35011 General Steam Navigation

Looking at the timeline of when things were changed, I think the change to the balancing may well have been a change of thinking/ethos in how the balancing calculations were done, with fine adjustments done on the shop floor. GSN received the balanced crank axle in 1955, the straight rods in 1956, but the only balancing calculation change that is shown is at rebuilding, which for GSN was 3 years later. As we return GSN mechanically to either post 1955 or post 1956 condition, we're going to have to have a think about the balancing. Watch this space...

 

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March 2021 News Update

The latest news from the 35011 project featuring new membership types, podcast, new 00 gauge wagon, new CAD and more.

http://news.35011gsn.co.uk/2021/03/16/march-2021-update/

 

Just caught up with the podcast on post 688, very interesting.
There are 29 Bulleid pacifics still inexistence and I doubt if more than 24 will ever be restored. There is talk about building a tender for 35011, if more than 6 0r 7 locos are ever in service at any given time would it not make financial sense to pool tenders amongst owners. The refurbishment of recently restored locos would probably take at least 5 years, the tender probably a year----------if needed.
This could mean that if at any given time approximately 17 Bulleid tenders could be standing idle awaiting their loco to be completed. I understand that some locos will be passed for mainline running and others not, but hopfully a contract could be agreed on regarding usage, mileage, and whether kept under cover or in the open air.
I know very little about the expensive and complex electrical safety gear required foe mainline running, but could it be made to be transferable between locos, and if so would this be accptable to Network Rail.
I await replies with interest.

 

Tenders have been moved between locos in preservation as the SLL website illustrates: https://southern-locomotives.co.uk/Class_Details/Bulleid_Light_Pacific_Tenders.html

It's complicated because MN and WC/BB tenders are quite different, and there are subsets of each. Also rebuilt WC/BB's ran with cut down tenders, as did most unrebuilts. There may be opportunities to share tenders in the future but most owners' aspiration will be to have a tender for each loco.

 

Yes, a good point however from the 18 LMS Class 5s that survive, I think most have their own tenders and those that don't are probably not looking at sharing but building? Other classes are in similar positions although if I owned a loco, I think I would want it to have it's own tender. If however I owned several of the same class, (per SLL) then other flexible options are more likely available.

 

Here is another picture of 35011 taken on a rubbish weather day at Nine Elms in 1966 .

 

Our current thinking in regards to a tender is go down the line of creating one similar to what Clan Line has, which led to the comment in the podcast about swapping. At the moment air brakes rather then steam seems the more logical route for the engine and we'd rather stick an air pump in a cut out in the tender (like 35028) then have it on the front of the locomotive ruining the look we'd have spent years trying to recreate.

 

Would we be able to use that photo on our website please? Love how atmospheric it is

 

Is it now permissible to fit the air pump on the tender? I thought I had read somewhere that the rules had changed since Clan Line was so fitted.

 

We had a chat with an ORR contact we have when creating our engineering vision and it wasn't flagged.

 

Glad that you like it - please feel free to use on your website.

 

But with the full raves, presumably? I'm not sure I've ever seen an original MN with a cut-down tender - because everything seems to have happened once, I'm sure someone has a photo of such a combo!

 

Sorry if this is a daft suggestion, but looking at the de-tuned variety (not apparent on views of the originals), was the battery box relocated during rebuilding? If not, would relocating said gubbins provide sufficient space for an air pump?

 

Wasn't the battery box for the AWS?

 

I'd presume the battery box was for the electric lighting Bulleids were fitted with?

 

I'm not 100% certain on this but I was led to believe the battery box on the front was for the AWS equipment. This was introduced as a late addition to the class and wasn't installed when they were in original condition. I know in rebuilt condition GSN didnt get AWS fitted until 1961. The electric lamps were powered using a 24v steam electric generator located under the cab.

 

Full raves is the plan, the comment about swapping tenders for a photo charter etc is down to the fact that GSNs last tender in original condition was a cut down one with the later BR crest. Does provide the opportunity for a bit of a variety whilst still being prototypical.

 

Finally caught with Railway Mania's podcast on GSN and found it very interesting.

In regard to tender swaps I wonder if the reverse could be done at the same time. Was it 35020 that ran briefly in rebuilt condition, but with the high sided tender? Maybe a recreation of that with 35028.