Buffers of L.M.S. locomotives

Not disagreeing on the aesthetics (becasue I don't know) but you rarely come across sharp reverse curves on running lines, which is where buffer locking is likely. Such sharp reverse curves with no intervening straight generally occur in yards, including loco sheds and works and Duchesses would be shunted around in such places as much as any loco.

 

Just noticed the Class 43 (HST, 125) power cars that received buffer beam conversions and are now run by Grand Central also have oval buffers (corrected after feedback)

 

I presume for the same reason quite a lot of industrial locos have large buffers.

Chris

 

Do you mean Grand Central?

 

Yes ... I'll correct the original ... thx

 

other shapes are available;

 

Puts Gordon to shame...

 

Recently I found this image , and it shows a different version of the oval shaped buffers. I have never seen suchlike before.
A great looking baltic-tank engine by the way!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/8d/39/95/8d39958e3ed1dfd95305fa4812a1256b.jpg

regards

Knut

 

The L&YR derived 4-6-4Ts had oval buffers, rather pointed at the ends. The 4-6-0 from which they were developed had circular buffers. Perhaps the tanks were so fitted due to the trailing end overhang?

 

Found photo of brit with oval buffers and class 40 locos had oval buffers.

 

Mighty locomotives these L&YR 4-6-4Ts!

Another locomotive from L&YR with oval buffers is the class 32. I`m not an expert but these engines seems to have a long overhang: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/L&YR_class_32,_1505.jpg

regards
Knut

 

Yes, I'd forgotten about those! They were classed as bank engines, but would also do much shunting in yards with tight curvature.

 

Why use two buffers each end when four are better?



Via: http://www.railwayarchive.org.uk/stories/getobjectstory.php?rnum=L1520&enum=le118&pnum=8&maxp=11



Via: http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/ehlr/ehlr4.htm

Tom

 

IMHO I think that oval shaped buffers are aesthetically pleasing

 

If you want four buffers, how about this picture which is on the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Stockbook site. Nb

 

They're oval as well. Double whammy!

Tom

 

yep Whiteleggs G&SWR 4-6-4T did , but the very similar ones he designed for the LT&SR had round ones .

 

Same buffers as sarah siddons locomotive

 

Ah, one of the mighty Glasgow and South Western Baltics, mighty in appearance not so much in performance terms.
Dave

 

I believe their performance was pretty good - at least David L Smith says the G&SW enginemen liked them, which is high praise indeed.
But they were expensive to build, expensive to maintain, and expensive to operate. LMS 2-6-4Ts did the job more economically. So bye bye Baltics.