Brighton Atlantic: 32424 Beachy Head

One thing I am curious about is why it is taking the identity of a scrapped member of the class? Is it merely because Beachy Head is the nearest major headland, because 32424 visited HK or some other reason?

I know it's not that important but, given the small size of the class, there would be loads of other suitable names... the south is full of headlands that could have lent an appropriate name. Personally my favourite would be to install battery-powered, internal lighting to witness 32427 Dungeness glow in the dark on the evening dining trains

 

Dont forget the tick tick tick sound effects with Halloween coming up, that actually is a spiffying good idea , i think the idea was because the BRPS wanted to preserve the original but at the time couldnt raise the funds

 

Ultimately because for those instrumental in starting the project, they always considered failing to be able to save the original as a near miss and therefore the desire is to "reconstruct Beachy Head", not "build the next in the class". It will at least have one small, but emotionally significant, part of the original touched by all who get to drive her.

Tom

 

I think that the new Beachy Head is going to be magnificent!

Shows once again what can be achieved by a group of volunteers with a great set of skills and a lot of determination.

As for suitability- its not like its a large pacific, and at the end of the day the group have built what they want- we should be grateful that they have decided to resurrect a machine that otherwise the vast majority of folk would never have been able to experience otherwise!

Yes, preserved railways have to pay the bills, but you have to remember the majority of people involved with preservation are volunteers, and without them preserved railways would cease to operate- the projects taken forward must be those that interest the volunteers!

Ill certainly be making the journey from the north to see Beachy Head when finished!

Chris

 

So who's volunteering to tell Paul Lewin to scrap "Welsh Pony" the second the paint's dry?

 

Well quite...

 

There were only a few possible choices of what to do with a spare GN Atlantic boiler. Of those few, using it to
recreate a Brighton Atlantic with only a few small differences from the originals strikes me as a very good choice. It has provided the motivation for a team to come together and do a lot of work, and when the loco is finished it will be a useful engine for the Bluebell, albeit not absolutely ideal for that line.

In principle the boiler could have been used to replace the one on the NRM's large Atlantic, but how much would that have saved relative to restoring that loco with its existing boiler, and would there have been anywhere near enough support for doing so?

 

i suppose it should be called a Marvatt Atlantic

 

but speaking as a fisherman ,I have to point out that Dungie is a ness , not a head .

you probably need to be a local to appreciate what Beachy Head means to sussex folk. it is the most famous headland in the UK .famous and infamamous all at once . the Atlantic was never going to be called anything else . .......... oh , and there are some stonking bass to be caught there

 

Glad you don't call them "sea bass"! That's a bit like talking about "train stations"

PH

 

Well, I for one have learned something from the latest update. I've wondered for a while where the air pumps were hidden on the Brighton Atlantics and now I know: under the smokebox.

For such legendarily capricious components, I can't imagine that position was very popular among the fitters and crews. Every other railway in the world that ever fitted them seems to have prioritised accessibility for a good whack with a large spanner in times of need.

 

It's hard to imagine quite where else you could put it. Out of interest, ignoring latter day fitting of air brakes to mainline locos, were there any wide firebox locos that had air pumps in British usage? The normal Brighton position on the cab side is ruled out by width of the cab; on the running plate in front of the cab is ruled out by firebox width; the alternate common position on the smoke box side would, as the article notes, restrict visibility and may fall foul of the loading gauge. Hence the below smokebox position.

I wonder whether an installation at the front of the tender would have been possible? Would at least have been in easy reach of the fireman.

Tom

 

Raven A2 Pacifics and NE section Gresley Pacifics in early LNER days, while there was still a lot of air braked NER (and presumably NBR) express stock. There's a picture about halfway down this page of 2580, clearly still right hand drive, with a great big air pump about a third of the way down the boiler barrel on the right hand side. The NER Pacifics also had it on the RHS and were also RHD. Evidently they weren't that concerned about visibility, although it's a very valid point.

Edit to add: Not forgetting this rather aesthetically challenged installation on 70044 and 70043. Visibility apparently taking a back seat again....

 

Interesting - thanks Tom.

Fair comment

Being born in Kent and living in East Sussex from the ages of 3 to 30, I think I qualify as an expat local Although, to continue the H2 theme, I spent much more time on North and South Forelands than I did on the South Downs, for some reason.

 

On the modern LNER design Pacific, Tornado, which has dual braking, the braking system including the westinghouse pump is fitted between the frames. I think - stand to be corrected - this is also true of the new build P2 as well.

 

The space between the frames is very congested with only two driving axles and two sets of Stephensons valve gear driving off eccentrics on the trailing axle. I don't know the exact location of the pump on Tornado, but hypothetically, if you sssume the space between the frames on the leading two driving axles is similarly congested, you still have potentially a relatively unencumbered area round about the trailing axle, but before the frames dip down under the firebox.

Tom

 

Only the leading driving axle is congested - no cranks/eccentrics on the centre driver axle...

 

With all new builds, I used to take a reactionary view that " its not the REAL real thing. It can't have historical value. wibble wibble wibble"

Then I saw Tornado at speed on the up Frome Avoiding. She rolled like a billiard ball. No swaying, no shaking, no unevenness and it struck me then. I had never before seen a young locomotive, and I've seen some of the best. Even the best restoration is an old girl, tidied up and dressed up like her glory days, but its still an old girl doing her best.

Standing next to "Lyn" last week, edges are sharp, tank sides are flat, rivets are domed, not flattened by a century of rust and wire brushes. Amazing...

All steam locomotives are wonderful, but these new builds have youthful beauty too

 

You've never been?
The most recent of my 7 or 8 visits was last month - and I travel from the other side of the world. Always worthwhile - and always a friendly welcome.
I remember looking over the boiler sitting in the yard at Sheffield Park - it is amazing that the rest of the loco is now so far advanced.
A truly wonderful project.

 

I wouldn't worry about PHs comments to seriously, if he doesn't like it that's completely fine, there isn't many larger locos paul likes especially newbuilds! But he isn't contributing so doesn't get much of a say. To all those that do, you'll soon get to see 32424 run and she will be a stunner. But if she visits the GCR won't she be able to do the TPOs and stretch her legs a bit?