70000 Britannia

Is there any news about Britannia?
It's now looking unlikely for July's Torbay Express according to UKsteaminfo

 

Its still at Ropley minus the offending driving wheel set, and those in the know aren't saying anything - so she'll be ready when she's ready..........

 

According to Steam Railway quoting Richard Corser LSL " we're talking about end of July".

 

Steam Dreams told me today that they'll have it as one of the locos for this year's ACE. They may of course be mistaken.

 

There is a replacement lined up for the ACE but not yet announced. Keep watching the websites !

 

It is still without its front axle. It was said to me last Saturday that the repaired wheel set has been back for weeks now, but the problem was a result of the motion being unbalanced.
Discussions are on-going whether to overcome the problem or if it can be lived with.

 

70000 doesn't half seem to have some problems... wasn't it sidelined from the national collection initially in the 60's as it was knackered back then ?

the trials and tribulations of some steam locomotives in preservation just goes to justify why they were sent to the scrap yard in the first place.

 

I think it was sidelined simply because 70013 was the last one in service. Being used on 1T57 helped too

 

When John Scholes' original list for preservation by BTC was drawn up in the late 50's it was without reference to loco condition as it was never anticipated that they would run again. Britannia was presumably chosen as it was the first of the standards but replaced by 70013 as Cromwell was recently overhauled and, as Mark says was used on the 15 guinea special. Ray.

 

It's a shame that it's not had much luck, when it's been out it's been a brilliant machine to see from the lineside. I've seen it 3 times since restoration and loved seeing it. Interestingly, a WCRC fireman told me that 70013 is rated as being a little bit better than 70000.

 

I think you have been mis-informed about the wheel set.

 

Only going on what the fitter said, tell us more.

 

It's not obvious why a balancing problem would affect the front driving axle, unless it's either specific to that axle, by the balance weights on those wheels being wrong, or so bad that the engine wobbles badly. And why would the balancing be any different between Britannia and OC (and all the others of that class when they were in service)?

If wobbling is a problem, what about 48151? That can be seen wobbling a lot in several recent videos on here.

 

Well, if the job is complete, why did I have an exchange of emails with one of LSL's engineers about axle dimensions, only last week?

 

Regarding 48151, not so much wobbling due to out of balance wheels, more "boxing" induced by piston thrusts. Most 2 cylinder locos are afflicted by this to some extent.

Cheers

Alan

 

Definitely. Both 3850 on the WSR and 30506 on the MHR have shown similar characteristics in the past when i have travelled behind them both.

 

If the wheelset were ready it would be in the loco so it could be moved out of the way, irrespective of any problems with the motion. (not that there are any....) I wonder who the fitter was that you talked to.

 

Wrong person, Lplus. Try asking footbridge.

 

I did hear down the pub that......(your choice)

 

Is this axle problem anything to do with the derailment on the NVR in 2013?