30926 Repton

Below is a shot of Repton my Dad took at the Mid-Hants Gala a couple of year's ago. He asked me today to Photoshop it's tender to the correct size and this is the result. It's not a pefect job admittedly but is certainly gives the loco a different perspective as to what it should look like, not sure if the NYMR lads might agree with it. What does everyone think?

 

Why were the sides raised in the first place, to deal with the blizzards on NYMR?

 

I always thought it was done when the engine ran in Canada in the 70's. She had a huge diameter westinghouse pump mounted visibly infront of the smokebox also.

 

This is the only picture of it I can find on the Web http://www.imagekind.com/showartwork.aspx?IMID=0ec2754d-7a76-47e9-aedd-36ece1fb9cd8

 

I think it had a new tender tank built when it returned to the UK, a copy of the Canadian tank. I'm sure that this shape was retained to give better protection to the crew when running tender first, but there could have been other reasons. When it first came back there was talk of it going main line and so there may have been a desire to increase coal and or water capacity.

I've mixed feelings about this now - if anything the original tenders look a bit small and low for the size of the engine, but the one it now has looks a bit too big (although I think it is supposed to be based on the unique one that ran with another of the class). I have a suspicion I know which one the crews will prefer, though!

 

In their last months in service, some of the Schools were given bogie tenders from withdrawn LN's. They dwarfed the locos!
Just imagine 850's tender against a Schools, perhaps someone could photoshop it from a picture of 850 & and 30926? Not sure if any pictures of the original pairings exist on the net (might try a Google search). To see proper Schools/tender pairings, we still have 30(925) & 30(928) around.

 

But interestingly, a 1948 photo of 932 Blundell's, link below, shows a tender of very similar height, perhaps identical, to the one on Repton, Certainly much higher side plates than Stowe's. So the questions arise, which of the Schools got which type of tender, when, and why?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR_Class_V

 

It appears (from Locomotives in detail No. 6 - Schools Class) that one Schools tender was given this treatment in 1938 by Bulleid (tender no. 732) to make it a self trimming tender and this was it was initially coupled to 932. In the late 1950’s it was re-painted green at Ashford and as the locomotive was black and not being re-painted it was swapped onto 905 Tonbridge. The book also contains a picture of it attached to 912 Downside.
Repton’s tender is one made in Canada with higher sides so that it was more comfortable running tender first for long distances. (As it says above this was then copied when the locomotive returned, but the correct Bulleid profile used.)
Hope this is useful.

 

Here's a photo of 30912 with an LN tender

http://barry274.fotopic.net/p39309284.html

Winkworth's book states that they were fitted to 30912 and 30921 to improve braking capacity; I thought that it was to increase water and coal capacity when used on the summer Saturday Waterloo to Lymington trains which were among their last main line duties.

 

Well Repton should make it onto the mainline rather soon albeit only between Whitby & Battersby but at least it will be allowed to stretch its legs, As you say there can't be many crews who would prefer to run with a lower tender, Here's a picture modified by a friend of mine

 

At about 0:56, is this said tender?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY_aLQud ... re=related

Although Repton's to me looks slightly taller?

http://yoshisphotos.fotopic.net/p49979157.html

 

I think the perspective in the Mid-hants shot makes it look taller. Personaly I feel the large tender spoils the graceful outline of the Schools as did the ugly mine shaft Chimney that Bullied fitted to some of them.

 

I do agree the tender doesn't look great behind Repton but I can completely understand why the NYMR crews prefer it as it is. One thought my Dad and I had was if Repton ever visited the Bluebell the tender should stay at the NYMR and we could repaint Stowe's tender BR Green and pair it with Repton so at least it could run with a correct looking tender down here.

 

Towards the end of steam on the LMR, and the running down of their top link steam fleet, it became evident that until sufficient competent diesel replacements could be brought into service there was going to be a shortage of 7P and 8P power. The LMR were impressed by the Schools class 4-4-0s on the Southern, because of their reasonably high power output for such a small locomotive. A plan was drawn up whereby the remaining Schools class engines might be transferred to the LMR for the express purposes of double heading with their class five 4-6-0s on the heaviest services, they being the mainstay of the remaining LMR steam fleet. However, it was later considered too expensive and radical to try and modify Schools class engines to take LMR tenders with water scoop apparatus, and this consequently squashed the idea. Coupling a few of the Schools with the larger capacity ex LN tenders might have been an experiment to see how far a Schools could travel without the need to top up on coal and water. I could see no other reason for their attachment during the class' final year or two of use on the Southern.
Sir Hectimere

 

It certainly looks like Blundells and with the modified tender; it is also the right period.
That film footage is wonderful, I especially like the low shot at the end of The Arthur departing with the train of Maunsell stock and what looks like a Wainwright H class or R1 bringing up the rear.

 

I quite like Bulleid's "dustbin" chimneys. Whenever I see a picture of one with Maunsell's original design, I always think that it looks too narrow (and it can't have been perfect, as Bulleid would not have modified more than one). If we're talking aesthetics, then one in between the "dustbin" and the Maunsell design would be highly suitable.

 

Isn't this forum wonderful? You ask for details of a really rather esoteric/arcane topic (tall tender), and within a day you get to know virtually the whole story. And as a bonus you get to read verbal hissy fits on the occasional thread (not this one).

All human life is here!

 

From the practical viewpoint -

99.9% of our visitors would have no idea that the tender had been modified.

Most of them wouldn't care less, even if you told them. They just want a good, relaxing & interesting day out.

We've got more pressing things to spend our money on than back - engineering a perfectly serviceable tender.

 

More information please!

Will details appear on UKsteam.info?

 

Repton is currently in the final stages of being prepared for running on the Esk Valley branch - normally, just between Grosmont and Whitby on normal NYMR services. These services normally run at the same speeds as heritage line services - the branch speed limit is a maximum of 30mph on this stretch anyway.

However, a usual feature of Gala Sundays, when there is no Northern diesel diesel service on the branch, is that 2 sets are used on the section of the Esk Valley line between Grosmont and Battersby (at the Spring Gala, one set didn't go through to Whitby so 60007 and 60163 could be used on it, at least the second weekend). This section has a maximum speed of 45mph, giving those locos passed only for use on the Esk Valley branch a chance to stretch their legs somewhat.

Hopefully, by the October Gala, Repton will have joined the Esk Valley pool and will obviously be a strong contender to work these services. What this space!