V4 2-6-2 No. 3403

More to do with
1)no one else putting up with them because they were 'odd'
2) not enough work in Scotland for 40 pacifics let alone 140
( not enough work on the Southern for 140 pacifics to be honest)

 

If they'd spent a bit of time in London/East Anglia with hard water, then sending them up to Scotland with soft water wouldn't have done the boiler a lot of good. Especially if washouts were reduced in wartime.

 

But they did have water treatment.

 

Is this indicated by the little yellow triangle on the cab side?

 

We need to dig out the early GA design, was it a different boiler spec/copper firebox before the war kicked in. Note well the EM1 Prototype electric 6701 was built in the war at Doncaster too- was never going to help the war effort but built anyway.

 

The yellow triangle shows they had the BR system of water treatment.

As far as I can see, the original locos (first twenty Merchant Navies and at least a number of the light pacifics) didn't have any system of water treatment when first built: it was introduced (using the French TIA system) round about 1947 after investigation of short firebox life when initially built. I assume the system was later retro-fitted across all locos; I think there were also some early design changes to the firebox to try to mitigate the issue.

(Incidentally, a search for water treatment has turned up this: http://www.lmssociety.org.uk/monologues/M13.pdf. So there's another evening of procrastinating from what I should be doing )

Tom

 

I am sure I have read somewhere that a loco boiler was fitted with internal impeller which connected to external indicators through glands. This allowed water circulation directions to be determined. Perhaps this was done at Swindon and reported by Holcroft.


Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk

 

Jim Ewins fitted a window to the boiler of his 5" gauge 9f so he could study the water above the crown.

Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk

 

That rung a bell...

In "Raising steam on the LMS", talking about Churchward and his early Belpaire boilers:

"In all these boilers the cross section of the upper part of the firebox was rectangular, and the sides and roof were flat. The two fireboxes, firmly stayed together, made a very rigid structure, and troubles developed with cracking at the corners. This led, amongst other things, to an investigation into the flow of water between the fireboxes, by means of indicators attached, through packed spindles, to paddles in the water space between the inner and outer fireboxes. The outcome of this was a re-design of the standard boilers with gently curved roof and sides, larger radii on the corners, tapering water space between the fireboxes, and a tapered barrel. The shape of firebox which Churchward thus devised may have been his own idea, but its resemblance to an American design was so close that it would be quite extraordinary if he was unaware of the latter."
​

Tom

​

 

I saw somewhere they were considering an ‘army themed name’ for 3403. Any thoughts?

 

You need to go back a few pages...

 

Given how enthusiasts can never agree over such matters as liveries and names, perhaps "The Squabbling Gricer" would be an apt choice.

 

"Grumbling Gricer" - a bit of alliteration, surely?

 

Fancied ' Chieftain' but ' Challenger' is more A1SLT ish

 

A bit like 'Jingling Geordie', which was a Scottish loco.

 

If we're into AFV themes, then how about Ferret to reflect its relatively small size?

 

I think the A1 Trust have a problem here. They will need a name that will be recognisable by Joe Public, everyone knows of the RAF Tornado and who the Prince of Wales is but I don’t know of any piece of army equipment that people would recognise by its name Even railway enthusiasts would relate the name Challenger with a big American locomotive.

 

Centurion.

First decent British tank post 1st WW.
Fairly well known term by the GBP.
Also used as a name by various businesses - sponsorship possibilities, anyone?

Pat

 

Given the construction in the north of England, and the requirement for a current Army-related name, how about naming it "The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot)".

Catchy. Would the nameplate fit along the smokebox?

Tom (Marketing advice while you wait ...)

 

Perhaps a famous general.