|
“Project 58051”
As you will all now hopefully be aware, we are all the proud owners of a never used Class 58 locomotive cab. We bought the cab from CF Booth scrap merchants in Rotherham. The cab was one of a few spare cabs at the former Doncaster Works (which has now closed). Although these cabs have never been fitted to a locomotive, they were built ‘just in case’ of accidents and an originally-fitted cab required replacing (oh, the convenience of modular construction!)
 We are happy with the condition of the cab, it being in excellent condition for its age and showing no sign of heavy rusting – still in the green works primer! We feel that the purchasing of the cab represents the first major investment by the Group and I hope you agree with us.
However, purchasing the cab is only the beginning. We plan to eventually paint the exterior in one of the liveries the Class 58s have carried and internally we plan to source spare parts and fit it out as a mock-up demonstration. This is where we need YOUR help.
Money for the purchase and transport costs has initially come from the Group’s general funds. The primary aim of these funds remains, however, the ultimate purchase and preservation of a locomotive. With this in mind we have decided to launch a separate appeal for the cab project – which has now become known as Project 58051. This will allow our general fund to continue to increase as we move towards the purchase of a locomotive, the time for which grows ever nearer as the 58s remain stored or hired out on short term contracts.
PROJECT 58051 News...(News dated June 2006) On the 18th of June a made a visit to the site in Birmingham where our cab, Project 58051, is stored on a temporary basis. A brief inspection shows the cab is still in a good condition and now that the bad weather is behind us (hopefully!) for a few months, this should slow down any further surface corrosion, which hasn’t got any worse since we inspected the cab initially at Booths in January. After all, the cab has survived 20+ years so far and I’m sure a few more months won’t hurt! We are lucky enough to be able to store the cab at its current location free of charge which is really beneficial for the Group as it means no excess expenditure. Internally, all the wiring is still in situ (the spare cabs were fully wired up ready for installation) along with all the relevant low-pressure air pipes, as is an electronic panel situated behind the driver’s control desk. Although work hasn’t started yet on the restoration of Project 58051, we are still trying to raise funds for work to be carried out when we move the cab to a host railway, so please keep those donations coming in! When 58051 nears completion it will be interesting to see what livery we will initially have the cab painted in. A vote will be arranged in advance so all members can have their say. Personally I think it would look best in Mainline aircraft blue, silver nameplate and finished off with a Toton cooling towers or event the Eastleigh Spitfire depot plaque applied… nice!
Please help us succeed with Project 58051 by making a donation...
If you can think you can spare a little money to help the C58LG fully fit out and convert this cab into a fully-painted display item to help tell the story of the Class 58 locomotives, please consider making a donation to this very worthwhile cause! If you would like to send a cheque/postal order (made payable to “Class 58 Locomotive Group”), please send it to:“Project 58051” (C58LG) 107 Woolaston Avenue, Cardiff, CF23 6EW Alternatively, you can donate right here, right now, through PayPal! Please click on the button below to make your donation. We really are most grateful for any donations received.
|
