A2 60532 Blue Peter

To get people to bite.

 

Not quite an LNER Pacific, but ‘Southern Maid’ on the RH&DR used to have a polished brass dome ...

 

The A2 middle block is wider than Tornado's and as a result needed more metal and has to be cast at a different foundry.

Happy?

Sawdust.

 

Why not just say that in the first place? Can't imagine that being a state secret, apologies for picking on you @Sawdust but the 'I know, I just can't say' really winds me up, If it's that confidential then just keep schtum, you seemed to get really wound up when asked about doing the same regarding a certain peice of rolling stock your working on not so long ago.

 

Anyone know why the drawing office made them different?

 

I think the reason is changes from the original design for Tornado.

Sawdust.

 

Christ, how much wider? 3"? a foot?

I'm just happy they are spending the cash and that this can still be done domestically. It looks like a fine piece of work!

The real question is, does the old block go on display in the NRM for educational purpose... Its a hugely valuable asset for aspiring young engineers...

 

Honestly, I don't remember, less than 2" I think.

Sawdust.

 

Thank You Sawdust, interesting, that. I would have thought Tornado's block would have been wider, as the frame plates are one-piece aren't they?
All interesting stuff though...

Richard.

 

Why not give it to the Crewe Heritage Centre for display?

 

Tornado is not a replica, it's the next one in the series built 60 years after the others much as the BR built J72s were

 

Oh dear, in that case someone ought to tell Haynes Publishers and indeed the A1 Trust, as their manual claims to have been published in association with that trust, that the statement on their sales site that Tornado is a "fully operational replica" is wrong!


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Tornado Manual (paperback)
List Price£12.99
Sale Price£9.74
Format:
Paperback
Quantity
Product description
This is a Haynes Manual with a difference. Published in association with The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, it explains the construction, operation and maintenance of 60163 Tornado, the new steam locomotive that attracts huge crowds wherever it appears. Based on the LNER Peppercorn Class A1 design, of which 49 were originally built but eventually all scrapped, Tornado is a magnificent and fully operational replica that is totally faithful to the original Peppercorn A1s in all respects except for modernisation to suit today’s safety requirements. ‘a refreshingly different book...well recommended’ Hornby Magazine

 

I don't think it says that in the book and the A1 Trust don't look at it as a replica, same with 2007.

 

Agreed. A1SLT have always made a point of stating that Tornado is not a replica. The "product description" of the Haynes Manual is written by a journalist and we all know how accurate they are.

 

With regard to the frame thickness difference, because Tornado had one-piece frames made of 30mm plate, I guess the difference is going to be about.... 30mm!


Foxy

 

Surely that's 2x30mm... Less the difference between the metric and imperial plate grades...

 

I remember it was rather nice in SECR livery, but I can't find a nice photo. Anyone got one to share...?

 

'Fraid not. The only ones found online (so far) are blurry enough to be mine and get replaced with some message when clicked on. It was a rather fetching colour scheme which surprisingly suited the loco quite well.

I rather liked the earlier "French Grey", unlike photographers of the day!

 

Not heard of the French Grey before, what was that? An in Paris-Orleans?

 

Not sure where it originated tbh. The repaint into this livery was done in 1959 (the loco carried smoke deflectors at the time) and wasn't the longest lasting of the many that "Southern Maid" has carried over the years. The loco had definitely reverted to LNER Green (and lost it's smoke deflectors) by the mid sixties.

I can't find an image online, but imagine a shade a wee bit darker than 'flat shop grey' -remember "Tornado's" first public steaming?- with the slightest hint of a lavender tone and a decent finish. To my mind, it looked rather good, although it allegedly didn't photograph well under overcast weather conditions.

At some point (and whilst carrying smoke deflectors) this loco also carried LBSCR Marsh Umber for a while, which I've only ever seen in books and IMO most definitely did not suit it (or 'go' with any of the contemporary RHDR carriage liveries I recall either).