North Norfolk Railway buys Black Prince

The MHR were preparing 92212 for the ML during one of her overhauls when they were still involved with ML operations but were told by NR that the checkrail issue with the flangeless centre driving wheel would prevent her operating on the ML. A lot of people were looking forward to seeing 92212 on the ML in the South.

 

never did understand why british railways were happy to put a 9f on a fast passenger train,has the flangeless wheels become a problem due to track changes or has a 9f actually derailed on the mainline anybody know?also its small wheels would nowadays give it a silly max. speed allowance.

 

As I understand it, permanent way teams used to ensure that check rails were at the same height as the regular rails. But since every wheel is flanged on modern traction, and thus no chance of a flangeless wheel trying to pass over a check rail, this practise was let go so check rails could be high than the regular rails. If the check rail collides with a flangeless 9F driver, something will give, and neither will be pretty.

 

It's rather more designed than that Charles. A lot of modern track (especially around pointwork) has check rail which has a completely different profile compared with older track. Probably cheaper, I imagine.