Bluebell Motive Power

Urie group (of which I am also a member) has two chassis and three boilers. The locos came from Barry, but someone else will have to explain how the 3rd boiler came to be acquired.

ERPS have one boiler and one chassis making up 828.

The estimate of 4 to 5 years was mainly based on some inside knowledge of the work in the boiler shop where 76017, 34105, 41312 and 30506 boilers are all located. After these are done there is 75079 and 30499 to do.

 

The boiler (only) off 30825 was bought from Barry to use on 30506's first restoration. 30506's old boiler has been stored ever since as "beyond repair". Although that could change.
30825's chassis went to the NYMR & is now running with 30841's boiler. 30841's chassis/frames are now stored, again as beyond repair (at the moment).

 

So did the boilers.

Chris:

 

Putting 2 & 2 together, I like the sound of this "could change" and "at the moment" thing...
Trouble is, I can't see the Urie lot selling a spare boiler (well, unless they're strapped for cash) and who would buy a set of frames without a boiler? If they're even for sale, that is. And they're not Urie frames so I can't see them going the other way either.
Ho hum. I'll keep buying the occasional lottery ticket anyway, just in case.

 

30830 has boiler and frames.......but no tender..

 

I think the best you can hope for from the NYMR engines is 2 out of three. The ELS have three sets of frames, two boilers and one bogie tender! I think they also have a set of 6-wheel tender frames and some S15s did run with such tenders, I believe. The plan to prepare the boiler from 830 to replace that from 825 has lapsed and 825's boiler has been sent away for repair, so when work resumes on that from 830 perhaps we'll see 830's frames prepared to receive it. It certainly would be good to see two S15s at work on the NYMR, they seem to be ideally suited to the line.

 

847 has tender, frames and boiler - but the boiler is from a King Arthur...

Ah, the great Southern tender swap story… Suffice to say the story is very complex, resulting in various locos being built new and taking second hand tenders, so the new build tenders could go to other locos in a big merry-go-round. The main cause was the need for shorter engines on the central section (to allow for shorter turntables, but compensated by shorter journeys so less need for the big water capacity necessary especially on the Western section). The complexities of different SR locos being both LH and RH drive (sometimes in the same class) and the need for new tenders ins tock when the K class tanks were rebuilt as U class tender engines just further complicates things.

As for the Maunsell S15s, the main tender variants are:

- Urie 5000 gallon double-bogie tender (recognisable by the way the top flares out around the coal space). There are actually two variants, the second variant having additional auxiliary vac cylinders on the top (denoted FT and FT/A)

- Maunsell 5000 gallon double bogie tender. A development of the Urie tender with auxiliary vac cylinders, but recognisable by virtue of the flush sides (Denoted FS)

- Maunsell 4000 gallon six wheel tender, derived from the Ashford-pattern tenders fitted to the moguls. (Denoted A4)

825 and 830 would both have had FT/A pattern to start with.

830 got a tender swap as follows:

830 - March 1929
Given FT tender from King Arthur 765. Provided its own FT/A tender to newly constructed Lord Nelson No. 860. (In this swap, the King Arthur thereby ended up with a six wheel tender for use on the central section; this tender was built new under the same construction order as the Lord Nelson, but was never intended for such).

Five of the Maunsell S15s ran with the A4 6 wheel variety - those were 833 - 837, which did a straight swap six wheel / eight wheel tender swap with King Arthurs 763 - 764. For a short period, 833 ran with a Drummond 4000 gallon double bogie tender (of the "water cart" type currently behind the preserved T9) before getting its FT type. That had involved a three way swap with a Drummond C8 4-4-0 and the N15/X No. 2329, which was a 4-6-0 rebuild of an LBSCR Billinton 4-6-4T. It then swapped the "water cart" tender with Urie S15 508, getting an FT pattern in exchange, before swapping that FT for an A4 with King Arthur 763.

Tom

 

Re: spare Bluebell boilers, which was the one that came out of Stewarts Lane? Was that the spare H class boiler? Also-anybody know the rough state of the O1's original boiler ? I seem to remember it had a very quick turnaround when it arrived back from exile, but would assume it can't be too rosy now if it's cheaper or quicker to do the spare up...


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Out of interest on 847, does anyone know how long before she is ready to be tested? Didn't look far off when I was down on the 2nd.

 

I don't read the situation quite like that; rather, that there was an opportunity to move the spare boiler (and possibly have work started) before dismantling of 65 had commenced. (I think the boiler was a return load for one of the lorries that delivered the consignment of Network Rail wagons). 65 was a reliable performer during its last ticket - it got to the end of its "ten years" and I am not aware that there was any particularly significant boiler problem. Although it was of considerable vintage when preserved, in comparison to many others of the smaller Bluebell locos, it has run a relatively small amount in preservation.

Tom

 

Last I heard, the plan was to have it running in time for the Santa season.

Tom

 

I remember it being mentioned in Bluebell News that further locos could not be dismantled, until others had been completed due to lack of room.

 

A 'Schools' tender was acquired separately for her.

 

847 ran with a 6-wheel tender in its final years, when working from Redhill shed, apparently so that it cold be accomodated on the smaller turnrtables in use on the Central Divison (I've obtained this info from Bluebell Steam in Retrospect). I would be intersted to know how it ended up on the Bluebell with an 8-wheel "FS" tender. I seem to remember that the tender sides are scrach-built, but where did the fram come from?

Mind you, as it is to be restored in SR Livery, an 8-wheel tender is more appropriate, besides adding a bit of variety, being the only bogie tender on the Bluebell

 

According to the Maunsell Soc webpage for 847:

... which raises the question of what happened to the six wheel tender from 847? From that description, it looks like 847's current (preservation era) tender was originally of the FT type, but converted to a more modern FS type.

I think of the notionally presereved S15s (499, 506, 825, 828, 830, 841, 847), a huge amount of swapping of parts between them has gone on, not least as ownership has changed and different views have been taken at different times about which ones constituted viable restoration targets and which ones were seen as spares donors.

Tom


Tom

 

Christ, anyone who moans about Swindon loco's looking the same and being interchangeable should try keeping up with the various bits of S15's

 

The engines are easy, it's the tenders that are a big nightmare!

Anyway, here's an interesting photo for all you S15 fans...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...316.1073741827.541470399255215&type=1&theater

(Publicly accessible, before anyone asks about Facebook…)

Tom

 

She looks an absolute treat. Really looking forward to her entering service. Maybe she'll be on the GA on the 30th as a running-in turn, not that I have a vested interest or anything. *ahem*

 

Great to see, is there any chance we'll be able to see 847 double-heading with 1638 hauling the 5 coach olive green set before I guess 1638 get's retired soon?