35018 British India Line

She will probably appear for test runs wearing the number 35028 or 35029!

 

35029 and in Red, mind you at least from a distance next year, hopefully you will be able to see what loco it is unles she does come out in green, and runs as 35028 on test on the same day and route as the real 35028, or will the MNRPS, run their own switch and turn out Clan line as 35018 just to really confuse people

 

The latest HR reports it undertook some trial moves at Carnforth during late November. Possible test runs in February also reported. No mention of plans beyond that.
My uninformed hypothesis would be a period of running based at Carnforth, take some of the burden off 46115, possibly allowing for an overhaul if due? Also allows the MN to settle down close to workshop plus there is no shortage of work in the north to run it in sensibly. Once it is proven it could then go farther afield perhaps?
Steam Dreams programme could use LSL locos as they have a southern depot?
All speculation.

 

You'd be better off putting a few quid on 35028 being disguised as 35017, although all this will do is just convince those who believe in a strategic reserve that it's in a Tracey Island style bunker underneath 1oA. And it's not 9F's or 8F's it's a secret fleet of 'mixed traffic' Merchant Navies

 

It's been done before, I believe a MNLPS member owns the nameplates for Belgian Marine

 

That's why I mentioned it! I also believe that 35028 runs with it's genuine plates now and then.

 

it will be ironic though if at some stage to confuse line siders if the engines did swop identities and you were expecting to see 35018 at the head of a train and you got what looked like clan line, ok there will be giveaways such as lack of air brakes unles 18 also comes out air braked

 

If it looks like a Merchant Navy and sounds like a Merchant Navy, then I'd say it definitely is one of Mr OVS Bulleids finest!

 

Use of a measuring tape?

 

Number of safety valves and washout plugs, if you can get close enough to count them.

 

Apart from the obvious-but-useless: "They look bigger," the coupling rods are probably the easiest, if you're close enough. Plain is an MN, fluted is a Light. If you can see the LHS, then a straight ejector exhaust along the boiler is a Light, a joggle alongside the smokebox means an MN, and joggled above where the nameplate would be is 35018 (historically).

The expansion link brackets are distinctly different too, and the steam chests are more angular on an MN, but that requires more advanced Bulleid geekery qualifications. Tenders are theoretically different, but not to be relied upon in preservation.

 

In that case then have a look see whether it says 8P or 7P5FA on the cab side And they say Great Western Engines all look the same...

 

Injectors are mounted differently between MNs & BBs
MNs have water deflectors over the Bissel truck axleboxes
MNs have rear dampers, BBs do not

 

"Washout plug counter", is that the new middle class version of the common "rivet counter"? :-D

Sent from my HTC Desire 620 using Tapatalk

 

Half the rivet counters wouldn't know what a washout plug was!!

 

I'm not sure that that's the case given that Mr Bulleids design was massively reconfigured to a more "standard" profile after his departure from office. Given that the main design was undertaken by R.G. Jarvis, effectively successor to his boss O.V. Bulleid, should they not be described as Jarvis rather than Bulleid Merchant Navy ?

To establish his credentials better Jarvis was also in charge of the development of the Class 43 HST fleet so he was involved in establishing some major railway engineering methinks.

 

Bulleid, Jarvis who cares? If it has that lovely rasp I couldn't give a monkeys.

 

Remember it was jarvis's team who created the 9F and 4MT 4-6-0.