70000

Yes fitted on the NVR in the late 1970s for working continental stock. Please see attached photo'

 

70043 /44 were used on test trains with 70 air braked 16 toners between Toton and Brent(London )in the mid 1950s ,mostly in pairs .BR class 5s 73030/31 were also fitted. The train ran on Sundays ,stopped for water in Kettering station on the way back. There was no finer sight than two Britannia's climbing the 6 miles of 1-in 125 out of Kettering with about 1500 tons at fitted freight speed. The two Britannia's were returned to Longsight 9A on the Sunday evening. Please excuse the quality of the photo attached ,taken with a camera not much better than a box brownie. Date 06/02/1955 ,just north of Kettering station.

 

Thanks for the info, I wondered what trials had been done with the AB. I looked back into an old Locomotives Illustrated on the BR Pacifics but this variation wasn't even mentioned.

 

70000 powers through Safari Cutting on a loaded test run on the SVR (12/09/18)

 

I just read the post about the air braked wagon trials, are these the same as the 9f air braked tests, I thought those were vacuum brake, but had air discharge doors

 

Severl 9F's were fitted with air pumps for working the Tyne Dock - Consett iron ore trains. This had nothing to do with braking but the air was to control the wagon doors. The wagons were vac braked with nine bogie wagons and a brake van making up each train. This was probably the earliest form of merry go round working.
Some info here: http://southpelawjunction.co.uk/wp/?page_id=631
And a bit of video:

 

A few photo/video still edits from yesterday. She was really opening up nicely on the climb to Bewdley Tunnel. Video to follow later.

 

Yesterday's action and the Brit sounded very well !

 

My footage of four out the seven runs from yesterday. Enjoy!

 

70000 rostered for services on the SVR this weekend.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

Complicated keeping up with all the Saphos/LSL/IoS/etc social media, but this was posted at the end of last week:

https://www.facebook.com/RoyalScotTrust/photos/a.497375247083158/1185305684956774/

And for those who don't care for FB:

"We are pleased to announce that following the successful testing and running in on the Severn Valley Railway throughout September, 70000 Britannia will once again return to the mainline on the 18th October by undertaking a light loco test run from Kidderminster to Crewe.

Upon the satisfactory completion of this, her first loaded test run will then take place on the 19th October.

All being well, 70000 Britannia is then scheduled to feature on our Saphos Trains trips in early December where she will be hauling her first mainline passenger tours for a number of years. This will be confirmed nearer the time of the first trip.

Please note that this is all subject to the Fitness to Run exams being passed successfully and that if any unforeseen issues or problems are found by our engineers with the test runs or back at our base in Crewe these plans could be subject to change."

 

Whilst 7000 was out, did she receive any boiler work, to gain a new 7 year ticket, or is she running on an extension of her last 7 year one, which would only give her another 2 years or so,

 

Two sets of standard 16 ton waggons were purchased by British Railways for use on the Toton test trains one set air braked and the other set vacuum braked various locomotives were used over the years from the 50s until the early 60s.

 

70000 beginning the climb away from Gobowen this afternoon with ''The Welsh Borders Explorer'', following a repaint and change to the Late Crest. Sun did the usual disappearing act just before her passing and reappeared immediately after! Shot taken from Gobowen Public Crossing, line connecting to the Oswestry branch second from left.

 

For those on Facebook, this was on the BBC archive feed the other day - newsreel of Britannia being commissioned from 1951.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=740745476298485&id=100865096953196&anchor_composer=false

Tom