Porta's locomotive.......

La Argentina.
Really tragic!

 

Worse than tragic. But the knowledge that brought about this magnificent engine is available to all who wish to use it. Whether people desire to is another matter entirely.

 

Is it 'Metre Gauge ' ? could it be converted to 3ft...

 

I don't understand the Argentinian's desire to obliterate such an iconic part of their engineering past.

 

Maybe those who are such ardent supporters of Porta's work could be persuaded to rescue it, assuming it hasn't been totally lost in the eleven years since that photo was taken?

 

It's 15 years since I visited Argentina but certainly at that time there was no shortage of preserved steam engines (entire sheds full in a couple of cases) but a big shortage of money and people to look after them, and very little actually working. I'm not familiar with what happened to this particular loco but I'd expect most of the few preservationists over there would place it firmly in the 'too difficult' pile.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Where would you run it?

 

on a 3ft Gauge railway ? Sorry I remember reading recently that a 3ft gauge railway ... was it Ireland or France, was looking for one. Suspect they would want it to be up and running though

 

Neither did Martyn Bane. But that is another story.

The drawbar horsepower produced by this machine was 2120. And it was a metre gauge locomotive. For a little more perspective, though 242A1 could produce 5,500ihp it delivered a dbhp of 3,800. The best UK figure given in the same source is 1,870, stand up 21C7!

There were moves to try to save it, but these came to nothing. In a fairly impoverished country that is rather hostile to the UK what more could be expected? The Argentinians have other things to worry about than artefacts. It can be likened to the Greeks and the Diolkos.

We can preserve the knowledge that brought this machine into being, Porta funded the work himself by taking a loan from the Industrial Bank, he was only 27 at the time. It has to be numbered in the WIBN list, I suspect little will remain now. And even if it had been saved the question of what to do with it would need to be resolved. The engine would have been in a far worse situation than 3.628 which at least had the advantage of being standard gauge.

Better to use the knowledge.

 

there's a big shortge of Irish 3' locos but most foreign ones would probably be too big. Lady Edith might be home soon, I hopoe it happens.

 

I only know one Argentinian and he is very pro UK.

 

It is very much like any other country. The ordinary people that you meet are very much one thing however those with political positions or aspirations are very much another. One guess which group will cause you difficulties.

 

In the latest SR the Waterford Railway is looking for 3ft gauge locomotive, although I doubt whether "La Argentina" is what they had in mind. In the British Isles there is also the IoM. If you look at other international options there is more choice if you retain metre gauge.

 

Any suggestions of acquiring anything from the IoM would best be preceded by construction of a reinforced concrete bunker from which to make said suggestion and be prepared to never, under any circumstances whatsoever, leave that bunker again this side of the end of the universe.

Consider thyself duly alerted!

 

the Waterford and Suir Railway would be an excellent home for a steam loco. I suspect they will want something fairly small though, maybe the size of the loco being rebuilt for service in Dromod as a maximum size. An IoM loco would be the ideal size and I'd say they have more than they need....off to my bunker now

 

I was actually thinking of running "La Argentina" on the IoM, assuming it fits.

 

The last pictures I saw a few years back showed nothing more than a boiler shell with nothing in them and a half buried and stripped frames.

Although we don't make a fuss about our work we still persue the development of steam biased on Chapelon, Porta and Wardales work. We know how to solve some of the issues which where in 3450 and further develope other areas of combustion and draughting. The question is where and when to apply this work. The bottom line is that it's down to money and a unified strategy with a singular minded person to lead the work for it to happen.

Simply put the is still development work to be done to achieve the ultimate reciprocating steam engine. But we chose to do it in private. The fate of Argentina demonstrates why and the reasoning of this view and actions.

 

Don't even think about it......!
There are, however, the frames of IMR No7 rotting away in a field in Suffolk if you really want one.
Cheers,
Ray.
How's life in the bunker?

 

It wouldn't!
Ray.