P2 Locomotive Company and related matters

Well, looks like they are finally making some positive steps.
Governance is next to godliness in projects. (One has to ask how significant the significant planning was if it's taken until now to work this out).

I'd love to see the programme for this job (not that I think that they should show it to me)

 

Given the various points above, it can only be a good thing that Rileys are now involved. Guidance and expertise is clearly required, and its positive the trust are accepting this.

 

The P2 boiler was scheduled for delivery to Darlington in the last week of October - ISTR the 28th was mentioned. Has anybody seen or heard anything?

 

Nope.

 

Anyone surprised ?

 

Not in the least. I seem to recall in the last Communication Cord that a video of the Convention will be done for Covenanters etc, no sign of that either

Dave B

 

Here's a thought. David Elliott often talked of doing a "brain dump" when he became aware his condition was terminal.

Does anyone know what form this "brain dump" took, and who became the custodian of the knowledge he was able to impart? Because the way things look, the ultra-pessimist in me can see 2007 ending up with three sets of Walschaerts...

 

Would they be able to get an eccentric on the crank axle to drive it ? ; 2 sets with conjugated middle maybe, but then again Mr Elliott had already started chewing over how to make a better job of that for the V4 - maybe that Brain dump has also gone missing.
A real tragedy, was hoping that he would do a book ( a serious one) in his later years...

 

Me too. It would have been fascinating.

 

It’d be a lot more complicated than that.
You’d have to scrap the monobloc and cast 3 new cylinders c/w steam chests.

 

...might as well stick a bugatti nose on it whilst you're at it...

 

Or you could ask Swanage if you can have a copy of the drawing for their new nose cone. . . .
https://www.national-preservation.c...eneral-discussion.37847/page-598#post-2956783

 

I saw the P2’s cylinder block a couple of years ago, not long after it had been delivered to Darlington North Road.
Anyone who thinks original Bulleids are complicated, should think again, considering the P2 valve gear to go in that block!

 

IIRC there was going to be a scale model of the gear produced to check fit and function, followed by a test rig featuring one full scale set of cams and tappets etc, electrically driven, to prove that the materials selected would overcome the original wear issues which lead to the simplification of stepped cams.
It’s been so long now that I could be mistaken of course.

 

Did 2001 have a new monobloc when the LNER converted it to Walschaerts valve gear in 1939?

 

Well it had to have new cylinders and steam chests. No idea if it was a monobloc or three separate castings - is it relevant ?

 

I was only wondering what LNER did to convert it to Walschaerts, that’s all.

It seems like the rotary valve system wasn’t such a good idea anyway.

 

Seems ok on DOG today. The valves weren't rotary.. the camshaft was....

 

You're not mistaken, @Sheff - I remember the same.

 

It was exactly what I’d have done back in my development engineering career, albeit the model phase would be significantly quicker these days with 3D printing technology.
I hope the Trust still have the ability and will to follow this programme through, otherwise I fear for the success of the project.