Big Bertha- a few questions

I always think Full length Smoke Deflectors generally improve the look of some locomotives (they just don't look right without them - eg Duchesses minus streamlining, 9f's, etc...) not a big fan of the continental style ones like the Scotsman had.....lights the blue touchpaper and runs away.....

Incidentally that headlight doesn't (to my eyes) look like the one depicted in the images of Big Bertha. Did Bertha aquire a different headlight later?

 

Indeed, the headlight in the photo is not the one that was fitted to 58100 and 92079.

 

Super D's have flangeless intermediate coupled wheels. Does that fit your pattern?hwell:

 

Not a ten-coupled, is it? . Anyway, that probably means no main line return for the Super D either...

Interesting point though - what other locomotives are there out there with flangeless drivers?

Mark

 

Many years ago I lived and went to school in Bromsgrove in the 1950`s and regulaly visited Big Bertha either at the coaling stage just below Bromsgrove station or watched her in action half way up `the Lickey`.

Recently I have been doing a bit of research at NRM and from them I obtained the build sheets.

Several interesting things : this engine was designed by James Clayton in 1914 , who had a senior position in the Derby Locomotive DO. He left the Midland shortly after for the SER.

A lot of the drawings were issued to the shops in 1914 / 15 and then work on it was presumably halted for the duration of the war, re- commencing in 1919 and it entered traffic in early 1920.

James Clayton also designed the S & D 2-8-0 , built at Derby in 1913, whose driving wheels, springs, axle boxes and motion was used on Big Bertha. Only one drawing number is shown for all the driving wheels, so maybe the centre drivers WERE flanged ? The diameter is 4` - 7 1/2``on the tread .

Many of the special drawings ( including the cylinder ) survive for this unique engine at NRM - I am awaiting copies.

It was a sad day in 1956 at Bromsgrove when Big Bertha departed for Derby for the last time.

MARK.

 

4 ft 7 1⁄2 in (1.410 m)

 

:happy: