Tornado

Not a whole boiler, but there is a batch order for either five or six Bulleid light Pacific fireboxes currently underway at South Devon, with the costs and risks of set up (primarily producing the necessary dies for the presses) shared between the different owning societies. As you say, there are other boiler designs for which a similar pooling of resources would be entirely feasible.

Tom

 

It is already starting to happen. I understand that the DSR are planning to have a third boiler (albeit with steel firebox) constructed to reduce overhaul turnaround times on their GW 2-8-0Ts.

 

If the Night owl arent using their No1 then presumably thats also a spare...

Whilst ordering Two A1/P2 boilers allows the producing of 2 sets of component parts the final assembly is still a one off process, allowing one to be put into service / assessed before completing the other...

 

I'm pretty sure that given the combined experience of the A1 operations and the boiler manufacturer , the necessary design mods required will already be well defined.

 

As a point of detail, although there were Large Prairies with Std 4 boilers all the surviving Large Prairies have Std 2. I think though the Std 1 and the Std 4 used the same flanging blocks.

 

Just reading the Patriot project update

"No sooner had we moved in, a phone call was received from the operators of 60163 'Tornado' who were required to carry out urgent repairs to some leaking stays on their boiler. This would necessitate the removal of the cab to gain access to complete the repairs."

Arent Tornado's Stays welded?

 

I'm fairly certain that they have tell-tales, though, in which case, if they are leaking, they are cracked/broken and need replacing.

 

Yes the stays are counter-bored most of the way through from the outside so there is no doubt if you have a crack, this is unlike most locos where you rely on a man with a hammer tapping them every so often.

 

The joys of having a disposable boiler I guess rather than the standard version. Weren't all Dampflokwerk Meiningen boilers meant to last for only 10 years or so anyhow before a new one was required? Even with the order for 2 new boilers, is it actually solving the problem long term or just another quick fix that will require attention every 2-4 years?

 

Think for ' boiler' you should read 'firebox' ? plus the boilers produced are to A1SLT spec. not Deutsche Reichsbahn....

 

So, are you saying that the firebox had to be replaced after that time period rather than the barrel as well? Was this standard German practice?

 

I am saying that steel fireboxes tend not to last as long as copper ones and AFAIK you are right that DRB see Boilers as consumeable items rather than something to be endlessly patched up but since the firebox is 'wearing out'much quicker than the rest firebox replacement must be outstripping whole boiler replacement.
If a steam loco costs ' Half a million' every 8 years then there simply wouldnt be as many steam locos running in Germany

 

I may be wrong but I am to understand that the practice on steel boilers (Poland Germany) was to replace the fire box every five years up fifteen years and then replace the whole boiler at fifteen years, not really a cost saving if you have replace it after such a short period, which I suppose is why they have to have a spare.

As far replacing copper boxes for steel, we have been here before, that wasn't successful and cost the owners dearly.

 

Dont know which instance you are referring to chuffers ( standard 4 tank ?) but there is clearly more too it than just using a different material, the dimensional relationship and staying scheme between inner and outer firebox clearly has to be very different and one of the reasons why the design was contracted to Meiningen even before the order for the build was placed there.
IIrc The teething troubles with Tornados lower firebox early on were to do with aspects of the original LNER design being retained rather than Meiningens redesign, and the other way round with the foundation ring construction..

 

ISTR that yes, it was the KWVR who tried a steel firebox on their Standard 4 tank 80002 instead of copper, but as stated above, it didn't work, for the reasons also given above.

 

The IOWSR has had two new boilers built with steel fireboxes but that was accomplished with a complete redesign of the firebox to suit the steel inner box. W8 has just completed its second 10yr stint without any major repairs and is currently being assessed for a third ticket

 

I seem to recall from reading Push & Pull, that a lot of star-fractures were occurring in the side sheets. Not sure about broken stays though.

Richard.

 

Quite a brave thing to do in the present climate, I assume any problems of common standards, specification and potential tariff come November have been factored into this cost and decision?

The 47xx could (and maybe will) run with a no.1 for a while as per 4700 as built, however I cannot imagine the GWS getting rid of a spare no.1 as it would be handy for many locos on site at Didcot if required. However there is a spare No.1 kicking around (at Tyseley originally earmarked for a Star conversion??) I believe it came off 2873 which now stands forlorn and boiler less at the SDR.

 

I believe that the idea of using the #1 boiler on 4709 has been abandoned and the ex 2861 cylinder block is to be removed. A 'correct' replacement cylinder block is to be made to suit the larger boiler.
Ray.

 

A still image from Tornado's FFCCTV trial (front facing CCTV) during it's mainline charter to Kingswear on 6th July.

News from Graeme Bunker at the A1 Steam Trust: ''The trial was successful so permanent fitment next''.