I managed a quick visit to the National Railway Museum Shildon branch today to see the 2 Gresley A4 Pacifics from "across the pond".

"Dwight D Eisenhower" was shipped from the States and "Dominion of Canada" from Canada.

The locos have been shipped to UK on loan to be a part of the 2013 75th anniversary celebrations of Mallard taking the world speed record for a steam locomotive - a record that stand to this day.

I was quite impressed with the outward appearance of "Dwight D" but poor old "Dominion of Canada" seems to be in a very sorry state.  She looks as if she's spent the last 50 years stored outside ………………

Here's a shot of 60008 "Dwight D Eisenhower".  Sorry about the terrible reflections - the lighting couldn't have been worse and I didn't have a filter ……




And here are a couple of shots showing "Dominion of Canada" as a contrast - the port side




And the starboard side -




More shots later when I'm back in France and on my own computer ……………………..

I was at Shildon a fortnight ago and agree with you about Dominion of Canada. Are you still in the area for the Newcastle exhibition?

Is it up for renovation?

Great pics Peter. There is video of Dwight D. Eisenhower coming off the ship at Liverpool dock on Steamtube, that was posted recently. Hopefully this link will work, Dwight D. Eisenhower arrives at Liverpool Docks You must be a Steamtube member to watch, unfortunately.

Cheers, Gary.

Not outside exactly but in a shed on the site - not the main hall.  It was never accorded pride of place with the other pieces in the collection.

The dent on the front is from a collision with a buckeye coupler during a movement a couple of years ago.

Someone said that DDE looks like the Kitmaster model with it's silver motion.

John

 

 

[user=433]Bod[/user] wrote:

I was at Shildon a fortnight ago and agree with you about Dominion of Canada. Are you still in the area for the Newcastle exhibition?

Unfortunately Bod, my trip timings have changed this year - I came over earlier than usual but go back on the 9th - just 1 day before the Gateshead exhibition, otherwise, I'd have been there.

I did go to the Huddersfield MRC exhibition today.  A small event but a few nice layouts, some of which I've seen before.  I'll post some pictures as soon as I have access to a computer for long enough ……………..

Interestingly, one of the layouts already booked for next year is Pen-y-Bont.  Frank, the builder, was a member here some time back and I'm sure his layout is still in the archives.

[user=394]ddolfelin[/user] wrote:

Is it up for renovation?

I think cosmetic work only DD.  Several people have already said that, if that's the best the Canadians can do with her, she ought to remain here ………………….

I do wonder why she wasn't better looked after over there John (Brossard).  Dwight D was "overdone" with her inaccurate green paint, silver rods etc. and, we assume, replica name plates.  The builder's plates are also missing but whatever, she certainly looks as if someone cared about her whereas D of C just seems to have been left to decay rather than spend a few bob on a cylinder of welding gas and a tin of paint. I wonder why they don't just let her stay here.  At least the rusting process would be arrested whilst there's still something left to salvage.

Obviously, nobody ever expected either of them to steam again but they could at least be oiled and painted where necessary.  It wouldn't have cost a fortune.

I think dave Bentley (Westcoast) posted a link to a clip of their arrival at Liverpool Gary.  Not sure if it's the same one but it was of the NRM Director saying how pleased he was that they'd "come home" after all these years.

Having just read through and edited my initial post, can anyone tell me what a "Dominium" is ?…….:oops:  Apparently, Canada had one ………………………:roll::roll::roll:

It's a single Domino

Dominion - Wikipedia

That's a "Dominion" Max - I'd typed "Dominium" on two occasions (before I edited it).  I think Bod's probably right - latin for a single domino spot………………..:thumbs

Sorry.  You've lost me.  I thought you were asking about the name on the loco.  :???:

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

That's a "Dominion" Max - I'd typed "Dominium" on two occasions (before I edited it).  I think Bod's probably right - latin for a single domino spot………………..:thumbs

Its related Pete

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominium

Of course I knew that Dave …………………………:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

Max - I was talking about the loco name but I'd typed it as "DominiUM" and not the correct spelling "DominiON"

It's all rather pointless now because I editied out the typos ……………I actually had no idea there was such a word as "Dominium" until Dave pointed it out  :shock::shock:

Were you a judge in a previous life Dave ?