35018 British India Line

Would you preferred to have had a diesel assisting because that would have been the only other option , but 35018 didn't fail on the road, she was failed at the NRM when the Big end was deemed to have failed, hopefully she will be repaired at York and then return to Carnforth hopefully the faults found on the tour will be sorted out before her next venture out.

 

I believe the Brocklebank Line testing at Swindon was to isolate the cause of a tendency to axlebox knock that the early rebuilds were developing. It was discovered that one end of the cylinder was doing rather more work than the other when the engine was hot and the valve settings were adjusted accordingly, which apparently promptly solved the problem. An original drives at the centre of the valve assembly, a very different configuration for that sort of issue.

In answer to a query raised by @class8mikado the maximum recorded steaming rate for a Merchant was 42000 lb/hr I seem to recall, with 35022 on the rollers at Rugby. Sufficient, as Rolls-Royce used to say.

 

I think if it was to make the train safer and more reliable, yes, a diesel would be adviseable. As I first mentioned, I thought NR had restricted WC to 10 or 11 coaches from the problems of two years ago? 13 coaches, plus a load of 50 tons in passengers is a big train for a first run. the big end clearly failed on the way as per youtube footage.

 

I guess in the absence of a livery debate, a train length debate will have to suffice

 

I mention the 10/11 coaches item as a part of the NR inquiry at the time - that's all. No doubt someone can look it up. Let's hope the loco is repaired soon as it will be great to see another MN in operation ,particularly this one with so much history to it. I still feel that locos are pressed into traffic far too early after a big restoration.

 

Lets assume for a minute the engine had not failed, and ran without any problem, would the pressure be any less? everyone would be shouting send her over shap, over the s&c, etc, An bearing can fail, it happens, its clear that something in the steam circuit at the front end needs further attension, but i'm sure that the engineering team will have a better idea now of where the fault is, and how to fix it, perhaps it took a gamble to see if the repairs done since the last test had worked, sometimes if the engine is apparently ok on an FTR then you run it, at that point the bearing was ok and a run to york way have been the best way to prove it, or otherwise , knowing there was another engine at York .

 

I rest my case.

 

Could a big end problem even be identified any earlier or was it always case of sucking it and see by running the loco in anger? I'm sure many components on a "new" loco have a degree of the "unknown" to them, that would only lessen with further runs. No doubt some fettling was always anticipated but perhaps not this. As has been said before, anything mechanical has the potential to fail at any time. Lots of parts that need to work happily with one another. It's not like BIL rolled off a Toyota production line!

Credit where credit is due - they turned out a fantastic looking machine that performed well. Now, in the big picture of turning a wreck into a powerful, reliable mainline performer there is a slight setback - they will fix it.

 

Thank god it was green!

 

I'd welcome a link to the Youtube footage that indicated a middle big end had failed so I can see for myself. Was the camera mounted between the frames?

 

Great hissing globs of white metal on the ballast after she had past... clear as day !

 

I though so too, check out page 3 2nd last paragraph.
http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf...-17-decision-letter-to-west-coast-railway.pdf
Unless something has changed since.

 

Has it, you will have to point me to where it has been confirmed that the damage was caused by the loading on the train....

 

Did you actually read the whole letter, as that was the prohibition notice which has subsequently been lifted once can reasonably assume that quite a lot has changed since then for the prohibition notice to be lifted?

 

Since then NR have issued guidance for loadings relative to loco power classification on a variety of routes that cover normal and autumn running without assistance. 13 on a Class 8 running Carnforth to York was acceptable.