1014 County of Glamorgan

The Hawksworth Counties were an enigma to many GWR followers when they first appeared in service; it seems that this has not changed! It may well be that a new-build boiler would have been a better option but time will tell I guess.

 

Maybe someone actively involved in the County project or the GWS would like to comment here and clarify whether the intention is to steam the boiler at 225 or 250psi?

 

Isn't that going to be down to the insurance company and boiler inspector rather than the GWS? Even if they'd like to steam the boiler at 250psi, would it be their decision? In any case what would they gain by posting here? Those who like to knock the project will continue to knock the project whatever they say, and those that don't won't.

 

I'm not knocking the project per say - I wouldn't knock any new build with serious metal cutting having been done. I'd just like to understand the rationale behind the decision in an engineering sense, and the justification for breaking up the 8F in that manner. To me - may not be a view shared elsewhere, I accept - it looks from the outside in that a new boiler would have been a simpler affair.

If the Patriot team can potentially do it with a similarly sized 4-6-0, why couldn't the County team?

 

You do raise a good point, especially considering that it's not as though their unwilling to face doing a new build boiler, since they've made it clear they'll have to for their new 47xx class project.

That being said, one could argue that they chose to use the 8F boiler because at the time it was viewed very impractical to build a whole new boiler back then. Of course things have greatly changed since then though, so that argument doesn't really cut it.
It's only been until quite recently that they actually began work on the boiler, they could have easily chose otherwise if they really so wished.

But I'm not wanting to bash the project either, and since we don't have a clearly cut view on what their full intent with the boiler actually is, we'll just have to wait and hope for the best.

 

I wouldn't be too surprised if they eventually decide to build a new boiler/firebox from scratch after a couple of spells in ticket. I'm not an engineer, but I'm sure there's only so much 'cut and shut' you can do before things become a patchwork of copper weld. The approach reminds me a bit of Maunsell's N15x in some respects.

 

Perhaps it is expected to cost less ? ( though one wonders that a new boiler would be more cost effective in the long term, cant spend what you havent got)

 

I get the impression that by far the most expensive part of a boiler is the firebox. Hence the County group using one from a Barry 8F. I never saw a County, the last was withdrawn in 1964, but I've always thought that with the final, low double chimney, form of the class was a really powerful looking machine. I've read that in this state, they were consistent steamers and really powerful with a tremendous sharp bark. Apparently, they made a "stamping" sound from the double chimney, noticably different to any other Western locos. I for one wish the County group every success with the project and really look forward to seeing this loco in steam.

 

That motive goes without saying, but most other schemes follow the mantra that if you haven't got it, raise it. They never announced an appeal to make a new 'County' boiler, so the group can't even argue that they tried and failed to get financial support for it. It might have taken a long time, but as you say, it would be a lot more cost-effective and would have required less playing around with an existing firebox to make it fit a chassis that it wasn't intended for. Anyway, like 60103, this is another one that has the potential to rumble on.

 

Not especially fond of Matters GWR, but now we shall have a Saint shortly the County would complete the 4-6-0 lineage...perhaps when the saint, and perhaps the 47xxx have marched in they will have their moment in the GWR spotlight

 

Like myself, not fond of GWR. It shows in your post. No Grange mentioned and one too many Xs on 47.

 

Whats a Grange ? ( couldnt give a XXXX ! ?)

 

I wouldn't touch that lager, either...

 

I did note the smiley but feel it's worth responding anyway, for the sake of enlightening those who (claim to) regard all GWR 4-6-0s as indistinguishable. Granges (a) were one of Churchward's intended designs that only got built years after his time, but (b) had improved steam chest dimensions giving better performance than the original design would have done and (c) were capable mixed-traffic locos liked by the blokes who drove them. And they came into existence partly through re-use of parts from scrapped locos, which is an excellent precedent for building a new one on that basis.

However, this particular thread is supposed to be about the County.

 

There has been no news on this thread regarding the County for nearly a year. Does anyone know, or is prepared to comment as to whether the new boiler (with the 8F firebox) will be running at 225 or 250 psi?

 

Cannot recall where I saw this, but I am sure it will be 225 lbs.

To go higher I assume stay spacing--amongst other issues no doubt--would be an issue.

 

For once we are in agreement.

 

It had to happen eventually!

In all seriousness, the more I look at how the Patriot team have gone about their boiler build the more I am convinced that the county project made a mistake in cutting up the 8F boiler to modify for their engine. I don't like to knock heritage projects - ever - and what's done is done. I just wonder if that decision will be seen by preservation in history as a poor one.

 

Their project, their choice but if it had been down to me, the 8F would have remained intact and the County would have got a new boiler as close to the original as possible but it's not down to me and that's that.
No guarantee that it would ever have been done but would very much like to have seen an LNER O6 restored to life.

 

The break up of 48518 is one of the most profoundly regrettable acts of the so called preservation era, irrespective of the desire to recreate a lost class. Personal opinion.