Brighton "Atlantic" Project

Work in progress, courtesy of the Bluebell website, valve chests, cylinders, and coupling rods. Most interesting to see the kit of parts coming together for the fabricated cylinders and valve chests.

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/blueb ... atest.html

46118

 

If you go further back on the Beachy Head news it will show the rectangular section blanks that were actually forged. My assumption is that the cost of shaped forgings is now sky-high following the demise of Heskeths. Perhaps someone at the Bluebell can confirm this.

 

The rods are being cut from forged billets. then finish machined. The only real difference that I can see from the traditional process is that the forged billets provide material for several rods instead of individual forgings being made. Traditional forgings still have to be finish machined.

 

This project is going very well indeed with what I saw. And i think 2012 is a good indication that this will be finished then? although maybe some others on here will beable to say differently?...

 

When I was at BB in August last year a guy there said 2012 and it was on a poster, I personally think they will make 2012 or 2013

 

Yes 2012/13 is the general thought when 32424 might be finished, also it's hoped that when we get a rolling chasis completed the money donations will pick-up even more

 

I'm no expert on forging, but I'm sure there will be people on here who will have a view! I wouldn't have thought that the forging process aligns the grain to follow the shape of the billet other than in the general lengthwise orientation but I'm probably wrong!

 

No, I don't think that you're wrong. There's no way that the billet can be forged to take the grain around a non-existant hole. Non-existant at the forging stage, that is. When men and equipment were available, forging was a relatively easy way to produce uneven shapes that required less machining and, where the billet has a significant change of direction , the grain is carried around that change resulting in a better material. We are really talking about possible laminations in the material and their possible effect on its strength. A lamination in line with the tensile stresses is less likely to be a significant problem. However, with modern inspection techniques, steel can be certified to be effectrively free of laminations. If we were designing and building a loco from scratch, I'm sure that a metallurgist would provide a suitable material specification for rods cut and machined from bar or plate.

 

25th June update courtesy of the Bluebell website: Considerable progress.

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/blueb ... atest.html

46118

 

Thanks for the link to the update. This looks set to be a really great addition to the Bluebell stock as 4-4-2s are not exactly common! I'm looking forward to seeing this loco up and running and it will look wonderful as well as being an asset to the loco fleet I'm sure. I have seen photos of Brighton "Atlantics" in BR Black (and they look very smart) but I have also seen illustrations of them in the LBSC "Umber" livery (I believe that's the correct term - it looks a rich brown colour to me!) Either way, it will look great I'm sure. I'm aware that 4-4-2s were usurped by the more efficient 4-6-0s as railways developed but I'd be very interested in any anecdotes regarding the exploits of these rather handsome 4-4-2s on the "Brighton Line".