Drummond T9 No. 30120

That's got to be the same as Hallelujah bridge on the NYMR!

 

"69621 - I had the pleasure of driving and firing the T9 at Swanage quite a few years ago. A Lovely engine, although i seem to remember that the water valves for the injectors were at floor level and were operated with a good kick!"

Water valves are floor mounted so steel toe cap boots essential!!
Steam valves are standard Drummond (reverse thread) pattern.

John2 - 30053 was a 45mph loco on the mainline and generally ran with a maximum of 4 Mk1s.

Quote Originally Posted by martin butler View Post
probally 60mph and i am not sure what the max trailing load would be but now that the cylinder has been done i should imagine something like 7 or 8 mk 1s , what did the M7 manage?

During Yeovil Steam Centre's Festival of Steam on 4th & 5th October 1997 30053 worked alternate trips with 828 to/from Castle Cary. The load was 6 Chocolate & Cream liveried Mark 1s plus a Blue liveried Managers Saloon for special guests [Tare load over 200 Tons I believe]. Both Driver and Fireman came from Bristol, I think, and I seem to recall the Driver was originally a 'Cockney' - just can't remember either of their names unfortunately. 53's water capacity was more than sufficient for these round trip shuttles. Not sure of the gradients on this route - main one being, presumably, Sparkford Bank.

30120 is quite a powerful loco but with only 4 Driving wheels it can be 'light on its feet' when starting away. Once on the move it has proved to be a very willing and free steaming loco. If finance is available for TPWS and OTMR [doubtful] then the Driving Wheel size of 6ft 7ins [I think] would indicate a 75mph top speed if current restrictions are considered. Air braking would not be allowed by NRM, I think, so only WCRC could operate it. Depending on route I would love to drive it hauling 7 or 8 Mk 1s but suspect a T9 on a main line tour is a pipe dream - alas!

 

From rough calculations, the average axle weight on the coupled wheels is 16 tons, 14 hundredweight.

 

I agree with Buzby2. On easy greadients, a superheated T9 in good nick should cope with 7 Mk1s and a 75 mph top speed. IIRC, there was a smaller-wheeled version (K10?) for working the expresses west of Salisbury, but I don't think they were superheated, and none survived into the 1960s.

Porton bank with a full train (300 tons plus?) and a cold loco from a standing start at Salisbury must have been a bit of a slog. IIRC, there are speed limits up to Tunnel Junction and then you are at the foot of the bank.

I don't recall 120 being allowed more than 4 on the MHR, and even so she was prone to slipping if the rail was damp. As a trainee signalman in 1983, I was told that one of the cardinal sins was stopping her at either Ropley (1 in 80 and tight curves into the loop) or Medstead (1 in 60) up home signals!

 

Personally, i dont think even if it was made mainline, there would be a market for it, as in the south there are no trains that run to 7mk1s, and is there a market for it up north?

i think it stands a good future visiting around heritage railways. It would look good with the bluebells bulleid or mk1 stock. And it would look good also at MHR or swanage.

 

I don't know... There seems to be a market for Panniers in the Midlands, so why not get it on the Gunnislake-Bere Alston line, or to Barnstaple? There is some rare steam mileage to be found on the Southern, and its all about the marketing in the end. The novelty of a T9 is a marketing ploy in itself for the first year, especially as it would be the oldest locomotive running on the national network.

 

Either that or the L11, which was the K10's successor, and a better engine by all accounts because it was fitted with the T9, rather than C8 class boiler. This locomotive would be the most likely candidate for being to the T9 what the S15 was to the N15.

 

thanks for that about the axel weight hmm would look well on the VCT coaches

 

Much as I would like to see a T9 up to Bere Alston (and potentially Tavvy in the future), I fear that the gradients up to BA may be a fairly serious limitation on loading. Don't forget it would also need to be top and tailed owing to the lack of loops.

 

How about a 30120/City of Truro Top and Tail combination?

 

Why would a proper loco want to drag that Swindon scrap around...!

(For the benefit of those sans sense of humour this is firmly tongue in cheek)

 

because it could? yeovil to wareham then on to swanage to water and turn would be a good possibility if the B&W do have designs on going mainline , no problems at either end and over a summer season using say 3 locos in a pool the same as the weymouth tours suitable engines , 30120 ,76079 repton if she was ever given full mainline approoval anything that would fit on swanages turntable and could cope with 6 mk1s

 

I think this talk of 120 going mainline, whilst a lovely idea, is pretty unlikely, really. I'd expect a gentler life spent mostly on the B&W. After a year or so, though, I hope she will get to visit Swanage, Ropley and Sheffield Park, and maybe a few other places too. A meeting with City Of Truro would be wonderful, preferably somewhere with a few old carriages.

 

Quite agree, its very much in fantasy land. Still, perchance to dream...

 

If there's no big clash of dates involving their September gala, at least the T9 should do the revenues of B&W a power of good. I think a lot of Southern fans will be seriously considering the long trip.

Should NP perhaps create a sticky called "Car share on offer", either in the Galas or the What's On forum? Not just for this event, but in general.

 

I'm seriously considering the 'long trip' to Bodmin in September from Pembrokeshire on the strength of 30120 operating, which is a real dog-leg and nowhere near Southern territory (some people still stare at me in a strange way when they find out that I am a Southern Railway and not GWR steam fanatic. I suppose being a West Walian, I should have been the latter, but as I am not, I consider myself a fully enlightened individual !)

 

Whilst going through some of my Dad's old b/w images from the 50's/60's and some slides he took in the 80's for scanning we found this photo he took of 30120 at the Mid-Hants circa Summer 1984. http://david422.fotopic.net/p64320860.html

Does anyone have any latest information regarding the overhaul of 30120? Let's hope it also comes to the Bluebell once it's back up & running as a lined black T9 paired with the Bulleid carriages would be something a bit special.

 

Hope you don't mind, but just looked at the other photos in your link. Can't believe all the youngsters clambering over the Bulleids especially the unrebuilt BB. One looks in a very dangerous position over the smoke deflector. Elf & Safety would have a heart attack these days.

 

I've just uploaded some more photos including this scan of the Eastleigh Open Day from my Dad's collection of 30096 with more kids climbing over the loco. Unfortunately the original print isn't as good as some of the others and is quite dark, but yep the elf and safety people would have nightmares of this.
http://david422.fotopic.net/p64323138.html

And one of shed pilot 700 Class 30316 shunting the T9 on during the Open Day in 1962. http://david422.fotopic.net/p64323682.html

 

I have just got back from Bodmin & Wenford and while I was there I asked for an update on T9 30120. The reply I was given was everything was on schedule and she should be ready for September as planned.

Thanks for sharing your dads old slides(hope I have put the "old" in the correct place).

Best regardsSteamHawk216.