West Somerset Railway General Discussion

We got there first - see inside the turntable cafe.

 

Well yes but we are talking about raising the profile of the current rail appeal which, whilst it has raised significant ££s could not yet be classified as a rip roaring success.

 

Can you check that link, please? It comes up with an Error 500 (File not found) on trying it.

 

There's a spurious 5 on the end of the date!

http://cgibin.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/snap.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2019/09/18

 

http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/snap.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2019/09/198

 

Sorry, Anthony & Jim,

I stand corrected! I thought you wanted a photo of a Pannier tank going faster than it ever does on rails!

 

???? Is there not a speed limit on low loaders?

 

STGO Category 3 low loaders have a 40 mph speed limit on motorways, 35mph on dual carriageways and 30mph on other roads.

 

I think Bob's question was tongue-in-cheek! However, if a low loader can do 40 mph, it probably is as fast as a Pannier has ever gone.

 

And if not STGO Cat 3 but just a low loader capable of carrying small locos?

 

This link may answer that question.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...rcement-guide/special-types-enforcement-guide

 

Steve.
It was not at all tongue in cheek. I can tell you that the 57xx panniers are authorised for 45mph running and do so regularly. I can say that I have no doubt that they would be perfectly capable of something in excess of 60 mph and that with 863 of them in traffic for around 30 years, there will have been many occasions when some brave soul has taken one of them to such a speed. Personally I can say that when we first ran 9600 on loaded trials back in 1999, it was then the norm to run engines to a speed above the authorised maximum. I can at this distance say that I have been on 9600 at a speed beginning with 5 and that there was not the least distress and it still had more to go. Given that experience, I have no doubt that they would be capable of 60 mph or more. As they were never fitted with speedometers in times past we shall never know what speeds they have achieved, but I would not be surprised to discover that some hero had taken one up to around 70. They ride very smoothly and steadily when axleboxes are in good order, although some can be a little bouncy at the back end due to the trailing axle coil springs, the 94's with trailing leaf springs are better. There appears to be some suspicion regarding the riding of six coupled engines such as this but as vehicles they are no different to the 2-2-2's and 2-4-0's of past times which had rigid wheelbases and ran at some very high speeds on occasion - Hardwick's epic being just one of them. Also, it perhaps should be remembered that a class 47 diesel is simply a pair of permanently coupled 0-6-0's and they are authorised for 95mph!

Perhaps one of the more unusual jobs which we have done with a pannier in recent times was taking 7752 all the way to York and back coupled inside 6201. Very much a little and large, 6201 was obviously going slower than normal but it has to be remembered that the 45mph limit was not much less than the then current limit of 50mph for engine and van moves. The interesting thing was that 7752 just went off and did the 125 miles with just one water stop at Barrow Hill, with very few other stops for traffic purposes and did most of it at 45mph.

So, back to the original comment, it is quite clear that Panniers go very much faster than low loaders and their going is somewaht smoother. I can only suspect that 7752 finds journeys by low loader somewhat somnolent.

Regards
Bob

 

My comment was very much tongue in cheek, though. Hence the smiley.

 

WTT a available to buy for gala yet please. I have little time left to work out movements ahead of thurs. as I’m on the trains all four days.

 

This prompted a trawl through the RPS data base. There are 130 logs involving 57 xx panniers.
The normal maxima, where inter station stop distances were long enough, lie in the 45-48 mph range.
The three fastest speeds found:
11/8/49 9601 with two carriages (2/60) working Yeovil Taunton 56mph before the Athelney stop.
11/3/55 8711 Newport Cardiff (2/72/75) 18minutes 46seconds non stop, 59 max. ( recorder gave 59.5 but with
stop watch limitations questionable ? )
31/3/59 3775 with four carriages on the Kidderminster portion of the 'Cathedrals Express'
ran the Worcester, Droitwich, Hartlebury, Kidderminster stages in 7-55, 8-00 and 5-55
with maxima of 63, 54 and 52.

Michael Rowe

 

What time does BL station shop closed 2moro please. I’m hoping to buy a programme for the autumn gala before Thursday. I will be calling in after work around 1630.

 

Do hope I can get one today. Need to work out movements for tomorrow haulage. 4 day rover purchased

 

The gala brochures are coming up from Minehead on the last service this .afternoon arriving around 5.40pm, the station shop is staying open until approximately 6.00pm for the sale of brochures.

 

Thanks, will wait till then