Baldwin "Lyn" new build.

that's really interesting Colin. I don't suppose you know of any links to Manning Wardle works pictures of the 0-6-2 tender engines by any chance?

 

hopefully the following photo should help

 

I can see the similarities

 

Walschaerts valve gear this time.

PH

 

Looking at it, would fitting Walschaerts significantly affect the look of any proposed new build?

 

That comment has just prompted me to read up on Everard Calthrop. What a remarkable man of practicality and Vision he was, and you can't help but wonder what a Lynton and Barnstaple built to his specifications would have looked like; standard gauge wagons being worked all the way up to Lynton, and those big Kitson 2-6-4s in Southern livery. Plus of course, with him as Consulting engineer, the Nuttalls debacle would never have happened.

 

Or a standard gauge light railway with basic buildings, except for Lynton and worked by the L.S.W.R. Very likely to have survived W.W.II

PH

 

Wouldn't that have been Col. Stephens?

 

He was an engineer who deserves a higher profile IMO. The W&L contract very nearly went his way, which should make for a nice 'what if' .... just trying to imagine how the hell a Calthrop type loco would manage Golfa Bank, or what one would look like with Swindon chimney and boiler fittings! On the whole, I'm glad we've got the BP twins which are charming and deceptively powerful locos.

I wonder whether Calthrop's 8ft wide stock and SG vans on transporters would've been a good idea on the L&B? It can get very drafty high up on Exmoor. The word 'Owencarrow' keeps rolling around in my mind like some Gipsy's warning. (https://www.monreaghulsterscotscentre.com/owencarrow-viaduct/)

Interesting notion. AFAIK, the only SG schemes in the running were from South Molton or Filleigh, both of which were firmly in GW territory of course. Now that would've been a game changer. Short wheelbase eight coupled pannier tank, anyone?

If it's an SG light railway you're thinking, how's about we throw Fred's name into the ring? You can bet your bottom dollar that 'Hecate' would've found it's way west at some point, to spread rails on curves on Exmoor. I'm getting visions of a Shefflex set, re-engineered with ex-WD (petrol) lorry engines mounted on bogies fore and aft, whining up a 1:40 bank, nearly invisible in a fug of blue smoke, with the reek of overheated engine oil!

 

Not really although when your going to the trouble of building a replica would you want to, yes there are advantages but would it make it make a significant difference in performance. It does of course do away with that hole in the con rod but with modern steels that's a minor challenge to deal with.

 

My recollection is that the Joy gear was computer modelled ahaead of 'Lyd's' construction and found to give good valve events. Assuming the bearing on the con rod can be guaranteed problem proof (and I've never heard of any issues on the L&B design), why change?

If talking 'new design' it's a whole different kettle of fish. Let's cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

 

All has been rather quiet on the LYN front lately, but things will be stirring VERY soon...

As the L&B website states:

PLEASE NOTE:
LYN will not be in use until track modifications have been carried out at Killington Lane.​

These are due to take place at the end of March.
​

The new trackwork is currently awaiting installation, and preparations are already underway with the realignment of the loop at Killington Lane to acommodate the new trackwork. If all goes according to plan, LYN should be in regular revenue-earning service in just a few weeks.

Look out for updates in the weekly Work in Progress reports on the L&B website and in particular, details of the March Working Weekend...

 

From today's L&B Facebook pages:

Please note: The railway will be closed to visitors from Thursday 22nd March to Monday 26th March inclusive, for essential maintenance. We are realigning the track at Killington Lane to allow LYN to enter regular passenger service.​

Not long now...

 

Although a little more waiting required...

https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/story/latest-e762-lyn

 

Who's broken her?

 

Jealous Cornish piskies

 

The two old points from Killington Lane station and some other ex MOD 2'6" gauge points have been sold to the Bala Lake railway, so the out of pocket cost for the new pointwork is less than £1,ooo. The reason Lyn isn't in use is because the wheel profile are as the original drawings and the design was to keep the oil of the treads but they are causing problems to the trackwork, so need to be taken off the engine and turned to be the same profile as the rest of the stock. The cost to hire the crane to lift the engine to take the wheels out and at a later date put them back in is approx £1,700 plus the cost of the turning and moving the wheels to have then turned.

 

Which is probably why nobody really uses Porta wheel profiles. Think this project could have done with someone who could say "no" now and again.

Tim

 

Bet they wish they hadn't now.