53809

Hi,
just been asked who owns 7F 53809. I know where it's based but not details of ownership.
Can anyone provide an answer?

 

I think that is correct. He visited the footplate at Pickering recently when I was stood nearby and introduced himself to the driver (Steve from this forum) as the owner I think. The engine is nominally based at the Midland Railway Centre, but it was Frank Beaumont's intention to base it at the NYMR, so it is quite fitting that it seems to be spending most of its time there nowadays and, after a shaky start, is being appreciated as the capable machine it is.

 

That's my understanding, too. John Moorhouse may not be the actual sole 'owner' but he is definitely the main man. I had some good chats with him over the last few days. The loco is certainly a vastly improved machine this year and will, at last, produce sufficient steam to satisfy the cylinders. Having said that, it is still a very fickle steamer. Get it right and there's no problem. Take your eye off the ball for a moment and it seems to sense it and go off the boil totally! I'm surprised how easily it loses its feet. I would expect an eight-coupled loco to be much more sure footed than it is.

 

I had her yesterday and she was in superb form. Definatley a case of needing to know your engine well to get the best out of her. The thought that crossed my mind regarding traction was when did she last have her tyres turned? Cant be far off needing some new ones either, esepcially on the leading set of drivers as they look thinner than the rest to me.

Chris

 

I hope that you don't mean thinner on radial thickness! If it is flange thickness they might just have a different profile to the others although I would have expected the middle ones to be like that, if any. I had thought about tyre condition as being a reason for poor adhesion, myself. 30926 was a classic example of this; once the tyres were turned it transformed the loco. I'll try and remember to look at the tyres the next time I see it.

 

Thanks for your replies. I remember Frank's ownership but was unsure as to what had happened after he passed away. I can now pass on the info.

 

Yes i do mean radial thickness Steve, stand back and have a look at the front set compaired to the rest. Short of having a poke around with a tyre gauging tool i dont have a clue if the profile is okay or not. As with most things up our way i could imagine she is taking a bit of a beating on the flanges.

 

Erm.... I'm not certain what the acceptable tolerance is on diameter. I have two references, one states 0.010" and the other 0.030". However, neither of these are going to be discernible by eye alone. If you can see a difference, there's something definitely strange there.

 

Last tyre turning was done earlier this year at Ilford. Loco going by road from Butterley for turning and then straight to the NYMR