I'm always looking for images of 76084 on the internet or in published works. New discoveries are getting few and far between these days but I made one recently.
Whilst browsing around a local antiques centre I came across a book that I had not previously seen by the late Robert Adley MP. I'm familiar with his book 'In Search of Steam' amongst other titles. So when I saw 'Out of Steam' by this author tucked in a corner on a bottom shelf my interest was piqued.
I always thumb through books of the latter days of British Railways steam in the hope of coming across that not-before-seen image or mention of 76084.
Imagine my surprise when I got to page 150 of 'Out of Steam' - the image there determined immediately I would have to buy the book. Stood between 44901 and 76084 in Barry Scrapyard was, as the book describes him, the Last Man of Steam, Dai Woodham. He is holding what looks like a drinks flask and is smiling for the camera and photographer, the author Robert Adley. This is the first image I have seen of our locomotive and Dai together. In fact, if you do a Google image search for Dai himself less than a handful are found.
I am now trying to get permission to utilise the image but it may take some while. Robert Adley is deceased, the book is out of print, the publishing house was taken over by Haynes, Haynes have no archive copy of the book to refer to and the last known address of his widow Jane was in the nineties and several J Adley's have themselves passed away since 1993.
Let's hope we are successful in getting permission to use the image. Unitl then you will have to find your own copy of 'Out of Steam - the Beeching years in hndsight' by Robert Adley (ISBN 1-85260-202-3). Good luck!
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