The "Flying Kipper!"

Those of a persuasion towards all things LNER please hit your browser BACK button NOW, otherwise the following text may cause you  some hypertension!


RANT TIME!

What is it about the "Flying Scotsman" (Flying Kipper) that makes it such a legend in certain peoples minds?
It seems that every rail or model rail magazine that has been published over the last few months have some sort of "Special collectors item" leaflet in it appertaining to this locomotive.
The latest one is a bankers lamp with a crude model of said engine on the base.
Who the heck buys this sort of tack?
It seems that every Christmas for the last umpteen years some unknowing people have seen fit to buy me a "Flying Kipper" themed present, last Christmas it was a calender and DVD set! Needless to say it is still in it's envelope unwatched and unused!
The classic one though has got to be the "Build the Flying Scotsman" part work magazine where you get a little bit of loco each week to build into an 0 gauge model of the Flying Kipper!
Working it out it would cost you about £500 to build the wretched thing! needless to say I declined to buy it!
Now if they did a part work for a GWR Castle or King I might be interested but, the Flying Kipper, NO chance!
I remember Pete Waterman buying this engine, repainting it in BR Brunswick green and then receiving hate mail from flying kipper fans for all his trouble. Needless to say he didn't keep it very long!
As for reliability from what I can make out it's off the rails more than on it! It must be costing a fortune to maintain it. Best thing would be to cut it up and bury the thing!
If you haven't guessed by now, my honest opinion  is that this engine must be one of the most over rated locomotives ever built! 
I've never been a fan of LNER stuff anyway, To be honest there is not ONE single engine from that company that appeals to me in any way shape or form.
I've always been a GWR/Western region fan and have likings for some LMS Stanier designs along with some Southern Pacifics buit LNER No way!
I don't really know why I have this anti LNER thing, I just have! I suppose it must be like football supporters only their team matters and no body else! 
That brings me on to yet another rant, DIESELS! but that will wait for a future blog entry!


I am expecting some flack over this post I wait and see!

Cheers!
Frank