Tender Austerity at Ribble Steam Railway

More to the point how did the two 'Norwegian's' end up in the UK, especially given King Haakon's historic role? ( the loco not the monarch )

 

Currently no plans as it is owned by a private individual, if they wanted it done and had the money I'm sure something could be done.

 

No I'm not advocating cutting anything up. Read my post again - I clearly said "That might be one way of "standardising" across railways with multiples of parts being made to reduce costs" - I was speculating on whether we could take the basic bits of austerities - manufacture them in batches - and then apply them in different ways to new builds.

Of course, I had forgot - but this has happened in preservation. Iron Duke - the broad gauge engine - uses an Austerity boiler I believe!

 

Thanks for the clarification

Keith

 

Indeed RSH7135 donated boiler and motion parts, HE3696 some motion too but survived, also now at RSR.
Years earlier a couple of Austerities were scrapped for parts used to return 3F 7298 to running order. Still fitted?

 

I think I am correct in saying that there were something like 475 or so of the 'WD 0-6-0 / Hunslet 50500 class' built and around 70 exist today with many stored/OOU.

I can think of the 2 converted on the MHR (Thomas and the tender conversion) and one or two others (as outlined in this thread) that were broken for other projects, so if another couple or so of the non-working examples were converted to tender versions that would still leave around 90% as built.

I personally don't have a strong opinion either way but if presented with an engine in need of a complete strip down and a suitable tender chassis (which I would assume is the key issue here) then I would consider the idea.

I am not sure if the WD 2-8-0 that had its WD 8 wheel tender reduced to a 6 wheel version in Sweden still exists (I know the loco now has a correct 8 wheel version again so the 6 wheels one may have been scrapped) but this would be a ideal example to use in a conversion.

 

That was 'Spitfire' and 'Rodney' from NCB Bickershaw. When they were cut up Derek Foster kept the motion parts and boiler fittings etc. Because no more Jinty big end brasses were available (we had a set of connecting rods and maybe 1 strap) Derek decided to use the Austerity connecting rod/strap/brass assembly which was a heftier job anyway. As the Austerity rod was shorter than the Jinty rod we took them to the NCB workshops at Walkden where the foreman Johnny Bronson 'stretched' them by 1 1/2" under the big hammer. We also used the Austerity injectors and clacks - as, IIRC, Barry Buckfield had previously done on 7493. I think that the remaining Austerity motion went to an Austerity owner on the KESR and the Jinty rods went to 7279. Unfortunately, like the 45xx, the Jinties were well stripped by other groups at Barry even by 1973.
I seem to remember Ian Riley being quoted as saying that he will be replacing the non-Jinty parts during its overhaul.
Ray,

 

Love the different height cabs!

 

For different height crews perhaps.....?

Just leaving................

Steven

 

That would be about 1976? I understand Derek bought both, it was less costly to cut them up than take them away complete and he only really wanted them for component recovery anyhow. Pity, although I believe both were pretty clapped out they were Giesel modified . Of course a number of others were still in regular NCB service at that time, including 3 more at the same pit plus Walkden had an extensive spares store as well as one complete loco shortly also to arrive at Bickershaw. A couple of years later and there would have been no need to break the two for spares which became available in abundance, ironically mainly acquired for Steamport where 7298 was based.

 

When I purchased the heavily stripped remains of Hunslet Austerity 3155, soon after it was repatriated to the UK (initially as 1739 Hudswell Clarke) it was to a great extent based on the fact that Derek had saved a lot of spare parts from the 2 Austerities mentioned earlier by Ray There was only the whistle left on 3155 when it arrived back on home soil, no brakes or brake rigging, no cab fittings coupling rods or motion were on the loco. Gradually parts were acquired from various people up & down the country, including many parts retrieved from Walkden by KWVR members on the closure of the NCB works.

When completed the loco was named Walkden as may of the parts & fittings had been removed from ex Walkden locos on their demise.

3155

 

I'm not at home at present so can't check but you'd not be far off with 1976. The exact date is likely to be in one of Jim Peden's 'Coalfield' volumes. Both locos were "calpped out" as you say and, as more Austerities in better order were being displaced elsewhere e.g. Cannock, Gresford, it wasn't worth shopping them. One, if not both of the Giesl ejectors, lay alongside road 1 at Steamport with the coupling rods etc. for some time. One ejector went to the KWVR IIRC. Regarding Walkden's supply of spares, I heard that when Hurricane arrived at Walkden for overhaul the workshops requested the new spare copper 'box from stores only to find out that it had been recently sold so the loco was scrapped.
Ah! Nostalgia's not what it used to be...
Cheers,
Ray.

 

Thanks for the further memories. I had not heard the Hurricane story and was surprised to learn it was scrapped having seen it dismantled at Walkden circa 1978, especially as the preservation movement was well underway at that point. Wonder where that brand new box went?
I think Hurricane left the pit on the same wagon that delivered Warrior? As I recall, the saddletank went to LHR and was used for Repulse later. Some bits were also used in the shopping of Alison from Bold, which emerged transexual as Jospeh, in honour of the last works foreman? Not sure whether Hurricane donated to any other locos but I believe John Marrow of Bryn Engineering has the nameplates.
Incidentally there was another derelict Austerity at Walkden until the late 70s, I think it had been named Humphrey plus Harry survived too in the scrapyard at Chequerbent now in the hands of Mr Marrow too.

 

KWVR? But I wouldn't swear to it!
Ray.

 

I think the Steamport date may be a bit early with 1976.
I do not recall seeing the bits on 1 road before I left Southport for the delights of life in green in 1977.
May be mistaken though.

 

Bryan, I'm pretty sure there were still some Austerity bits there as late as 1980 - alongside the wall near where the LLPG's CLC coach body was. Perhaps someone with access to a copy of the IRS volume "Industrial Railways of the Wigan Coalfield" can check the dates the locos were cut up? I'm sure that Jim Peden et al noted it in there. Gwyneth is recorded as having arrived at Bickershaw in Jan 1975 to replace Spitfire and Hurricane as both had been withdrawn with knackered fireboxes. Hurricane had returned to Walkden by Aug 1977 and finally scrapped around Feb 1981.
FWIW Alison was re-named "Joseph" after Joseph Cunliffe the manager of Walkden yard.
Ray.

 

Only me, Still banging on about the CV&HR/LNER N18 ( Hudswell Clarke), here it is in its Colne Valley and Halstead Railway Guise...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Colne-Valley-Halstead-Railway-Through/dp/1445603519

https://www.lner.info/locos/N/n18.php

 

Thanks for the correction on Joseph, I thought straight after I wrote Ihad it slightly wrong.
If memory serves, Bickershaw received both Gwyneth and Respite in 1975, the latter after an appearance at Walkden Works open day. My recollection is that these two consigned Rodney and Spitfire to the scrap line but Hurricane was retained as a spare until either Warrior or No 8 arrived - probably the former - during 1977. By this time it was a two engine in steam operation as well.
Obviously poor old Hurricane hung around for a few years before the torch arrived.

 

I think what fascinates me about the austerity conversion is that with a bit of joined up thinking we could use a lot of these standard parts for new locos. Iron Duke being one example, and there's a few more, and yes of course the Thomas conversions.

But if you could could use the austerity cylinder block, motion and boiler - call them the standard parts that get made new in batches - what would you put together to use them? I reckon you could make almost any victorian 4-4-0 with new frames and wheels. Perhaps even a 2-4-0 which is one wheel arrangement I don't think we have running in standard gauge (correct me if I am wrong?)

Though I notice the GCR 567 group are using Kitson parts for their new build.