Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam 22nd-24th October 2010

Yes there is going to be a Water Tower but work hasn't begun on that yet though the top of the tower is at EG.

 

Just general precaution - always take water when you can, because you never know when a problem might arise that suddenly sees you run low.

For reference, the Standard 4 seems to use about 1000gals per round trip during the steam heat season with a full load - so if you didn't take water every trip, you could eke out two trips but it wouldn't take much to go wrong on the second trip (for example, an unscheduled delay) and you'd be in trouble. Obviously with a big tender engine, you've got more leeway - you could conceivably make Archie last most of a day - but on the other hand, filling up takes say 3 or 4 mins for 1000 gals; if you ran it down so you needed 2 - 3000 gals after two or three trips, you could no longer take all that water in the time allowed for a run round.

On the small engines, my experience is that Fenchurch will do the round trip with Obo with a small amount to spare, providing you start with a full boiler and the tanks brimmed (600 gals in a Rooter); but a heavier load means you'll really have to take water at Kingscote to have any degree of comfort.

Yes - the run off from the viaduct will be collected and stored in a new water tower. - see http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/epics09/eg_station_guide_ed1s.jpg for an artist's impression! Should be better quality water than the tanker at KC, which tends to get rather scummy and isn't great for boilers.

Tom

 

Interesting ... these engines (and the other designs in the LMS series it was derived from) could get from Manchester to Blackpool, sixty miles or so, with just one fill-up at water troughs. Also, on BR(S) they, and the Fairburns, worked long semi-fast runs without benefit of water troughs. I wonder why, and this isn't intended as a snidey go, this is no longer true. Have there been any unpublicised changes to the engines?

Regards

 

We're not really running them as efficiently as possible - lots of stopping / starting means they spend a fair amount of time running without the superheaters really warmed through etc - in effect they are running closer to saturated than superheated. Plus a lot of energy (= coal = water) is used accelerating from a stand, which is then all dissipated when you stop. So short answer is lots of stopping / starting and more than 1/2 hour standing still in every 2hr round trip (but still using steam in the steam heating) won't be as efficient as a long run at fairly continuous power output.

Tom

 

PS - for those interested. Normal technique for turning injectors on is to turn the water supply on first, then the steam supply. However, in doing so you probably lose a few gallons through the overflow before it picks up. Which might not sound much, but putting the injector on say a dozen times on a Terrier means you could easily lose 50 - 60 gallons through the overflow, or 10% of your supply going on the track rather than in the boiler. Which might be the difference between getting back with some to spare and running out somewhere between HK and SP and having a worrying last 5 minutes of journey.

So on Terriers, our normal technique is to try to get both valves on at the same time - or even the steam fractionally before the water. Awkward to do bearing in mind the water valve is an awkwardly positioned lever that is weighted to snap shut and is held open by tightening a wing-nut - but worth it to save 10% of your water supply!

Tom

 

Yes, that dawned on me last night after I had posted, but it was too late to reply to my own post! Looking up some sources this morning a Class 4 engine would use about 38-40 gallons per mile of water on the inter-urban work they were designed for but much, very much, more on suburban work where the various Class 1-2 engines would be very much more suitable. I would imagine that this has been one of the factors in the Bluebell's use of saturated Class 2 engines in their current economy drive.

Thanks for the prompt reply,

Regards

 

Had a good day on Saturday, ive uploaded a few pics.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccajane7777/sets/72157625107074661/

http://rebecca-parkes.fotopic.net/c1909943.html

 

My photos from yesterday (Saturday) http://s818.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Railway Giants of Steam 23rd October 2010/

Some of my favourites (all from Horsted)

1638 and Stepney leaving Horsted

30777 Sir Lamiel leaving Horsted (I wanted to take a picture from further up the paddock but 30777 left so I had to get one from where I was.

592 and 178's smoke can be seen leaving in the background with 473 waiting to leave and Stepney backing into Horsted

473 leaving Horsted

How do you send images to Steam Railway Magazine. It says you can email but no email address is given for photography

 

Anyone catch the Southern Super Power double header yesterday?

 

I did, but then it was Lamiel, SaS and Fenchurch on the front with 592 on the back of the rather delayed last train. Fenchurch went with the obo south from Kingscote before the last train, so we were delayed for that. When we got to HK, 672 was hooked on the front and 592 on the back. We were delayed further with a problem with Sir Lamiel. I took a walk down the platform to see what was happening but as I got there the problem was apparently fixed and it was 4 loco mega-power charging through the night to Sheffield Park.

 

On preserved lines tender locos. are often topped up with water on a regular basis to keep weight in the tender when running tender first to help guard against derailments.

 

Yes, on Freshfield bank. The light was better for the 4.30 from Sheffield Park than the earlier run (the 2.10).

http://www.penguin-web-solutions.co.uk/images/30777-34059_Freshfield_24-10-10_6808c.jpg

After that I went to Horsted Keynes to catch 473 leaving on the 5.18 to SP, lit by very low bright sun against a threatening black cloud.

http://www.penguin-web-solutions.co.uk/images/473_Horsted-Keynes_24-10-10_6818c.jpg

 

Here is my effort taken with the rest of the gallery just outside Horsted Keynes http://stephen-leek.fotopic.net/p67832110.html

 

I have a set of photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/spinner673/sets/72157625113288763/

and a video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9NzjOGHwPk

 

Thats a great photo of B473, I was a few yards away from you on the lineside...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5115813884/

I think you had the better angle but I chose lineside as I had one of B473 from the field earlier. A couple of my favs from a very enjoyable Gala...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5115232851/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5115829510/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5115225883/

More in here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/sets/72157624840040439/

http://ashleysmith355.fotopic.net/c1868998_104.html

 

A selection of my photo's from Saturday and one from Sunday can be found at http://paul-simpson.fotopic.net/c1909631.html I have included a couple of photo's showing the progress of operation undercover.

Quote from the Bluebell website "I gather the event will be re-named/re-cast for next year".

 

My videos from the weekend are now on Youtube in HD.

Saturday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5TbeIexrC4

Sunday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECQIuuEikaM

 

Well, a great show from everyone at the Bluebell, well done. I visited on Sunday (24th October) and was fortunate to see the Southern Superpower double header with 'Sir Lamiel' and 'Sir Archibald Sinclair'
For me, though, my favorite loco had to be P class No:178, a super loco. If you wish you can watch my video packed with 10 minutes of highlights. Of course I also took loads of photos, so, I've selected some of my favorite ones and you can see them here
If you were unable to attend the gala you might like to read my report of the gala which can be found here.
I do hope that you enjoy these small momentos of this event