Current and Proposed New-Builds

More sensible than most!

Paul H

 

Boiler already started at Whitehead. Foundation ring, firebox tubeplate and dome already well advanced.

Keith

 

That's the best news from Ireland this year. Thanks Keith.

 

A few ramblings:-

I do enjoy these proposed new suggestions as pure fantasy. But to be honest I don't really get particularly excited about most new build locos.

Even as an unashamed GWR enthusiast it's only Lady of Legend and the completed railmotor that I enthuse about. To be honest I don't really see the need for the Grange and County. You can see other Collett and Hawksworth running while I am in two minds about even the 47xx.

I confess that I am however looking forward to the P2. There's nothing quite like it in terms of front end appearance and wheel arrangement and it will be impressive.

New builds I do think are great: The broad gauge locos, Planet, the Bloomer - in each case nothing like anything else you see running and recreating a different era. Also the narrow gauge new builds which help create the atmosphere of the lines they run on while serving a real traffic need - Lyn, Tattoo, Falcon, Taliesin, David Lloyd George, James Spooner etc. Even though 3 or 4 duplicate existing locos to some extent!

Perhaps a new build as part of a complete train for a heritage line would be more worthwhile than some of the express locos currently building or proposed. For instance a GWR Metro or 517 tank and period coaches.

(But of course the coaches might need to be 'restored' , perhaps around an original door handle to circumvent legislative requirements for new vehicles!)

 

Although I'm perhaps fond of GWR loco types more than most, I agree that the P2 is a real coup, especially as this class were small in number and morphed into other things in a relatively short time. However, it's 45551, the Unknown Warrior, that really impresses me and, as I've said before, it means much, much more than resurrecting a lost LMS class, especially as 11 November approaches.

 

Good news but it's a shame the decision couldn't have been to build a W rather than a WT, I always though they were very attractive locos and one that fell through the preservation net

Andy

 

Oh boy, could that be said of so many Irish classes! Though I could see no virtue in building a new B&CDR baltic, a survivor would've been so useful on railtours. If funds ever permitted it, the GNRI SG2 would be just one class I'd love to see back. Don't even get me started on worthy GSR candidates!

 

The boiler being built will fit either loco. It is being built primarily as a spare for No4 with a view to fitting it to a new build loco at some point in the future if such a loco is built. The decision on whether to build a new loco and if so whether it will be a W or a WT has not been taken yet.
The arrival in May of tender 43 at Whitehead (which is visually very similar to a W class tender) might be a hint as to how the thinking is going... (personal opinion only!)

Keith

 

I couldn't picture the Baltic, so I found this on YouTube:

 

Here you go Nick:

https://goo.gl/images/9dshcz

Keith

 

As far as I know, from my limited knowledge of Irish railways, no MGWR engines were preserved, and some of their 2-4-0s lasted until the early 60s

 

You're perfectly correct on both counts. Super little locos the MGWR K /GSR(CIE) 650 class. The tenders looked more substantial than the locos in several photos! Deffo one for the WIBN list.

Edit: BINGO! This image is from Chasewater Stuff and taken from t'Interweb.

The caption says it's No.666, but if I'm reading the GSR number plate correctly, this image is of No.656 (Built by the MGWR at Broadstone in 1898) and dates from 1926 (renumbered by GSR) to 1936 (fitting of sensible cab). No one seems to have a clue what Atcock intended when he designed the 'fly away' cab.

Superheated from 1918 onwards (retaining slide valves!), the 19 (of 20) which survived the Irish Civil War were later fitted with either round topped or Belpaire boilers, several carried both at different points during their lives. Just to add to the fun, a few even reverted to saturated boilers in later years. 656 was one of the first three withdrawn by CIÉ in 1957. The last, No.653 made it to the end of regular CIÉ steam in 1963.

Driving wheels were 5'-8", loco wheelbase 15'-0", Original axle load 15t18cwt.

 

Hughes Dreadnought anyone?

 

CIE steam ended in 1963? Does that mean that the Cork coal gantry contraption was the last working steam in Southern Ireland?!

 

I get the impression you like 'Pat'. Recorded last date of use, Monday 24th June 1963, cut up mid November. Looks like you're not the only one who liked it! Pity no-one had a few quid and a home for that unique contraption. For anyone who hasn't a clue what we're burbling about, this was 'Pat' (Wikimedia image):

If you think it looks like a home-made lash-up on an old loco's tender chassis, there's a good reason for that.

 

As does the LMS Fowler version over here, once the Patriots finished.


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still there, I have photos, will post later, just home after a week long adventure, docked at 4am, got to catch some zeds.....

 

Reading the appreciation for KWVR's WD 90733, on the Beachy Head thread, it did make me wonder if it was technically feasible to produce a sister, by gas axing 6ft off the frames off a derelict Greek 2-10-0 example, and building a new boiler?

 

Or just restore it as a 2-10-0? There are enough Frankenstein's locos out there without creating anymore.

 

I was enquiring if it was 'technically possible' or if the 2-8-0/2-10-0 machines are very different under the skin? Don't worry I'm not about to set up a Facebook group.

I guess the issue is the remaining 2-10-0's are unlikely to be restored due to lack of interest, and could eventually be scrapped. Maybe such a project could save at least one of them from that ultimate demise?


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