Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

Other books that you should find useful are "The Bulleid Pacifics of the Southern" by CJ Allen and SC Townroe, "Bulleid Pacifics" by Brian Haresnape and "The Southern Pacifics, Bulleid's Radical Design" by Roger Mannion.
I hope you do write a Bulleid pacific book. It would be good to also have updates about their performance and modifications in preservation if possible.

 

I Have Bulleid Power - the Merchant Navy Class, nearly everything mentioned thus far is in the Bibliography...

 

Assuming it's the same Rodgers, his "Express Steam" is one of the few books to deal with Webb's compounds in an even handed way: acknowledging they were a dead end, but not exaggerating their problems or ignoring their merits and performance.

RPSI, FfRS, TRPS, RERPS, RHDRA, WLLRPC

 

The SLL website has been updated today with news of all our locos. https://southern-locomotives.co.uk/News/news.html

 

And if Simon thinks he’s taken some flack over the Edward Thompson book, he’d better not upset Bulleid fundamentalists. I’ve known some who were quite rabid in their support of the Master.

 

I’ll defend a Flat Top against all detractors but I’m mild mannered compared to some I’ve met.

 

That comment might be read in a kinder light if you hadn''t previously been very rude to Simon about his other work.

However, if I were putting forward candidates, I'd like to hear more about some of the earlier CMEs, which have been discussed a little on the forum before, some of the LNWR's, LBSCR's etc. that have all sorts of reputations that may or may not be worthy.

Obviously if they're of little interest to Simon but Bulleid is then that'll be the direction we go, and I'm sure it'll be interesting regardless!

 

Do we need to take a Jubilee or Black 5 over the S&C again? It’s just a rehash of what’s gone before

 

If it comes from research conducted by @S.A.C. Martin then I'm sure we do. I don't think Simon does rehashes of what's gone before - it's not his style. Bring it on Simon - please.

Peter

 

I was fascinated to read in the latest SLL update from the memories of Harry Frith...."A general repair would normally take around three weeks and there was an incentive or bonus scheme to encourage the various gangs to get the work completed within that time." Given that the boiler was replaced and all the motion/wheels refurbished that shows the effectiveness/efficiency of the railway workshops. I wonder what the fastest turnaround of a Bulleid Pacific was back in the 50/60's?

 

Quite. There's a lot to be done by those with the time, energy and enthusiasm to bring a modern understanding of that inter-war and post-war generation of engineers, to take them and their work beyond the received wisdom of enthusiast convention.

Though I've occasionally purchased them - Simon Lilley's excellent work on the class 33s is sitting on the shelf behind me - I often find the micro detailed work on individual engineers or their works over-powering. What might be as interesting as another biography of Bulleid, or the other major CMEs would be more of a parallel biography, with a chapter devoted to each of a number of CMEs.

 

Drawn to controversy like a moth to a flame, Simon! I haven't read all the books referred to above let alone the no doubt voluminous material from the magazines. But from my point of view there are numerous interesting questions if the scope is drawn broader than a bio. For example

The starting position of the SR, reading @Jamessquared post on another thread, and the need in 1941. Was it correctly specified and were 140 Pacifics the right answer to the right question?

The civ eng and loading gauge constraints within which the design had to fit and the design compromises which were required in wartime conditions (I guess that is well-tilled soil but essential).

Any evidence on performance and especially on availability. Duties rostered. Were there really an excessive number at the back of the shed or tootling around compared with the A3s or the Scots?

What the locomen had to say about them. Books by/about Groome, Evans, Hooker, Peter Smith on the S and D experience, Nine Elms Loco etc etc.

Jarvis---an assessment of the situation in the mid 50s ; what would have happened without rebuilding? Would the Southern have inherited a bunch of Brits and V2s from 1960? Would Bournemouth electrification have been accelerated?

Very best of luck Simon.

 

To be honest, if this is an attempt to bring all of the above journals together to create the ultimate biog, then so be it. OVS is gone, Jarvis, Pocklington, Frith etc. Its all speculation. Enjoyed the company of Frith and Pocklington, just wished I had listened a little more.

 

I think we all know what has been said about Bulleid and his locomotives. Simon's forte is to unearth what has not been said on the subject. You can be sure there is much to be uncovered by forensic research if Simon is willing to take it on. But I would not expect to see the results for some years, he is that thorough. It sounds an exciting project to me

Peter

 

I know, but good innit.

 

Simon can have a whole bunch of photos showing the staying pattern around the thermic syphons and fire hole door if he hangs on for the next issue of Bluebell News!

Tom