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34046 Braunton

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by 92143, Oct 18, 2011.

  1. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    But the route he has been passed and signed for is, as I understand, only the Fort William to Mallaig line.
     
  2. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    IR drove back from Fort William to Polmont at the end of October, on 45407, so behind the lead loco and therefore didn't need to sign the road.
     
  3. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Understood, so not passed to drive except in those limited circumstances presumably with traction type restrictions as well.
     
  4. acw71000

    acw71000 Member Friend

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  5. 30910

    30910 Member

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  6. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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  7. acw71000

    acw71000 Member Friend

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  8. 05micfis

    05micfis Member

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    Brilliant video Austin. Well done for braving the elements. Really can't wait to see her up close and personal tomorrow now.
     
  9. sweetktg

    sweetktg Member

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    Absolutely cracking videos in awful conditions. If Braunton is still at the ELR for the Mince Pie special I may have to pop over.

    I have a question so humour me please :) Apart from the lack of casing what are the main differences between & re-built & a non-rebuilt, as Braunton sounds just the same & seems to chuck out just as much smoke as Tangmere, which is a good thing :)
     
  10. 05micfis

    05micfis Member

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  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    About 90% is the same.

    The original engines had the valves operated by chain driven miniature valve gear, which was moved by a steam powered reverser. The engines were clad in an "air-smoothed" casing, supposedly designed to be able to be cleaned by the carrriage washing plants. The tenders had high sides, though they were later cut down even on otherwise "unrebuilt" engines. The fireboxes had no dampers. The firehole door was operated by steam, activated by a pedal, though I think that feature also went on the unrebuilt locos.

    When rebuilt, the air-smoothed casing went, replaced by conventional boiler cladding. The miniature valve gear went, replaced by three sets of conventional Walschaerts gear, operated by a screw reverser. The centre cylinder was replaced. The firebox was fitted with dampers so that the fireman had a bit more control, and the boiler pressure was reduced from 280psi to 250psi.

    The pistons, valves, blastpipe etc were all basically unchanged (except the inside cylinder) so the sound of the locos shouldn't really have changed much.

    Several drivers of my acquaintance reckon that the rebuilt engines are not so free running - for example, they don't accelerate as quickly when left to roll down a gradient - but on the positive side, the valve gear is a bit more controllable. That is actually less to do with the miniaturisation and chain drive, and more to do with changing to a screw reverser from the Eastleigh steam reverser (which was rotten; Bulleid should have used the Ashford one). The preferred driving method of the originals was often to let the reverser find a spot that sounded comfortable and then control the power on the regulator; whereas most modern locos (with efficient valve gear) are best driven with the regulator wide open and the power controlled on the reverser.

    I think that is a quick overview of the top of my head - Spamcan81 can probably give detailed chapter and verse.

    Tom
     
  12. phil.sez

    phil.sez Member

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  13. 30910

    30910 Member

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    Thanks for the kind comment - hope we get a chance to see her stretching her legs on the mainline before she presumably disappears down south.

    Chris
     
  14. acw71000

    acw71000 Member Friend

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    Thank you. I hope the weathers better for your visit
     
  15. sweetktg

    sweetktg Member

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    Thank you Tom, that's just what I wanted :)

    I too hope that she gets a chance to stretch her legs unrestricted with less traffic to get in her way on the WCML, preferably over the next couple of weeks so I can see her :)
     
  16. willig

    willig Member

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  17. 981smithy

    981smithy Member

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    Footage of 34046 on Friday 21st on The East Lancashire Railway.

    [video=youtube;AU_TDJ4LY6E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU_TDJ4LY6E[/video]

    Hope you enjoy.
     
  18. rule55

    rule55 Member

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    Interesting. Under normal circumstances, if a driver did not have a particular route signed, he would have a route conductor and, if the route conductor did not sign the traction, he would drive. Is the West Highland somehow different in this respect?
     
  19. irwellsteam

    irwellsteam Member

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  20. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    with 34046 done, does 35027 start next or has work already started ?, hasnt it also been at Bury for a year or so ?
     

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