Brighton Atlantic: 32424 Beachy Head

My understanding from various informed sources has always been that whilst the hydraulic test can be done at any point of convenience, the steam test is the one which sets the clock, as it is the initial introduction of heat, and all the dynamic stresses it induces, which is the key element, which is why traditionally the steam test is done as late as possible, for a fully useable 10 year ticket

 

There does seem to be different approaches to the subject with no common methodology. I used to understand that the clock started from the steam test but some inspectors take a different approach. Once water is introduced into the boiler for a hydraulic test corrosion starts so they are taking the clock as starting then. Another changing practice is the out of frames steam test, once a mandatory requirement but now some inspectors consider it unnecessary as the steam test with all fittings in place and tested is more important. At the end of the day it is what is in the Written Scheme that counts. Ours say the maximum period between hydraulic test is 10 years.

 

Was the hydraulic test done for the boiler inspectors cold exam, or was it done to test the boiler in readiness for an further Hydraulic, then steam test?

 

Going so well that i am inclined to the Trivial, happened upon a model in LBSCR ' Umber' and thought 'wow'. is there scope for beachy to have a season in this livery ? For that matter this livery should be compulsory for anything on pullmans

 

The A1SLT have proven beyond reasonable doubt that periodically changing the livery that Tornado carries, has kept interest alive. OK the liveries carried by Tornado are British Railways apple green [with "British Railways" spelt out in full], to the experimental Blue and finally Dark Green. So why not do something similar with the various liveries that the "Brighton" Atlantic's carried.....

 

Good idea, rotate them at overhauls, you've got four to pick from, LBSCR umber brown, Southern olive green, Southern malachite green with sunshine lettering, and BR black.

I like all of them btw!

 

It must be close, we are onto the livery debate …

If you wanted to do it accurately, you have some physical changes to make: new cab roof, new dome, chimney etc. Remove the backed coal rails. Bogie brakes if you were being really fussy, I doubt many people would be so fussy!

Oh, and you lose the name :-(

OTOH, mismatch in era between livery, name and physical form isn’t unknown on the Bluebell (hello Stepney!) so maybe many people wouldn’t mind.

In the main, I’m just looking forward to seeing it at all!

Tom

 

I just want to be able one day, to see it in steam, on the bluebell, I don't really care to much what livery its in, its only a coat of paint after all, and an attractive locomotive will always look good no matter what the livery. So lined, BR black, or Bulleid malachite with sunshine lettering, both will look the mutts bits.

 

Purple?

 

Didn't know they had bogie brakes. Thought they were a Midland idea, which the LMS removed from the locos which were fitted with them

 

They are just visible on this photo:



Source: https://www.lbscr.org/Rolling-Stock/Locomotives/Marsh/H2.xhtml

And a clearer view, albeit on an H1:



Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LBSC_H1_class.jpg

Like a lot of such locos, they didn't last long, I suspect for the common reason, i.e. the adjustment was relatively non-trivial to obtain correct brake balance across all wheels, while - for a primarily passenger loco - the gain in reducing the total unbraked weight when most of the weight was in the carriages was rather small.

Tom

 

Meanwhile, there are four Atlantic House open weekends planned for this year:

• Sat 11 / Sun 12 June (Atlantic Supporters Weekend - including an auction at 2.15 on Sunday 12 June)
• Sat 2 / Sun 3 July (Model Railway weekend)
• Fri 29 / Sat 30 / Sun 31 July (Terrier Gala)
• Fri 14 / Sat 15 / Sun 16 October (Giants of Steam).

Come and see the loco under construction and talk to the project team.

Tom

 

I'm not altogether sure when the H2s were modified for the Southern Railway's composite loading gauge, but I'm pretty sure that 32424 (or 2424) could legitimately wear Maunsell olive green, as well. Now there's a thought with the Pullmans- Early 30s Southern Belle, anyone?

 

I believe that GWR express engines acquired bogie brakes under Churchward, but they were removed early in the Collett era. The LYR Dreadnought 4-6-0s also had them when first introduced in 1908, but soon lost them.

Don't think bogie brakes were ever fitted to the Ivatt GNR Atlantics, so the initiative to fit them to the Marsh Atlantics must have come from within the LBSC.

 

Yes - I’d have to look up the actual date, but I think the “Maunsellisation” was the early 1930s - probably connected with the Brighton mainline electrification and possible dispersal of the locos to require wider route availability, but that’s just a hunch. So you could have early Maunsell livery B424 in basically LBSCR condition; or later 2424 in Maunsell condition.

Tom

 

I actually think it looks better in its later form with the cut down cab and chimney

 

Latest issue of The Bluebell Times includes a photo of 32424 entering Horsted Keynes ca. 1952 on a regular service train - not sure if it is a photo widely known about before, it comes from a collection of photos held by the museum and is amongst the latest batch to be digitised and uploaded to the museum website.

See page 14 of the June issue https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/

Tom

 

A lovely sight on the Unofficial Bluebell Facebook page.

 

Unfortunately you can only view that page if your a member of the page.

 

The boiler has gone on her frames