Oldest operational locomotive boiler.

I know that the Furness Railway no 20 is the oldest operational standard-gauge steam loco, but it has been rebuilt during its life and its boiler has been replaced.

I was wondering, as I lay in bed last night, which loco that is certified and usable, has the oldest surviving boiler / firebox unit, even if it has been re-tubed or whatever.

 

You might get in to the 'grandad's axe syndrome. Boilers throughout their life have new bits incoporated so it would be quite difficult to tell with certainty how much is original. Just think of a boiler that's had a new firebox, tubes, throatplate and barrel during it's life. Not much left of the original.

 

No longer operational but 'Lion' ran for a few years in the 1980s, after restoration for Liverpool & Manchester 150, with a very old (although not original) boiler.

 

I would say look to the B&O 4-4-0 in the US that runs about three times a year (the chaps in the states don't like replaceing boilers). I don't know how original Fairy Queen's boiler is in India. This could become a problem though as there is talk of local legislation not permitting boilers over a certain age that could finally kill the last large loco's over in the US (None less than 65 years, and regardless how many times it's had new tubes, firebox sides etc) as they would cost unthinkable amounts to replace.

 

Unfortunatly not currently operational but it must be one of the oldest boilers, Shannon, see Shannon. I think it is still the original boiler but I am not 100% certain on this.

 

Definitely not a contender, but mentioned for interest, is that 4150 under renovation on the SVR apparently is fitted with the boiler off a Flower class locomotive.

Patrick

 

A boiler that had been on a Flower would be a rather more accurate way of putting it: there was of course no such thing as a Flower boiler! That would presumably put it back at least to the late 20s maybe early 30s when the Flowers were withdrawn, which isn't bad. Does anyone know if Truro's boiler is the one she carried at her first withdrawal at that sort of date, or has she had a swap since?

 

If we widen the question to include road-going steam, I've seen a portable engine with a cast iron boiler, in steam. That must beat any still-used railway engine boiler, surely?

Phil

 

That surprises me! I doubt that any boiler inspector would sign for that.

 

If I remember correctly Adrian Shooter's Darjeeling locomotive still has its original (1889) boiler.

Charlie

 

LBSC E4 Birchgrove (on the Bluebell Railway), built in 1898, is still running with the boiler it was built with - no 891. In the intervening period that boiler was fitted to various other locos, but came back to Brichgrove in 1960, shortly before withdrawal.

Tom

 

What about Lion ? (I know it's not operational, but how old is it's Boiler ?)

 

Lions boiler as far as I was aware was 1840s but this is going off memory so I'll try and find a reference. This is I believe in part why it is being kept as a static rather than returned to steam.

Regards
Duncan

 

Interesting replies. I had absolutely no idea of how old or young the oldest loco boiler was, although I assumed that most would have bits replaced like 'grandad's axe'.

And in all the replies, I didn't see any joke references to 'old boilers' of either gender !! A very respectable thread.

 

W24 Calbourne on the Isle of Wight is running with an O2 boiler built in 1889, two years older than the loco. But there are few, if any, original parts left after its many rebuilds.

Nick

 

Lion's boiler is not orignal. Lion & Tiger original boiler barrels were oval cross-section (Mr Fyfe the loco supt of the L&MR recorded this).
It is very early though as it is half inch Low Moor iron boiler plate which was discontinued around 1870 for thinner sizes of plate. The firebox has a repair stamp 1902 MSUA (Manchester Steam Users Association). It is not likely the MDHB would have purchased a loco whose boiler was in need of immenent replacement and equally the railway company would not have reboilered an obselete loco so it is an educated guess it dates from a major rebuild in the mid 1840s (source: "Lion" - published by Merseyside County Museums).

There is an 1870 bolier on a Fowler ploughing engine called "Margaret" that is still in ticket - this featured on Salvage Squad.

http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/engines/fowler/ploughing-engine/1368/

In the Science Museum in London IIRC there is a 1700s era stationary engine boiler that is the oldest surviving pressure vessel in the world.

 

Thanks for the update. Found the reference 'The Archaeology of Railways' by PJGRansom and it mentions that Lions boiler is not original (In any case this would be unlikely as a lot of early engines had numerous modifications over their lives) but not any younger than than the end of the 1840s. That also fits with the above information that you mention. The book was quite interesting as it also mentioned when Lion is retired to static that a Planet class locomotive could be built....That was back in 1981. By the end of 1992 that idea was a reality.

Interesting thread in any case.

Duncan

 

Ah, fair point, could well be wrought iron; that'd make more sense. ;-}