'Truro' meets 'Prince', NRM Railfest, 2004

Don’t listen to everything you hear!  Various rumours have been circulating that iconic 4-4-0 No 3440/3717 City of Truro might be sidelined for a long while following boiler problems that have occurred while at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway.

It was said that, even though it had earned good money for the NRM while on its travels around UK heritage railways, all of it might actually be poured into the bottomless pit of expenditure that is the apple green monster of 4472 Flying Scotsman rather than paying for ‘Truro’s’ overhaul and retube.  GWR fans would, clearly have been outraged by this but it seems, happily, that there is no truth at all in this.

Rather than perpetuate this erroneous rumour, I am pleased I did the right thing and emailed the horse’s mouth – in this case the NRM.  I received a very prompt email back stating that boiler repairs will be done and that the plan is for it to be running on the demonstration line at Railfest 2012.

Good news indeed although 3717 has been said to be getting pretty worn these days – yes, I know, another rumour – so whether it returns to the GWSR for another season is very much up in the air at the moment.  Fingers crossed, though, because I shall be in the middle of my fireman training next year and if there is one loco I would love to fire, it is 3440.