BR Standard class 6 No. 72010 'Hengist' and Clan Discussion Thread

Think there must have been a lot of head scratching at BR as to what to do with the Bulleid Pacifics and perhaps the 1955 plan put paid to scrapping and replacing them with standard Pacifics.
What surprises me is that once the standard 5's were available in numbers that more of the rebuilts, especially lights were not moved around the country...

 

Thank you, I was out and didn’t have access to the data.

 

I think they were offered to the GER section and one loaned to Liverpool Street for trials, but was returned with thanks. I suspect most other places would have thought the same.

 

Never knew that .... many thanks. After the exchange trials, it's perhaps surprising some weren't sent to Scotland, especially given the known headaches several routes presented. Maybe the coal consumption in '48 made more of an impression than performance?

 

Or more likely the maintenance costs.

 

Was nt aware that the rebuilts were particulary needy...

 

Less rebuilt Bulleids? Burn this dangerous engine!!
(Did a 5MT have better route availability? I'm thinking in line with the Bulleid "bigger engine" philosophy build more 6MTs that could cover 5MT jobs and give room for expansion of payloads/train speeds at mininal extra running costs)

 

It was before rebuilding. They got Britannias instead. BRILL did a big article on it, but it was decades ago.

 

Gerard Fiennes recounts testing with a (pre-rebuild) Light Pacific ['Sir Archibald Sinclair' IIRC] because the GER had been allocated Britannias but they weren't ready. So to construct the timetable they tested with Light Pacifics as the closest equivalent:

 

A quick update for you. We expect the bogie cannon boxes to be cast before the end of January, possibly this week. An order has been placed for the tyres and axles; these are long lead items and we probably won't see them before the end of the year. Meanwhile the lubrication channels have been drilled in the hornguides. These are at an angle to the face of the hornguide; it was agreed that it would be difficult to get the machine head in here while the frames were on the big machining station at CTL Seal. So the drilling out was done in the assembly shop using a special jig for the magnetic drill. All of the bolts on the right hand side of the image are a temporary fit and will be replaced with the proper bolts once the frame extensions are fitted.

 

I am really impressed at the cleanliness of the workpiece! Hopefully not long before the extensions can be fitted and some painting started, of the 'right' colour of course.
Continuing progress despite Covid lockdown, great.

 

Dust is the big problem! It gets everywhere

PS Primer and undercoat is on order. Painting of frames is part of contract with CTL Seal

 

Would 1950s BR really have considered scrapping and replacing 140 express locomotives, the oldest of which was 15 years old? Even if you're wanting to pursue standardisation and the locos in question are a bit maintenance heavy there would surely be lots of other locos that would be worth 'chopping' first before you go onto one of your most capable, modern express designs?
Then again, 10 years later BR were building diesels like the class 14s and then selling them off to industry only a few years later, so maybe they would have made such a decision

 

I recall long ago reading that after the 1948 trials there was talk from Scotland that the light WC/BB pacifics had performed well and would be very suitable for the (IIRC) West Highland line?

A check shows 34004 was used on the Highland Main Line so it's very possible I've misremembered?

Patrick

 

The West Highland definitely saw a 'Clan' cleared for a one-off clan gathering, though IIRC that was the one and only time a 'pacific' has ever trodden those metals, so far. Perhaps Hengist may be permitted to go thataway, some day. We can but hope so! During the exchanges, Yeovil was certainly trialled on the HR mainline and the Stranraer line. Others will doubtless have a more complete knowledge of its runs.

 

It was 72001 seen here at the end of the journey. No information on the photographer I'm afraid.

 

That's a nice photo, that! A real shame the original Station was lost, but Fort William would be stuffed with today's traffic and no bypass, I guess. Unless we still went on holiday by train.

Richard.

 

You mean this working? https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/50s/560616_1.html It says it only went to Spean Bridge but I’m sure I’ve seen a photo of it at the old Fort William station, I rather like that all the crew were Cameron’s!
Edit @‘Clan’ Hengist that’s the photo I’m thinking of. And for all the purists look at all that matching coloured stock

 

Mmm ...... shiney! Never seen that photo before, many thanks for posting it.

 

I've read that following 34004 Yeovil's exploits on the Highland Line (Perth - Inverness) as recounted on http://svsfilm.com/nineelms/srexch.htm, the Clans were pencilled in for the Highland line. I understand as they had just had an influx of Black 5s, the plan was dropped