There is bitterness in Pierre-Etienne Van Assche’s comment: “We, “little Belgians”, have created and built thousands of locomotives which crisscross the whole world! The know-how has been diluted over time. years after the Second World War and we are at the mercy of the dictates of foreign firms, and not always European, to equip our railway network, or at least what remains of it in the south of the country The locomotive in question has! seen several of its sisters masterfully refurbished in Eastern Europe, and which are still currently traveling to the port of Antwerp!”
“We are no longer even proud of national production unlike other countries”
For Serge Tranchant, the question is the reflection of a certain mentality: “Belgium is unraveling a little more every day! We are no longer even proud of national production unlike other countries which praise it and keep it in example, we direct the product of our know-how into the trash.
“A good decision”
Other Internet users, on the contrary, believe that this sale to a scrap dealer is not a problem. It is even a “good decision”, believes Daniel Jambois, for whom “We must stop commemorating everything and anything”. An opinion shared by Jean Fillée: “Please, no nostalgia or fetishism. A copy in a historical museum is enough. More important things exist in life…”
Jean Lucet shares a more global approach on the question: “What is important is to have a copy in the best possible condition. Being able to present a witness to the know-how of our industries in an excellent state of conservation is the most important,
Here, contrary to what those who have not (well) read the article write, the locomotive built chronologically last was sold to a scrap dealer but a model in better condition of this type of machine is preserved for museum purposes. It is therefore not at all a question of disdain for the past, destruction of heritage, etc.
When we go to admire one of the automobile models produced by one of the many manufacturers who have made Belgium such a successful country, we do not worry about knowing whether it is the 5th, the 500th or 5000th identical car leaving the factory. All that interests the visitor is to see the machine in the best possible condition.”
“Wallonia’s industrial and technical past is not dead”
Claude Pitance agrees: “Indeed, the industrial and technical past of Wallonia is not dead, Brugeoise and Nivelles + ACEC are found in the Alstom group. As for the type 21 loco, there would be 2 left in good condition of operation in Belgium.”
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