerick
Discussion
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did it cost him a bean!
Los Angeles said:
'Hugh then woke up - it had all been a dream' Whoever heard of steam coming out of a Tuscan? Julian
Depends how much coal you shovel in!
My Griffith's dash reminds me of a steam engine! Lots of BIG dials, handles and levers.
Just start to worry when you get 100psi on the pressure gauge!
Los Angeles said:
You bet! The Canonball Express, Mr Maggit, or is it the Flying Scotsman! (I heard my compatriots missed out on docking that fine steam engine permanently in Waverley Station, Edinburgh. Any idea where it went finally?) 
PS: I"ve been following your comments on TVR and its ambition to build bikes! Very interesting.
>> Edited by Los Angeles on Tuesday 7th September 18:08
Scotsman has been taken on by the NRM at York, there is some talk of it providing the motive power for Bliar when he opens a railway museum in the NE, but I forget where. I rather hope he gets "Huskissoned"*, but I doubt it. (*Huskisson was an MP, killed by the "Rocket" at the Rainhill Trials, thereby becoming the first person killed by a moving steam locomotive. This is not a death threat, rather a more hopeful historical re-enactment).
Young Nic could learn a lot (if he hasn't already) from H-D. Their marketing is very good, unfortunately for them, there is a growing (and has been for some time), anti-feeling, witnessed by the growing number of H-D patches etc being worn upside down. Time was if you turned up on a Harley, people were interested in the bike/you. Nowadays, the first comment is likely to refer to coffee beans or something.
I hope TVR don't go down the same path. I used to be on first-name terms with the people running H-D, Bill is a very likeable chap, and Willie-G is the nearest that Merkans will get to Royalty, but they've attracted a very large proportion of people who don't really get what it's all about. Remember the T-shirt, "If I have to explain?", well a lot of the current buyers need it explaining to them, and that's kind of sad.
The old-time riders are fine, and some of the more "enthusiastic" new-comers are too, but too many are buying into a 30 year old, "bad-ass" attitude, and, quite frankly, they're tossers. Loads of money, loads of attitude, and major pains in the arse.
I avoid anything with "lifestyle" in the promotion like the plague. You either like the product, or you don't. Spare me the false romanticism, get out there and do it, or F**k off out of my face, I say.
Rant over.
maggit
>> Edited by mrmaggit on Tuesday 7th September 21:16
>> Edited by mrmaggit on Tuesday 7th September 21:17
mrmaggit said:I got the impression - from a conversation with an enthusiast a few weeks ago - that the Scotsman is due a boiler rebuild before it can go on the mainlines again. Unfortunately, nobody seems to have the money... again.
Scotsman has been taken on by the NRM at York, there is some talk of it providing the motive power for Bliar when he opens a railway museum in the NE, but I forget where.
Los Angeles said:
Hell. Steam engine boilers are simple things. Still, a nice project for someone, or a group, to raise the cash, and a satisfying one if they succeed.
Yeah. Right. My Dad's just had three steel boilers built for his 3" scale traction engines, and is awaiting the boiler for his 7.25" rack loco. These beauties are about 9" in diameter, four feet long, and have cost about a grand each. Now the Scotsmans' is nearly 7ft in diameter (approx) and over 30 feet long. Boilermaking on this scale has been severely reduced in the last 20-30 years, and Health and Safety view these big boilers as a lovely source of money, let alone the specialist companies licensed to do them. Since the explosion of a traction engine boiler in the states a couple of years ago, that killed some people, it's gone loopy.
>> Edited by mrmaggit on Wednesday 8th September 12:24
Visit www.modelworks-int.com they have a couple of 5" Flying Scotsman kits for sale, and are taking orders for the final A4 in 7.25" gauge.
They also are producing a 4" scale traction engine and do a very fine 1/8th scale Tiger Tank.
They also are producing a 4" scale traction engine and do a very fine 1/8th scale Tiger Tank.
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