Many readers have sent in brief comments with subscription renewals etc., most of which show a broad support for David Wardale's proposal for a new steam locomotive. Many people though have also commented on the huge quantity of money required, which appears to put the project beyond financing by enthusiast donations. There are a number of financially larger preservation projects under way and far more than £1.7 Million has gone into rebuilding steam railways in Britain, so I keep an open mind.

Among the comments given to me verbally, Neil Howard ('Imperial Scot' organiser) mentions that some British railtour operators believe that the nature of steam railtours is changing. Long and expensive full day tours for enthusiasts wishing to travel with a desired locomotive over a particular stretch of track are expected to decline as the age of participants increases.

Meanwhile a trend is already under way for shorter excursions aimed at the general tourist market and this is likely to increase. Another major factor in the changes coming will be the need for steam locomotives to cope with running on the modern railway without disruption.

Erik Rydstrom writes from Norway:

I have read the articles & letters in the last few issues of LI and I think David Wardale & co have missed an important point; the historic aspect. Old steam engines are primitive, but they are historic objects. They are interesting and appealing partly because they are old. Old steam engines also make elderly people recall memories from "the good old days". This helps selling the tickets. A brand new design will not have any historic value, it's something new, designed to look old. I think that would be rather uninteresting. It's like an amusement park, it's not the real thing. It would not come high on my list of of things I would like to see or do. I can't understand why someone would spend an EMORMOUS amount of time (and money
they don't have) on something someone else has already done and we are successfully proceeding with the "Peppercorn A1 project". These people have the same objectives and they have struggled for TEN YEARS!! to collect money. They reckon they MAY finish in two years time. Why not help the A1 trust?

Mr. J.V. Vickers writes from London:

I saw by good chance your second editorial in the magazine, issue 54. I had not known of Dante Porta's offer to the people building a late LNER Pacific (he provided drawings showing the inclusion of latest steam technology in the design without changing the external appearance). What you said are exactly my own sentiments and I was so glad to see them, from somebody else. My only comments are the sooner the better - it is amazing that we still have Porta active and George Carpenter.

Robin Barnes writes from Edinburgh: (Note: Robin Barnes has put together some ideas on marketing and promotion for the project. I shall not disclose the details or related illustrations until such time as may be deemed appropriate, but some of his comments are well worth taking into account at this stage).

The statement that any new development must 'look, sound and smell like a proper steam locomotive' is taken as fundamental. In order for the project to be viable in both the medium and long term it must have an appeal that extends beyond the enthusiast body and find regular use outside the preserved lines of railway. This is important because the number of enthusiasts who remember the steam railway inevitably is in decline, and there will never be sufficient support from generations to come whose interests, reasonably, lie in the modern railway.

On the positive side, people enjoy the sight of, occasionally to travel in or on, the likes of great ships, vintage cars and aeroplanes. Sailing ships are a particular example of a man-made object that has the ability to stir something deep within the human psyche, perhaps because of its direct relationship with the elements, and the (reciprocating) steam railway locomotive is another.

Nevertheless the species requires a relaunch. The 'Flying Scotsman' for example, does remain an attraction, but it is no longer the household name it and its kind once were. Mention
'Caerphilly Castle' or even 'Mallard' to a modern teenage male and the response will be a blank look.

It is vital, therefore, always keeping in mind my initial statement, that any new locomotive must have a strong visual impact. The traditional British forms of styling, with lining, panelling and much fussy detail, simply will not do. The impact on the media should be sufficiently strong as to avoid the kind of heading we read too often; i.e. 'Hundreds of trainspotters today were in seventh heaven as they puffed along behind a new steam train.....'

Jack Rozendaal writes from Zimbabwe:

I would like to draw the editor's attention to what the Dutch accomplished as regards the building of two 18th Century East India Man sailing ships, of which one, the "Batavia" is seaworthy and was displayed at the Sydney Olympic Games, the other being the "Amsterdam", permanently moored in Amsterdam harbour as a tourist attraction. A 'tall-ship' clipper and a replica 17th Century 'Man-of-War' have also been built, all made possible by the generous donations given by the Dutch people.

The undersigned is sure that if a series of possibly six such "Euro-Locomotives" were to be built by D.L.M. (formerly the S.L.M. steam factory in Switzerland) that preservation groups in several countries would obtain examples. Each country may want its own individual variation of the locomotive due to local considerations, if only because of the different ATC's on each system. It is suggested that the locomotive should be oil-fired in order to prevent steam bans and that the first locomotive should be named "D. Wardale", in recognition for his work in the field of steam locomotive improvements.

Possibly the Benelux countries could obtain two locomotives, one to be based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands and the other in Louvain in Belgium, to be used on special services on weekends in the summer season. The author proposes for instance running a 'Breakfast Train' out of Amsterdam to the capitals of the northern provinces, where old cities are attractive tourist destinations, or to the southernmost age-old city of Maastricht.

The journeys could commence at 8 a.m., with breakfast served on the train immediately after departure. Arrival time would be 10 a.m., giving the tourist ample time to explore the old cities and their surroundings before a departure at 3 p.m. Arrival time back at base would be 5 p.m., with a catering service offering snacks and beverages on the return journey. Catering, especially in view of breakfast would be based on aircraft type trolleys coming to serve the seated passengers. Coaches would be hired from the national railways and would consist of modern locomotive-hauled cars with reclining seasts and a centre aisle. These steam-hauled trains would be modern and no preserved coaching stock would be used.

It would also be possible to run cross-border trains to, for instance, Brussels or Antwerp. A pipedream? Not at all.