The Pride of Swindon 5043 to Carlisle via the S & C -16th October

As with any engine, it's not just a question of how much steam the front end is taking from the boiler, but how much the fire is being provoked into replacing that steam, whether the injectors (and yes fireman!) can keep up, and whether the coal can even stay on the grate, which can often be the limiting factor. In other words, dropping it down a fair way does not inherently mean that the boiler is going to run out of steam, although obviously there's a limit. I too would be interested to know whether the water level was being mortgaged in the last mile of 5043's run, although you might have needed to have gone on a bit further to find that one out. I assume Alastair's fire was still there?!

Just for a final bit of waffle, when 5054 was doing its bit on the 9th May '64 trip, it was driven in some right lairy cut-offs; being dropped down to 30% when doing over 90mph. On top of that they had problems with the freshly overhauled injectors over filling the boiler. Of course the ethics of driving engines this hard, day in day out is another matter entirely.

Anyway that's enough back-room silly chatter from my a part. Again, well done. One thing I have to say, it's impressive to see how steam tight it still is even when being driven that hard.

 

I hadn't thought of that. You're dead right, usually GWR four-cylinder locos have leaking steam around the front end when working hard, especially in winter. 5043 is as tight as a drum.

 

Errrrm. Didn't 5043 do it in style with 10 and a dead 47?

 

Exactly. It would take more than one extra coach to make 5043 struggle on the S&C. The fact is that at high steaming rates, 5043 in its final development of the Castle form would have a clear advantage over the original 5029.

However, I think that with good coal, an expert fireman and if it was in peak mechanical condition, 5029 could do so much better over the S&C. Maybe one day it'll get another chance?

 

If I'm not mistaken, 5029 initially had twelve on - the diesel didn't turn up till after things had gone down the pan. In all honesty, I believe lack of crew familiarity had more of a part to play with events that day than is popularly believed, in any case it's all in the past. Would be nice to see 4079 go up there sometime, to provide a propper old skool comparison.

 

I've just posted a video on YouTube of three shots of the return trip:

5043 on The Pride Of Swindon, 16th Oct

I've chosen shots at Waitby Common and Whalley Arches that complement the excellent shots already posted by acw71000, Linesider and others.

I've posted these as a "taster" for my latest releases: 2 discs of GWR 175 mianline runs, which should be ready this week. On the disc, you'll also find shots of the northbound run at Sellside and Ribblehead, and of the return at Birkett Common and Ais Gill. I was playing the Ais Gill shot back last night and I think I can hear where 5043 is openned out to 50% cut-off!

 

Magnificent, thank you.

DVD added to my Christmas list!!!

 

To be fair to the lads that look after 5029, she is now running better than I have ever known. She handled the Bristol Weymouths this summer very competently, and the pull over Evershot is hardly a walk in the park. However, BR did not go to the time, trouble and expense of fitting new boilers and double chimneys to make them look better, or to waste money. It was done to make them more efficient, and reliable. A high (relatively) superheat, double chimney Castle is always going to have the advantage over a single chimney, medium superheat loco.