Preston Services Luttermoller 0-10-0 locos

This amazing find was sent to me the other day:



It's from the Argentine agent for O+K, and shows either 10956 or a loco from the same small batch in as built condition. It's the first time I've seen a decent photo of the original tender.

 

A recent photo from Tuesday showing the frames readied for a test lift. We've got a little more work to do before the lift proper to ensure the gearboxes stay on the ground, but everything is going very well.

As an aside I've recently returned from a trip to Frankfurt to ride on their En2t and I'm very happy to report that they ride like a carriage and are very quiet and stable at speed, even on indifferent track. It really is a superb design and I'm very much looking forward to line speed trials when she's done.

 

As always more photos will be uploaded to my instagram, darnall_loco

 

The original and not 10% oversize.

But was there to start with a decent back to the cab? If not with that - only humane or, of course, enough turntables for both ends and any likely short working + one spare to provide for any new intermediate destination.

 

A strange sloping arrangement ….. (what does this have to do with Luttermollers???!!!)

 

.... and right there's a serious discussion to be had. Much depends on the ultimate aim. Working museum model, or something which can handle those light trains the RhE absolutely isn't known for, or a single Fairlie actually useful in timetabled operations?

That means either: a faithful reproduction of Spooner's original design, or a slightly breathed upon revision to remove glitches and maximise original design's potential, or (the one I suspect horrifies your good self!), the six-coupled edition of new Taliesin from boiler top-centre line down, with NWNGR sized cab, chimney and other fittings?

Right now, it's all moot and likely to remain so until at least new Gowrie hits the rails. That project does seem to have attracted some serious support, meaning completion looks likely to be a lot sooner than I ever thought possible.

Ultimately, of course, that'll be a decision for them's as forks out to get it built. My own €uromillions shopping list doesn't stretch to that one and even then, there's the ever so slight issue that they keep getting the numbers wrong!

 

Not sure what any of this has to do with Luttermollers.

 

Posted in the wrong thread at a guess, Perhaps a mod can shift to the correct place?

 

It happens because the Gowrie replica is at the same workshop as my Luttermoller. A thread for WHR replicas including Gowrie would be a good idea though. I'll go and start one. For now here's another photo of 10956's frames being prepped for lifting.

 

“….slightly breathed upon to remove glitches an maximise original designs potential……" would be just what I would would hope for and you are right about the "or………….. I think to atone for the circumstances in which was lost a new build would retrieve a debt of honour and its final running condition would actually do fine. Which ever the spirit of the original should be well respected.

Like the original Taliesin it seems to have been a considerable success and the two of them in conjunction must have been the cause of that marvellous flight of fancy that the old Ffestiniog driver Tom Davies inspired someone to: " in Heaven the engines on the railways would be single Fairlies”.

 

Reply over on New.Build Fairles thread.

 

The frames have now been lifted and the wheels/bogies are out. The first of the boiler tubes are out as well.

 

I'm sure the group will find this interesting, and I hope Mr Lynsky doesn't mind me pinching his photos. This is the inside of one of the gearboxes on my O+K Luttermöller 10956/1925 at Workshop X in Derbyshire. The current focus is on extracting the wheel sets for tyre, journal and crank pin turning and stripping the frames for replacement sides and well tank sections. Photo 3 shows the loco in 2021 prior to removal from Preston Steam Services.

 

More gearbox fun yesterday - the rear wheel sets are now ready to leave, and the front bogie is being stripped to release the last two.

 

As always, more photos and video on instagram.com/darnall_loco

 

A quick update from Workshop X on 10956. Stripping of the frames for use as patterns is now well advanced, and the bottom of the well tank with its supporting framework was removed on Tuesday. Photo by Mike Lynsky.