Hunslet Austerity 3777

This loco, previously "Josiah Wedgewood", was donated to the NYMR along with 80136 and has been in store in the Pickering carriage shed, but I'm hearing it is to leave the railway temporarily for a chassis overhaul by a group of experienced volunteers. I haven't heard who is going to do the boiler, or if the loco is to be converted to oil firing, however sensible a step that might seem to be, but once it is finished it will give the NYMR another small , economical loco for services that are suited to it.

 

I suggested to Piglet even before it arrived on the NYMR that it would be a good opportunity to experiment with oil firing so I guess this is what’s now happening. There’s little logic in doing anything with it otherwise. The boiler was at Heritage Rail Traction but what is happening and whether it’s still there, I don’t know.

 

On the other hand, given the demand for Austerities on the hire circuit in the last few years, keeping it as coal-fired and hiring it out may bring in some useful income… not every railway has the facilities to store and fuel an oil-fired loco.

I’ve seen a few suggestions that it would be an ideal locomotive for the NYMR but I don’t really see what it offers that 29 and 2932 don’t - and probably with lower water capacity?

 

have any Austerities been oil fired in the past?

Given the current situation with fires I can see that the idea of an oil fired or at least 'fire resistant' Austerity type loco available for spot hire might have some merit

 

Given the cost of oil vs coal though it will still be a very niche. You'd be better off fitting your austerity with good spark arresting equipment if fires are your concern. I don't quite get why the NYMR felt the need to go all the way to the US to "experiment" with a technology that is well proven in Europe or indeed the UK. I suppose it was a good holiday for some one.

 

An issue with spark arrestors is that, depending on the composition of the coal you're using, they can get clogged up with dust and soot to the extent that they effectively become blocked and prevent smoke exiting the chimney, instead resulting in smoke lingering in the firebox, smothering the fire, and choking the crew in the cab. Nothing that can't be solved with regular dislodging of said dust of course, it's just another thing that has to be done at regular intervals

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