Tender Austerity at Ribble Steam Railway

Apart from the two Beattie Well tanks...BTW am interested in the story of the Thompson Q1 0-8-0, when you have a few minutes to spare.

 

Any idea if it's owner would be willing to sell it on, if they aren't working on it?

Any idea if it's owner would be willing to sell it on, given it has somewhat of an appearance of being a stalled project?

 

It's a bizarre genesis. The Q4s initially were being withdrawn pre-second world war. By 1941 when Thompson took over, materials shortages meant that a batch of J50s were being prepared but there was difficulty in fulfilling the order.

13 of the withdrawn Q4s were taken into works, boilers shortened, a rear buffer beam installed, and the J50 parts spare (tanks, cabs, etc) were put onto the Q4s thus giving the LNER a set of Q1 0-8-0T shunters cheaply.

Initially there were complaints of a smaller than acceptable water capacity - the nine Q1s built after the first four became Q1/2 and had a larger bunker at the rear, incorporating a bigger water capacity whilst reducing the coal capacity. There are other differences between Q1/1 and Q1/2 but I can't remember off the top of my head, sorry. The LNER Encyclopaedia probably lists them.

The Q1s were hampered by their lack of water capacity, though in fairness were found to be the equal of an O4 in terms of power and did their best work at Frodingham in later years. This was down to there being plenty of watering holes, so to speak!

As an exercise in recycling and making the most of what you have, Thompson's decision to use the Q4s in this way was a stroke of genius - the tenders were freed up to be used behind other locomotives and the LNER gained some powerful 0-8-0Ts that went on to do some useful work.

When I have some time, money, and a spare couple of Bachmann O4 chassis, I will have a go at building a Q4 and a Q1/2.

 

Maybe they will find a full size O4 lost in the middle east somewhere...

 

...... but it'll be hidden behind the Dean Goods nobody now alive knew was allocated there, so be sure to look closely, or you'll miss it!

 

Both got buried by a sandstorm last year so happy digging

 

Could you imagine the feeding frenzy if one of those 'missing' WD locos were actually ever found? There'd be an awful lot of extremely bemused locals suddenly remembering every last stereotype of us mad Brits that they ever heard third hand from their great-great-grandparents' days. Then there's the baggage of all the assumptions our loco rescue brigades would take with them.

What could possibly go wrong?

 

Ownership ? who actually owns it then who do you deal with to repatriate it

 

RODders of the last Ark?

ill get me coat...

 

After all this time, Bob only knows......but you've gotta find it first!

My guess is, if it were to happen, which seems vanishingly unlikely, you can bet it'd be in some area of dispute between two (or more) sovereign states, but as the late Sen.Edward Kennedy didn't say, "Well miss that bridge when we come to it".

 

You will need a lot of brown paper envalopes filled with cash so the officials will not notice that low loader with steam loco shaped machine tools that is waiting to clear customs

 

I don't personally know but at the ESR if it moved on/ was made a proper project it would most likely be appreciated as it takes up several wagons with bits on and most of Merryfield Lane siding.

 

Perhaps we ought to start a search for the preserved locomotive currently taking up the most room with it's various bits?

 

There's a lot to choose from!

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

Tender Austerity now at ELR

3155

 

Well, this changes things. I had planned to give the gala a miss but now...

EDIT: oh, wait. it;s there for the upcoming Thomas weekend. Yeah, might not after all.

 

Just seen this at the ELR after seeing it under restoration at the Ribble and I must say I'm impressed. The difference between it and the 3F would be minimal to a layperson and it still sounds magnificent, whilst being more interesting than an Austerity visually, so all in all a great job.

 

I'm aware that this next question is pure W.I.B.N, and could well lead to me needing to retreat to a secure bunker to protect myself from comments that may come my way, but...

Suppose owners of a couple of the other Austerities which are around the UK, perhaps those based at railways which tend to prefer locos with Big 4 or BR pedigree (Glendower at the SDR springs to mind) decided to rebuild them like 2890 into tender loco form, but tailored (such as with different cabs and tenders and paint jobs) to try and resemble various pre-grouping 0-6-0s which didn't survive the cutter's torch, which ones could potentially be 'recreated'? 2890 has something of a cross between L&Y and NB about it, and the numbers on the tender look to be in LNER style, but I imagine the Austerity (with a bit of artistic licence) could be a starting point for a whole range of different extinct classes...

Also, does anybody know whether this loco is due to stay at the East Lancs, go back to Ribble, or will end up elsewhere? I can think of several railways where this would be a very suitable and welcome member of the fleet

 

That depends on how much of the Austerity you wish to use / retain.
the motion is based on the Midland 3f If you retain the bulk of the engine, then something simular to most pre grouping inside cylinder locos could be possible, but if you want it to be authentic you will need new frames and wheel sets and of course a new tender chassis and tank .

 

Indeed, the only parts an Austerity could contribute to most such new builds would b the cylinder block and the Boiler - but that is still a significant contribution.