Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

That would make sense financially its would be cheaper to get 2 (I believe Wadebridge got her wheels from the WSR) done at the same time compared to the cost of doing them individually. We saw recently with the Bulleid smokebox doors the railway got Wadebridges, Swanages and Sir Fred Pile done at the same time.

 

Think it's been said before on this 169 page marathon that the previous owner of Fred pile was the man who made the pattern for the bfb tender wheel sets and also coerced the old British Steel to roll some imperial plate - enough to make 5 sets of tender frames. I believe these were to include 34007, sll and Fred pile. I Know Fred pile had 3 brand new complete wheel sets completed. Regards class 40 wheel sets under 35006 the big headache is redesigning the braking system for the larger diameters. This is the last big job on the loco. Lookout soon for exciting news of the gwsr steam gala 23-25th may 2015!!!

 

34081 has also received a new smokebox door. Part of a batch so quite possibly the same batch as 07, 58 and 105.

 

Ooh, something based around 35006 will be good, a southern theme maybe?

 

All this talk of a tender merry-go-round (again) has made me a bit giddy, if not confused dot com........

Surely, a tender's a tender, and does it really matter what loco has had what & what it has now?....... as long as a loco has a tender & is running, who cares?...... I for one don't give a damn if its historically correct or not, just be grateful we've still got steam!

 

Post removed!

 

Your prerogative, matey, glad you have an opinion... However, the history of Bulleid tenders is complex, which makes them interesting to sad people like me. Furthermore, you wouldn't get far without a tender (although from my nit-picking perspective, ideally one that is appropriate to the locomotive)!

Anyway...

There were three designs of Light Pacific tender: 4,500 gallon (8'6" wide); 5,500 gallon and the BR-built 5,250 gallon replacements (both 9' wide). Add in the raves/no raves where appropriate and you have a potential 5 designs.

MNs had five designs of 5,000; 5,100 and 6,000 gallon capacity, with one equipeed for a mechanical stoker and one of the latter being the self-weighing tender chassis now paired with 34105. The middle series also featured boxed-in vacuum reservoirs behind the bunker.

Would be happy to learn of any other variations.

 

Don't forget the LMS(?) tenders used in the '48 exchanges.

 

Just curious now, what type of tender does 35006 have?

 

Dont forget the BR rebodied 5,250 and 6,000 gallon versions!

 

Ah, yes, the old SR/LMS pairing.

I understand the rebodied Light Pacific tender with boxed-in vacuum reservoirs (currently seen with 34046 and 34059, the latter having been paired with such a tender after rebuilding) did not feature prominent fire-iron tunnels, their presence only being betrayed by a slight slope towards the coal bunker near the front. This was because the tank-top at the rear was raised to provide extra water capacity, with the result that the tender looked almost completely flush along the top. Was the 6,000 gallon example the rebuilt self-weighing tender?

As for 35006's tender, I'd say the tank is a new-build 5,000 gallon tender as originally fitted, as the coal bunker extends just over half-way and the vacuum reservoirs are not boxed-in, thus ruling out the 5,100 and 6,000 gallon types.

 

Yes, the new body 6,000 gallon was fitted on chassis 3343, which had the self-weighing body and was fitted in December 1961. The body was an already built 5,250 that had an extra section let into it, it also it had two ladders at the back rather than the standard single. Of course this tender still exists and I assume will be run with 35018.

Just to cover all the bases; all the vacuum tanks were exposed when the tenders were high-sided, but when they were cut-down all had their vacuum tanks covered, but only the new body and the 5,100 gallon bodies had the tanks completely boxed-in.

 

Described by an SR fireman on the exchange trials (Bert Hooker?) as 'lousy'!

 

I've now had a good look at the tender of 34006 and the length of the bunker does suggest a 5,000 gallon, which is quoted on their web site, but the bunker sides are rounded at the top instead of straight – as used on the 5,100 gallon version, plus it is obviously higher than a 5,000 gallon should be! So it looks as though they have modified the bunker design of a 5,000 gallon tank so that it matches the cab roof-line of the loco by using the profile from the 5,100 gallon version.

The 5,000 gallon tenders were originally built to match the 1st series MNs, which had the back of the cab roof sloping down at the back so when they had their cabs replaced using the design used for the series 3 MNs the top of the 5,000 tenders were noticeably lower than the loco cab roof-line.

 

Interesting. I couldn't find an image that showed whether 35006's new bunker had a curved or straight front roof section. The tender is indeed a hybrid!

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/372pa...Zpz-nLfE3i-nLfE3t-ntG7eG-nMRDwa-nt5Sv8-nKoucU

Here's one (not my picture)

 

Yes, that's it. Cheers.

 

Does anyone know if 34027 shall remain exclusively at SVR or will she be making some mainline Jaunts as well?

 

From fairly early on Phil Swallow said she wouldnt be going mainline.
The sheer amount of money that has gone into this overhaul to then add another chunk for OTMR is alot to ask.
She is keeping the air brake and it is being used as soon as she is back in traffic with UK railtours incoming VSOE pullman in May.