34046 Braunton

Bullied? Tut, tut.
Here we are courtesy of SeMG :
"In 1952 BR decided that each region should have coal-weighing tenders in connection with the testing of coal and water consumption. The LMR and ER had four, the WR two but the SR only one, 3343 (fitted first to 35014, then 35015 from June 1956 and from May 1958 to 35024) a standard 6,000 gallon third series Merchant Navy tender. The modification required the removal of most of the top of the tender. The new bunker had straight sides and a curved top giving an Ivatt-style appearance. Behind the bunker was the weighing equipment, in a rectangular metal box, which had a steel yard-arm suspended by two camshafts, one on each side. The larger one measured in 10 cwt divisions to 8 tons and the smaller in 7 lb divisions to 10 cwt. The rear of the tender was like a normal third series tender though the vacuum cylinders were replaced with two larger, "Lord Nelson" ones to provide room for the extra equipment. When first converted there was no tender cab, but one was installed almost immediately. The tender was removed from 35024 in December 1961 and, after the weighing equipment had been removed, was re-bodied. 3343 had, more than any other, suffered badly from split welds to the front of the tank."

 

So embarrassing! Ugh, sorry, it's late.

So no. Excellent, many thanks!

 

I prefer that to the tenders they normally run with. Clan Line and Braunton would benefit visually IMO with a Stannier type tender.

 

Now THAT looks good. Thank you all for finding me the pictures.

 

Yes.

 

That high-sided tender (T3345 of the 6000 gallon pattern) was put behind 35020 specifically for a series of controlled run trials with a dynamometer. (35020 had previously run with a modified tender, but exchanged it for this one in preparation for the trials). It was felt at the time that a high sided tender gave better attachment and protection to the dynamometer car cables and also gave protection, on occasion, to a member of the test staff riding in the coal space.

The tender was repainted with panelled lining, a thick black band along the top and a lowered emblem to match the paint scheme of a rebuilt loco. However, when the trials were over, the tender was transferred to the (then unrebuilt) "Clan Line", with pretty awful aesthetic results! The tender had panels, the loco horizontal lines and none of it even remotely lined up…

Tom

 

Victor, go wash your mouth out with soap and water.

 

Edit:

There's another photo here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31514768@N05/8044520839/in/faves-66203188@N03/

You can see cables trailing along the handrail and into the smokebox (via the chimney) which must have been in connection with monitoring the composition of the combustion gases etc.

Tom

 

So seems there is a failure with 34046 with the Injectors at Folkestone......

 

Local press reports that loco ran out of water, fire brigade called to fill tender?

Alan

 

As far as I am aware all the restart attempts with the injectors threw all of the water out from the tender. Therefore they ran out of water and had to call out the fire brigade to refill the tender.

The passengers were all put on a Southeastern High Speed service to St. Pancras and Chiltern Trains back to Birmingham where the tour had started, the tour being run by Vintage Trains, based at Tysley in Birmingham.

As I say, don't take my word for it, this is what I have been told.

 

She was lifting furiously through Deal- Looked a fabulous site and bang on time- sad to hear all was not well

 

The full story's in the thread in What's Going On. Basically, it's as described above: neither injector was working consistently, leading to excessive blowing off (not "a fabulous site" (sic) if you understand what's going on), lots of lost water, very slow running through Dover and final termination at Folkestone.

The question now is whether it was just a just a temporary problem (e.g. silt or something in the feed water) or a more systematic problem with the injectors, as suffered by Clan Line a few years ago. No doubt both units will be stripped down, cleaned and inspected ASAP. Let's hope she's back soon, especially since Britannia will be out of traffic for a few weeks.

 

According to someone on the train the injectors picked up sediment due to the low level of water in the tender tank. Ray.

 

For anyone interested, there's an official statement on their website.

http://www.iconsofsteam.com/latest-news/

 

As long as the steam leakage or, more likely, clack valve leakage, isn't excessive, running water through a flooded injector will soon cool it sufficiently. Tender (as opposed to tank) water is unlikely to become sufficiently overheated in normal service. Debris is not common these days, where most water comes from the mains. Scaled or worn cones are more likely. It should be unlikely that both injectors fail at once but the law of sod means that they frequently do, usually because, when one injector becomes more finicky, you use the other in preference , especially when they are side by side, until the point comes when they are both finicky.
Simple question: is 34046 fitted with an ashpan sprinkler and has this been left open? I've known that happen and it can put a lot of water in the wrong place in a short time.

 

Glad it doesn't look serious. I'm booked on a run beind 34046 in May, and would have been a bit disappointed to have been deprived of my furst main line run behind this particlar engine.

 

If there is no water left in the tender its no suprise that neither injector worked.