Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

Maybe a certain Mr Riley could be persuaded to unrebuild 35009 and then he could run it in wartime black!

 

That would be Southern Locomotives Ltd. when they owned 35022 as well as 35027. I believe this may be the reason why 35022's wheels, which can be spotted from the GWR mainline outside Southall shed, were painted blue.

Incidentally, my own answer to the question I posted yesterday is that there is probably just enough room for two MNs on the mainline, as Clan Line is pretty much block-booked for VSOE duties for most of the year (whilst this lucrative contract helps to keep her on the rails, how many railway enthusiasts can afford to pay £280 quid for a slap-up meal on wheels?), with only two or three slots for enthusiast's specials. This would be especially true if it is the locomotive that draws the punters rather than just the experience (I'm not knocking the experience, mind, but I am fairly selective about what locomotive I want to have a ride behind, or what stretch of line I want to do). That's my Austrian Schilling in the hat, anyway...

 

I remember reading somewhere recently that Graeme Bunker was hoping to try and twist the MHR`s arm to putting 35005 through another spell of mainline running after overhaul. But that was probably said tongue in cheek!

 

That would be great to see............ \/

 

What's in it for the MHR to go main line with their locos.

 

Possibly to help with more funding for overhauls??

 

But surely 35005 would need much more cash spent on her to get her to ML standards... plus she would need to be fitted with the latest equipment such as otmr which is another expense.... For the cost of it all it probably wouldnt be worth doing, though i would certainly love seeing 05 running at high speed once again.

 

Well CP is going to be overhauled anyway. She is in the queue at the moment albeit quite a way down the list. So lets just wait and see??

 

Does anybody know when it is planned for 34046 "Braunton" to go mainline next year and what she will be working on? i.e the VSOE? I wouldn't mind being the first to get a mainline trip behind her.

 

34046 and the group would have to work very hard to bugde Clan Line out of the VSOE work.
With 34046, 35028, 34067 and maybe 34027 returning in the next 18 - 24 months, 35027 is being restored as well.
850 and 30777 on the mainline its coming good for all Southern fans.
With 34070 brand new in the last 4 months. Bulleids are becoming more and more common.

Its all good then.....

 

What is infront of her in the queue that makes her low down?

I assume the U class, Black 5 & 9F will be done in the next couple of years, leaving the standard 4 & Douglas still undergoing work, I cant see Bodmin, the N or the other U entering the works, which leaves the S15's, 76017 & Swanage? Surely Can Pac could fit in after either the U, Black 5 or 9F. After all the funds are there for her overhaul already?

 

Yes the funds are there for already for CP. But it is all down to space in the shed. Black 5, Douglas, 9F in the boiler shop (Due out sometime late summer 2009)
Then you have the U which is currently being done and recently had the cab put on, expected out the same time as the 9F, as the boiler is expected to be a about a month from completion!
I think plans are still on the cards for 76017 and Swanage, although I don't know how far they are from this as of yet?

 

If the funds are there for CP's overhaul, surely a contract job away from Ropley would see her back in traffic quicker?

 

Thats Something the MHR are not dismissing.....

 

I just found in a book of mine that the 1st MK1 Smoke Deflectors were made to 34035 & 34049 to a smaller design and with a keyhole shaped opening through the chimney. What makes me wonder about this idea, is was it done to draw air as the loco gained speed to draw the smoke through the opening?

 

From using my common sense (precious little of it these days!), it created a wind-tunnel effect just in front of the chimney that forced the air back and upwards under the cowling (I beleive this was a flat, rather than the familiar rounded version). Until recently, I had a book documenting the experiments, but it appears that I have misplaced it. There were also attempts to angle the back of the side deflectors outwards in another attempt to create a positive airflow along the air-smoothed casing, which would reduce the risk of smoke obscuring the view from the cab. This was probably unsuccessful, as the locomotive was returned to original condition, and no others were so-treated.

 

I remember when 34105 first came back in to service on the MHR she had her steam operated fire hole door mechanism fitted to her. But this was removed because fireman on the MHR kept on getting their shovels trapped between the fire hole doors. Has any of the other unrebuilt light pacific's had there steam operated fire hole door mechanism refitted or is 34105 the only light pacific to have its steam operated fire hole door mechanism refitted in preservation. I can’t remember see one on 34007.

Thanks

 

They had Steam operated Treadle's and I can't be sure if all or a select few had them fitted, but this idea came from the Southern. Pretty sure this was another one of the many prototype ideas?

 

Typing this whilst listening to a recording my elder brother Don has just had transferred to CD.

34057 on the 5.30pm Waterloo Bournemouth in 1966. The train on which some astonishing runs were made, usually with Merchant Navy pacifics.

This run had a totally knackered 35057 in the very capable hands of driver Gordon Porter and Fireman Tom Moult, (who so sadly left us earlier this year). A combination I rode the footplate with at speed more than once.

Parts of this recording are fabulous. Leaving a slow speed restriction at Walton, passing Byfleet Junction at 66mph and accelerating to 73 mph up the grade to Brookwood probably being the best! "Thrash" is the only way to describe it, and it brings tears to the eyes to hear "Biggin Hill" whistling as she heads the circa 400 ton train through Woking at 70 mph. Once or twice it seems from the noise that the reverser jumps into full forward gear!

The start from Basingstoke is rather nice. Straight out and opened up wide. No slips at the location that caught so many drivers out. The recording ends with 34057 powering away from a low speed restriction near Stevention Box, (North of Micheldever), and roaring up to 90 mph at Winchester Junction.

I'll try and get Don to put the best bits on U Tube.

 

The first Bulleid Pacific to carry steam operated doors in preservation was 34023 (21C123)
Blackmoor Vale. These have been on the locomotive since its first restoration in 1976, and
are still present today.
They were removed when the rebuilding programme for Merchants Navies, West Countries
and Battle of Britains started.
A lot of firemen both on BR and in preservation could not get on with the steam doors and
isolated them by turning off the steam supply valve and using them manually.
I believe that Salisbury and Exmouth Junction men enjoyed using them but I have never
heard whether the South Eastern men used them.
Middle_C