John Bunch's Southern Moguls

1 in 49 from Grosmont to Goathland is only an average, some bits are much steeper! I have ridden on the MHR so I do know what that line is like too.

I am reminded of a time back in the late 80's going down to Pickering station from the sleeping car, to use the facilities, only to meet a party of visiting MHR volunteers. They asked if we were using industrial tank engines and they were surprised when we said no we were using things like Black 5s and 4mt's

Sawdust.

 

In the early eighties you did.

 

Until they expired.

Sawdust.

 

So did the Mid Hants!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/7996847268

 

Actually, lack of steam was the biggest problem we had. No problem dragging 7 around as long as the pressure was there. Full reg and full gear to do it, though. Small boiler, large cylinders; relatively speaking.

 

Holcroft thought all the Maunsell Moguls were compromised by sharing a boiler with the River tanks, which had to be designed down to axle load limits. The N would be better suited to the NYMR than 31806, same cylinders, 5' 6" drivers, more tractive effort than a Black 5 - as long as you could keep the pressure up. 4P5F instead of 4P3F.

 

Didn't most early lines?...............

 

Nope

I think that was also the route cause of the frame problems that they later suffered, resulting in whole or 3/4 frame replacement in BR days for some of the class.

A freely-steaming small boiler though

I seem to recall that we ran 1638 on seven coaches on test trains up to East Grinstead (1 in 55) before the extension opened, but it was limited in practice to six to give a bit of resilience and to avoid battering the loco in its last years in service, and in practice we preferred to use the S15 when the main train was six coaches, using 1638 at the shoulders when the load was five.

Tom

 

Yes I've heard that the Mid Hants has the odd steep section in places. But do their 1:49 sections go on and on and on for 3 1/2-4 miles as the 1:49 section between Grosmont and Goathland does? Which as Sawdust has pointed out is an average.

 

We've been through this before - it isn't just the gradients, there's the curvature of the line and the
drag that induces to take into account. however I seem to recall from the previous discussion the that the mid Hants was said by its protagonists to run through a green tunnel, though I struggle to see how leaves on the line increase the load on the engine!

 

1:49? At the KESR, or the Foxfield, they'd call that "level"!

 

Just reading this thread when I noticed a pop-up advertisement at the foot of the page: http://boilerscrappagescheme.com/?gclid=CMG2rtGSvcgCFUsCwwodlMAIHQ

Don'tcha love these "intelligent" IT things?

 

oh for some Moderation

 

They might well do, but they don't run 7-coach trains, six or seven empty mineral wagons aren't much of a load. I think I'm also right in saying that I'm right in thinking that their steep sections are a lot shorter.

 

Yes, this comment adds nothing, for a start!

 

This thread seems to have turned into a gradient version of the four Yorkshire men.

 

Aye, you modern lot have it lucky. When I were a lad, we used to have to get a L&Y Pug up a vertical cliff face with no coal, or oil, or water. But you tell that to the preservationists of today... and they won't believe you.

 

my comment or yours?

 

K

A Lanky and Yorky Pug? Luxury!

 

Stop exaggerating! The bank averages 1 in 49 for just over 2½ miles of the 3½ mile climb. Still enough to wind a U boat with 7 on, though! An S15; now that's an entirely different matter! Makes a Black 5 or B1 look to be poor steamers.