The Age of Austerity

D'oh! I should have known that....

 

I fired that when it ran in London. I'm one of the few enginmen to drive and fire a broad gauge loco while passing the Albert Memorial! A very familiar firebox to K&ESR Fireman.

 

Cannot ever recall seeing an Austerity on the Severn Valley, unless there has been a gala appearance.

46118

 

'Shropshire' was there for years. Ray.

 

Indeed 193 Shropshire was there from 1971 until the early 80s, I only had one firing turn on it, not too impressed. 193 had the reputation of being a poor representative of the class, it may well be much improved today.

 

Can't recall having heard of one at Butterley, though that's only off the top of my head.

EDIT: Mid Hants's Thomas maybe?

 

"68012" was based at Butterley before it went off to Isfield and now the Mid Norfolk, was owned by Phil Wainwright.

 

I think that "Norman", now at Embsay, was at Butterley for a number of years, but never ran there.

 

I don't think that Oswestry and Llynclys have seen one yet but I am sure that will change.

 

Norma, HE 3770 is an Oswestry resident

 

Paignton & Dartmouth?

The Dart Valley owned several austerities at one time but these were used on the Buckfastleigh line and I don't think one's ever run on the Kingswear branch.

 

I knew I would put my foot in it... Thanks Anthony I keep forgetting about Norma...

 

Forgive me if my mind is playing tricks (it was a very long time ago), but I believe the KESR also had five at one point... 23 (Holman F Stephens), 24 (William H Austen), ex-Army 'Sapper' (which I believe became 25 Northiam), ex-NCB 'Linda' (which I believe ultimately became the Mid Hants 0-6-0 tender loco) and 27 'Rolvenden', nowadays much better known as 'Norman' at Embsay.

Indeed, those without sharp eyes might have thought it was six, however the 'sixth' was RS&H 'Ugly' No.56 (26, then 29 in KESR numbering) now at Ruddington, I believe.*

I remember being at Rolvenden just after 'Sapper' was delivered in Army green, complete with nameplates, and thinking it was a real shame that it lost that identity and became 'just another' KESR Austerity. I seem to remember hearing later that it was the Army who stipulated that it didn't stay like that, though.

I think there's another Austerity carrying that name nowadays, although I'm certain it's not the one delivered to the KESR.

One thing that not many people seem to remember is that 196 Errol Lonsdale was on the KESR for a short time, before it went to the Mid Hants. My very first memory of the KESR is of cabbing 196 as a small child at Rolvenden, before the railway even reopened to Tenterden.

* (I think I'm in a minority of one in being very fond of 'Austerities', but I have an even bigger soft spot for the 'Ugly' class)

 

Probably a silly question, but the NRM's site says that its Austerity is at Flour Mill. Is it under restoration? What are the future plans for it? Will the role of the class in getting a myriad preserved lines through their early days (and some beyond!) be told?

 

Norman went from NCB to Titanic Steamship Company, then to K&ESR. It was sold to Norman Taylor (hence the name Norman) and moved to Butterley in 1995. Norman (who also owned 34010 Sidmouth) did a deal with Southern Locos in 1998 which brought both to their erstwhile base in Sellindge. The Sellindge team did most of its restoration, and it was moved to Herston in 2009. A deal was then made with E&BASR in 2010 where its restoration was complete, and it has been at work there since.

http://www.southern-locomotives.co.uk/Austerity/Austerity_Restoration.html

https://picasaweb.google.com/116839141471298057728/NormanAtEmbsay

 

A point of note that many forget is that the S&L "Uglies" were developed from HE2411-16 which were the predecessors of the Austerities - as were the Austerities themselves; in one way it could possibly be argued that the "Uglies" are "improved" Austerities ! I too am a great fan of the "Uglies" but that was because I spent many happy hours riding on them down to the quarries around Corby in the 1960s.

 

The RSH uglies have more in common with the big ironstone RSH's, Kitsons and Manning Wardles made to look more modern with a short Austerity style saddle tank. The Austerity is a pure Hunslet design following on from the 50550 and 48150 Hunslets.

 

Indeed, the compensated leading and crank axles, the coil sprung trailing axle, overhung springs, haystack firebox and sloping grate of the 56 class are derived directly from the 16" cylinder Manning Wardles. Eric Tonks in The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands Part VI says that when the Harringworth line was in the course of construction, No24 of the steelworks stock (HE2411 Hunslet 50550 class) was tested against the Manning Wardle/Kitson 16" locos, but was proved not to be entirely satisfactory, not responding fully with sustained effort as required, under which conditions the smaller MW/Kitsons worked well. The 56 class was a development of the 16" cylinder predecessor, but with larger 18" x 26" cylinders and a boiler that follows the pattern of the smaller engine but to larger dimensions and a steam dome mounted regulator following the austerity pattern.

 

I agree, the 18" ironstone RSH design was not developed from the hunslet design although i can see how they can be mistaken at first glance.