SR S15 (30)825

The frames of tender 3223 are I believe to be the favoured option of the ULS, to be restored with a new tank to run behind 506. The first tender to run behind 506 in preservation is believed to be in poor condition with wasted frames and tank, but its exact condition won't be fully known until a full assessment is carried out.

 

Has 825 (Or any S15 in recent years for that matter) ever visited railways away from its home base? Certainly in the time I've been attending Galas I've never been aware of one of these locos making a trip away, which I think is a bit of a shame. Especially for those of us in the Midlands where it's a right trek to see one of these magnificent beasts at their normal residence. What are the chances of 506 or 825 for a Severn Valley or Great Central gala in the next couple of years?

 

I think that there were plans for 825 to visit the Mid Hants some years back, but the visit had to be shelved due to the NYMR being unable to spare the loco. 828 did spend a while at Swanage at some point in the early 2000s. I'm pretty certain 847 has never left the Bluebell since its arrival from Barry n the late 1970s. I think that one S15 visited the East Lancs quite a few years ago , but I can't remember which one. Apart from this, I can't recall any other gala appearances by any member of the class. (Open to correction if I have forgotten something)

 

828 has been off on the mainline, I have shots of it on the S&C, north one week south the next as it was then. I'd have to check which one, but we did have one at the ELR's 25th anniversary of the end of steam in 1993, may be faulty memory (at work so can't check my books!) but think it was 30506?

 

I travelled with 828 0n 25th March 1994 ("The Midlander")between Didcot & Sheffield I believe and seem to recall it failed with a blown plug (Ambergate Jcn?) Also on a trip vis Salisbury I recall??
Seen newly out-shopped at Eastleigh Works open day in September 1992

841 may also have run on the mainline before moving to NYMR

 

841 ran in East Anglia I think, when it was initially based down there.

 

841 certainly did run mainline when first restored at Chappel, at that time locos were restricted to specified routes and 841 worked Maningtree to Ely with servicing at March.

Unfortunately she did not cover herself in glory as a number of her trips ended in the loco being failed.

 

I've a vague recollection that 828 might have visited the NYMR once, but I can't find a mention of it in recently published mileage charts so I could be wrong.

 

Not my photo, here 828 is at Greenend.
https://flic.kr/p/dMRWAJ

 

Am I seeing things or is 828 carrying a nameplate in that photo? I wasn't aware that 828 carried a name in preservation.

 

Harry A Frith, former Eastleigh Chief Erecting Shop Foreman who supervised the original restoration in the 80s and 90s.

 

S15 828 attended the KWVR Spring Enthusiasts Weekend on 16 and 17 April 1994. Also visiting were 7828 Odney Manor and Metropolitan Railway No. 1.

 

Like this -

Cheers, Neil

 

Yes it was named after him after he passed away. It is still referred to by this name on the ERPS website, so presumably will carry these nameplates again after overhaul.

During Harry Frith’s funeral, 828 was driven along the Chandlers Ford line, and stopped overlooking Eastleigh cemetery. It remained there whilst the burial took place.

 

Yep photo near Kennett ,failed near March with a Special going to the GCR ,coming off at March in any case .03/04/1976 .Photo also attached on the NVR with Swedish 2-6-2T 1178 .Circa 1979.Ink ran in notebook.

 

That is a very lovely picture of a very logical locomotive.(Best Urie in my view)
It can also show one of the problems of small loading gauge.
The counterweigths in first and last driver only balances the rotating parts that is coupling rods and pins.
On the main driver it is much more difficult.
The rotating parts and a big percentage of the fore and aft moving masses (Crosshead ,piston and front partof connecting rod, ca 500 kg)
As one can see they have tried to put in as much lead as possible.
They could not make it wider without moving cylinders and rods further out (No,No) and filling up to shaft centerline does not bring much as arm is to short.
This was the reason that Austerities were disasters nobody wanted and Jarvis did his stroke of genious on the 9Fs.
On advice of his brother he distributed the reciprocatory balance on all wheels.
This equalisation then stresses the frames and axleboxes more but locomotive can then be further balanced and runs smoother very much faster.
25 miles on an austerity was intolerable and ninety on a 9F comfortable.

 

828 had a balancing speed of about 45mph on the mainline - which is just right for a train of vanfits from Southampton Docks or Meldon ballast, but not much good on charter trains. She was pushed up to about 55mph a few times but the ride meant firing was not possible.
(Dark secret from an old train planner - we used 60 mph freight schedules for steam tours in the late 1980's/ early 1990's but added a bit for luck or used a 45mph schedule for 828 or 48151 and 53809 when they came south. This was long before any specified maximum speeds for steam locos.)

Incidentally, the day of the funeral for Harry Frith was during an all lines steam ban. The movement of 828 had been agreed before the ban came into effect and was quietly overlooked!

Cheers, Neil

 

55 mph and five feet seven drivers is 4.6 rev per second as max practical speed.
This corresponds very well with five rev per second as max speed for continetal two-cylinder locomotives.
If I had a lot of money it would be spent for the utmost benefit to humanity by having one S15 rebalanced a la 9F and have a new LNER B16/3 built to mainline standard and then race and test them to postWW2 quality like it was done to Halls,Black Fives,Britannias ,V2 and B1 by BR.
A LNER B16/4 with three-cylinder compound and Caprotti will be even better and not more phantasy than a Prince of Wales with american valves