How much to buy a locomotive?
How much to buy a locomotive?
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Discussion

Rich1973

Original Poster:

1,277 posts

206 months

Monday 26th December 2011
quotequote all
I am just curious really.
Having been brought up around railways, I have an affection for real locos (non of this new fangled stuff!) and have had a pretty good search via google to try to find out how much say a class 47 would be to buy from eg a DB schenker disposal in a servicable condition.
The nearest I have come is on the class 60 site where a figure of £20K has been suggested plus an adjustment for the copper in the wiring and alternator so approx £22k ish.
I think it would be pretty cool to own an engine and if anybody has any experience, I would love to hear about it plus running costs.

hidetheelephants

35,694 posts

222 months

Monday 26th December 2011
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Where would you keep it? Not very useful for nipping down to the shops in, and the fuel economy will suck. hehe

mrmaggit

10,146 posts

277 months

Monday 26th December 2011
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An old school friend of mine co-owns four "Peaks", based at the Midland Railway Centre at Ripley. I've asked him the same question which he absolutely refuses to answer.

Also, most of the cost is maintenance and running, once you can find somewhere to keep it.

Sorry I can't be of much more help than that. I guess the cost is whatever you reckon it's worth.

Dogwatch

6,381 posts

251 months

Monday 26th December 2011
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I would imagine it's like buying a well used Fezza. Eye watering bills just keep rolling in whether you use it or not. smile

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Monday 26th December 2011
quotequote all
as others have said , while it might be cheap to buy it's keeping it in running condition - and in suitable condition to satisfy the Railway Inspectorate and failcack

hidetheelephants

35,694 posts

222 months

Monday 26th December 2011
quotequote all
mph1977 said:
as others have said , while it might be cheap to buy it's keeping it in running condition - and in suitable condition to satisfy the Railway Inspectorate and failcack
Surely that's only if you want to do mainline running? I thought that running on preserved lines you're allowed to dispense with most of the eyebleeding inspection expense as the max speed is only 30 or so.

Streps

2,457 posts

195 months

Monday 26th December 2011
quotequote all
Perhaps it might be worth to try and get involved with a steam trust in some form.
Plenty of people have the same desire for proper old locomotive goodness
Sounds bloody expensive.

0a

24,133 posts

223 months

Monday 26th December 2011
quotequote all
I await the picture of one of these shoved down the side of a suburban semi soon!

Agree with the OP there is something cool about these machines though.

I'd imagine the land/tracks/permission to run it might be rather expensive though.

DieselGriff

5,160 posts

288 months

Monday 26th December 2011
quotequote all
As others have said I think the running costs would be the killer although on a private preserved railway somewhat less than trying to run one on a main line (I can't begin to think of the legalities around this). I've noticed that there are 3 class 50's in very good looking order around Cardiff and think these look great, and was pleasantly surprised to pass as one of these started up cloud9

If it were me I'd be looking at a class 37, a mixture of great noise and proper locomotive looks IMO.

Zad

13,005 posts

265 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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I suppose being nearish York we get a bit spoiled for steam locos, but it is great to see them working on the mainline twice a day in summer here. They just have such a huge physical presence, with the steam and the radiating heat from the boiler. Loads of people turn out every day just to see them go past, young, old, male, female.

Shame I managed to crop out the 40-50 people on the platform!



These are the people who run it http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk

They seem to have a pretty good fleet, and I'm sure they would be pleased to have access to another loco with which to run tours. Amazingly, early diesels are becoming surprisingly popular (so I'm told anyway).


jas xjr

11,309 posts

268 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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Cost of transportation to where it needs to go will be a major factor

essayer

10,410 posts

223 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
quotequote all
Start off at the price of the scrap metal plus transportation by road and you might be pleasantly surprised!

Not as surprised as your neighbours or OH may be rofl

Fat Albert

1,462 posts

210 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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About 11/12 years ago I had a guy working for me that bought a diesel from Poland and paid around £3,000 for it, along with copious background records and paperwork, he then spent a similar amount having it brought back to the UK to a line in North Wales.

My Parents had a friend who had a Deltic cab in his garden until a few years ago!

williamp

20,378 posts

302 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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These are all I remember from my yoof. I wonder how many of these are preserved??


essayer

10,410 posts

223 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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williamp said:
These are all I remember from my yoof. I wonder how many of these are preserved??
Quite a few: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_41...

FourWheelDrift

92,233 posts

313 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
quotequote all
essayer said:
Start off at the price of the scrap metal plus transportation by road and you might be pleasantly surprised!

Not as surprised as your neighbours or OH may be rofl
They can be made to blend in hehe


Wacky Racer

41,241 posts

276 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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Locomotives..(Diesel or Steam) are a bit like luxury Yachts....

The quickest way to turn a billionaire into a millionaire......biggrin


Fat Albert

1,462 posts

210 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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Love that 4WD!

Reminds me of the film "Silver Streak" with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor

43034

2,971 posts

197 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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Price of scrap, well just above the price of scrap. Around £20-25k i have heard. Then there's the transportation cost from the site to where you keep it (a pres railway I reckon), £2kish. Then the fuel, they do gallons per mile not miles per gallon hehe Then no doubt the one you purchased isn't mint, so god knows how much that'll cost.

In answer to your question, about the same price as buying and running an E39 M5...

Rich1973

Original Poster:

1,277 posts

206 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
quotequote all
So I was right then with £20k odd. Bit much to spend on a hobby!!
But whats not to like, nearly 3000 bhp from a V12 and it would pull like a train! Several thousand litres of fuel would sting a little though...
Looks like its one for a lottery win.