4003 Lode Star

With Lady of Legend virtually finished, I think now would be a good time to campaign to have the Star transferred to Didcot to display alongside.

I used to think that the Star should not be restored to working order, but I have changed my mind. This is because the loco is not in original condition but also is not in final condition, because the elbow steam pipes have been removed but the inside cylinder block was not changed. I believe for this reason the Star could be returned to working order. Even if it was a static exhibit, Didcot next to a Saint is where it should be, permanently preferably, but even as a temporary visitor it would be good.

 

I agree that it would be good to move the Star to Didcot, whether temporarily or permanently. Restoration to working order is more questionable. Are the outside cylinders and valves of the type to go with inside steam pipes or do they not have any steam connections?

 

Do you expect a working steam loco (2999) to be kept at Didcot? Hopefully, it will be running at various lines throughout the country for the next nine years.

 

It all depends on how you view Didcot, I suppose


















As a restoration centre providing locos for the benefit of others, or as an attraction in its own right? I have no axe to grind, I'm not a GWS member or supporter, but it seems to me that the whole point of Didcot is to be as close as possible to a working GWR depot and to display as comprehensive a cross section of GWR locos and rolling stock as possible. Locos need to be in steam but people get to see more of them compared to a heritage railway because they don't disappear up the line for an hour or two at a time.. Occasional visits to other lines, yes, but not prolonged ones.

 

I believe all they have done is remove the elbow pipes and plate over the holes in the smokebox wrapper. It wouldn't be sanctioned to change the inside cylinder block*, even if the finance could be found, so it seems to me restoring the elbows and thus return it to it's final service condition would at least make it authentic.

* probably have to change the entire cylinders

 

Sod all this "perfect originality" stuff. This thinking is what led to the loss of Ben Alder. Get it in steam!

 

Just to give a bit of clarification, as I think there may be a bit of a mix up going on. The engine wouldn't need new cylinders, the change between 'inside' and 'elbow' is purely to do with the steampipe arrangement in the smokebox, and not within the cylinders themselves. When it was done up at Swindon in the 60's, the original steampipe configuration was restored, so there isn't anything 'missing.' That said, I think debates about what would be needed to get it going are rather academic these days.

As it stands, the engine currently gives a fair representation of how it would have appeared in the late 20's/early 30's. (Or rather it does if you ignore all the polished bull...)

 

Once the NRM have de-accessioned 4003 they won't be concerned about its 'originality' any more.

 

then you agree originality doesn't enter into it and that's what was quoted as the reason for not steaming it. Given it's not original, there's no reason why it can't be put back into steam imo.

 

It depends what you define as 'originality.' If you mean the parts which were originally fitted when the engine first came out of Swindon in 1907, then as soon as it went back for its first intermediate overhaul, it would've started losing original parts. By the time it was withdrawn, a significant amount of the engine would no longer be original.

If, on the other hand, you consider 'originality' to be 'steam-era Swindon/Wolverhampton work,' then it is absolutely 100% original. I think this is the stance the NRM take.

 

Putting Lode Star on display alongside LoL would only encourage the "all GWR express locos look the same" brigade.

Rather than show a comparison with a design a year younger than the Lady it would be more illuminating to display it with a design still being built seven years earlier and still going strong when the Ladies were built. I suggest it would be great if the Steamtown built replica of the Dean single "Queen" was liberated from Windsor and found a new home at Didcot.

 

No, any idiot can see they are different. Some are painted black, some green and the odd one or two blue.

Oh, and i forgot the celebratory red one.

 

My understanding is that inside and outside steam pipes go different ways into the valves, so changing the pipes means also changing the valves and therefore the cylinder assmblies. Did they not need new cylinders for 2999 to go with the inside steam pipes?

 

that was my understanding too

 

As far as 'all GWR express locos' etc. etc, is concerned I have to admit that many Stanier locos, particularly Black Fives, look very much GWR in appearance - just a few extras added and a few omitted.
But we all know where he learned his trade.

 

Yes, the Saint needed inside steam pipe cylinders. But the Stars are different. As originally built, if I understand correctly, there were steam pipes wholly between the frames to feed the outside cylinders. What the "elbow" pipes did was to take the steam out of the sides of the smokebox as the later style boilers were constructed to do, and they then disappeared back between the frames for the earlier style cylinders. One hopes that Swindon managed to find the old style front end components so Lode Star has the complete early arrangement.

 

Yes that's essentially it. If you look at the elbow pipes, ask yourself, 'where are they going?' And you have the answer. They're not 'inside' like they are on the Saints, it's just that they're not immediately obvious. With the Saints, the steam pipes enter to the side of the blast pipe. As is well known, later on both Saints and Stars were fitted with cylinders where the steam pipes entered directly on top of the valve chest, in other words, 'outside.' The valves remain unaffected by all this.

 

Thanks to the ever useful Warwickshire railways collection here are some elbow pipes.
https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/birmingham-snowhill/locomotives/gwrbsh1301.jpg
and here the all outside style.
https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/leamingtonstation/leamington_locos/gwrls164.jpg

 

did they go to that trouble though? they didn't bother too much about blocking the holes in the smokebox wrapper properly.