Bluebell Motive Power

Its controversial, but I like it!

 

I don't think there ever was an air-vac proportional valve until after the steam era.

Out of interest, could they work a train together with the train engine controlling the brake?

 

The best way is to fit the O2 with a Vac pipe as a blow through ie with a coupler at each end and not connected to anything, run the O2 as train engine and connect the air train pipe between the two engines.
That way if the train parts between the two engines both train pipes will part stopping the loco's on air and the train on vac.If the train parts between the train engine and coaches, the train stops on vac, and the E4's 'Not the Jackson Valve' stops the engines on air.
A fully continuous automatic brake with the train brake under the control of the pilot engine.
Easy peasy.
Oh, Run rounds become a bit of a pain though.

 

Best to ship over another one then and top and tail...

 

The first two MLVs could do that, and according to Wikipedia they're both preserved (on the East Kent Railway). Maybe borrow one and see if it could be made to work with Birch Grove?

 

Assuming that ones in working order, it may be worth trying out, plus, if it can work on battery power run rounds should be a lot easier as the MLV would need to couple up to the coaches first, whats the tare weight of the chesham set and an MLV? would it be with in Calbournes capability .

 

I'm maybe being hopelessly naïve but I'd assume that the Bluebell have only agreed to hire Calbourne on the grounds that they have an operationally acceptable way in which she can be operated. What that is I don't know, but I'd be reasonably certain that it doesn't involve hiring additional motive power from a third railway to put together an untried mechanism for operating the brakes coupled with having a form of traction (the PLV) that will require separate run rounds by drivers who may not be passed for such traction! It's all possible I suppose, but looks like stringing together a lot of "ifs", with a consequent risk of single points of failure (i.e. what if the mechanism doesn't work? What if the PLV isn't available for hire? What if the rostered driver can't drive a PLV for the runaround? Etc etc).

I don't know what mode of working is possible, but I'm sure there is an operationally simple / low risk one that is already worked out, at least in principle. We're I a betting man, I'd suggest that either there is a way of operating Calbourne and Birch Grove together (in the same way we operated W8 with Fenchurch); or else we will hire some air-braked stock, but probably from a mainline operator to make delivery cheaper.

As before, 100% speculation, without inside knowledge.

Tom

 

Perhaps it'll do a "Sir Haydn" and spend its visit on a wagon...

 

Project update on the restoration of SECR P class 27, in which there is also mention in passing that Camelot's boiler is due to be reunited with its frames imminently.

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/loco_news/oh_27.html#latest

Also, Stepney's repaint into improved engine green is nearing comepletion.

Tom

 

Looking at John Horrock's photos from Sunday that have been posted on the Bluebell website and the Loco Works Group Facebook page, the Q doesn't look to far off completion. Looking forward to seeing it return as I haven't had a chance to ride behind her.

 

But not without precedent. Some years ago (90s 0r early 00s) a couple of Chatham bogies were sent overseas to the GCR for a filming contract, I can't remember what the film was. Film companies have deep pockets!

 

So how did W24 double-head with the M7 when she was at Swanage? Does the latter have air brakes, or is it through-piped?

 

I seem to recall Swanage had some air-braked carriages that they ran with Calbourne when Calbourne was running on her own. A couple of photos I can find of W24 and 30053 together seem to always show W24 leading and 30053 coupled to the carriages (regardless of which way they faced *), so I wonder if on those occasions, they used vac-braked carriages with 30053 providing the brake and had W24 loose on the front? Just a guess - I don't know the technicalities. Maybe someone from Swanage could explain the details of how they operated W24.

(*) e.g. http://www.traintalk.tv/wp-content/...fe-Castle-ANDREW-P.M.-WRIGHT-APMW_2487-EM.jpg smokebox first and http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qZuvVB42bkY/mqdefault.jpg bunker first - not my photos.

Tom

 

calbourne ran towing they're thumper!

 

If the plan is to run 24 with the E4, then 24 can only pilot she cant run as train engine, when the E4 is on vac, are the loco brakes still on air? Under normal running, when double heading, does the train engine or the pilot control the braking?

 

Always the lead engine.

 

I think that was the visit to the Mid Hants when it ran with their Hampshire Unit. The pictures I've seen with Calbourne solo at Swanage were with 2 of their carriages.

 

thanks Gary, thats what i thought, the leading engine controls the braking i should have known that one , but in my defence, i was always busy looking at the water levels,and pressure gauge.

 

It's not rocket science to fit a through vac pipe to Calbourne, with a ball valve to provide a simple application valve and a tee off to a vac gauge. You could easily do it in the day. That way, you could double head with any vac braked loco, as pilot or train engine. The legal requirement to have the brake operating on every vehicle is no longer there. We've discussed this before. However, the railways rules may require the brake to be operating on every vehicle so you might need an exemption from the rules.

 

We have definitely run passenger trains in the fairly recent past in which only some vehicles are braked (see e.g. http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/events/e-pic/blw/672derekh_21feb09a.jpg from 2009 - not my photo) so presumably no objection to having a partially-braked train.

I'm curious about how Swanage double-headed with Calbourne. If you look at the photos of Calbourne double-heading with the M7 (see e.g. http://www.traintalk.tv/wp-content/...fe-Castle-ANDREW-P.M.-WRIGHT-APMW_2487-EM.jpg) then there is no evidence of a vacuum fitting on Calbourne, which is leading. That suggests to me (unless someone knows better) that the stock is vac-braked, controlled by the M7 - which means the leading engine is not controlling the brake. (I seem to remember that when Calbourne was on her own, she had air-braked carriages, but I think they were only two coach trains - certainly I can't find a photo of Calbourne on anything longer at Swanage - e.g. https://www.flickr.com/photos/andyc20050/7157538143/in/photostream/lightbox/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/andyc20050/7297452544/in/photostream/lightbox/ not my photos).

Tom