5668 to follow 4253 to KESR

I think you're absolutely right, John. I also think that an Austerity tank is a great representative of the industrial locos that thundered those heavy, unfitted coal wagons up to exchange sidings. They make a great noise, and it seems like the P&BR have got a fine example.

 

Yes, the P&BR (gala especially) is a great place to see steam working for a living, and anyone who gives those Austerities (another of my heroes in NCB steam days) a good work-out gets my vote. Being a Plymouth boy, I come anyway to see the ex Devonport Dockyard no. 19, but perhaps this going too OT!

John

 

I noticed on the K&ESR Facebook page Saturday gang page a photo of K&ESR No.24 Rolvenden that said it was surplus to requirements and would be sold. At first I was dismayed that the K&ESR were losing one of their loco's but having thought about it they've just got three large GWR tank engines (albeit two of them need hefty renovation) so a third Austerity I guess is surplus and I'm sure someone else will make use of it. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think No.24 was the loco previously known as William H. Austin and at some stage (80's?) was painted in a military livery for the war show the railway did.

 

I believe that the owning group is exploring the possibility of selling no.24, but nothing has been decided as far as I am aware. The engine does not belong to the KESR itself. No. 24 was indeed previously known as William H. Austen prior to the re-naming to Rolvenden. However, it was no.23 that was repainted into the camouflage livery for the military show. It was also no.23 that carried the WD black livery that was much admired at the time.

I would be very sad to see no.24 go, but with the potential for an even longer run, and 8 "heavy" engines at the line now, it is perhaps best that the owning group consolidate their efforts on no.23 and no.25, even if that means that no.24 leaves.

 

And just to prove she's arrived.... 5668 at Wittersham

 

Well done guys, another ex-Barry "no-hoper" saved. I salute you!

 

I'm sure the 4253 guys will do a thorough restoration just like they are doing on the 2-8-0 T .

 

Which are the 8 "heavy" engines? I'm not sure on the relative pulling power, presumably you mean the GWR trio of 4253, 5668, 6619, Norwegian, and the two Yankie Tanks, but which are the other two?. Isn't there an issue with the increased length of the line being beyond the Austerities ideal range? Looking forward to the completion of the line and glad the motive power is being thought through early.

 

Almost. 4253, 6619, 5668, the Yank tanks and the three Austerities. I had, of course, somehow managed to forget our Pannier 1638, so technically it's 9 heavy engines. We judge heavy engines by whether they can haul our 5 car set up Tenterden Bank. The Norwegian is limited to 4 coaches, so she doesn't make the list. When you think about it, both the Austerities and the USA tanks are shunters, and as such, Tenterden to Bodiam is probably already beyond their ideal range.

 

Isn't J94 No. 8078 also destined for the KESR?

 

I looked on the K&ESR stock list page and Norwegian and the pannier tank are listed with a very similar tractive effort, Norwegians being slightly higher. I thought tractive effort meant pulling power but I'm guessing there's more to it than that? I'd be interested to know more about the difference if someone can explain.

 

She was used as a snowplough at the end of her NSB career, and I'm told that as a result her frames are not in the best of health.

 

Funnily enough, I was sat on Saturday with one of the men who overhauled her. Apparently, a LOT of work was put into her frames on this overhaul, and he was brought in from an engineering background. He personally spent a lot of time fixing the problems caused by her earlier use. I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly why she does not match up to the Pannier, as my knowledge of steam engineering ends at "trains go chuff".....

 

What a lot of people forget is that a tender loco may have power at the drawbar, it has to use a fair bit of it to haul a tender about. A tender full of coal and water is part of the load being hauled which is why 376 is only allowed to haul 4 bogies. This time round the tyres have been replaced and are now properly profiled, she also has working sands now, which is why the load she can haul has been upped.

 

Thanks Pete. I knew someone could explain.

 

It never came to the railway but was owned by the KESR Co. for a short time and then sold to a group of members during a financial crisis after the turn of the century. Progress reports, from Sellindge, appeared in the Tenterden Terrier for a while but there have been no updates for several years.

 

5668 has now moved from Wittersham Lakeside, and is now at Rolvenden. She will be give some protective maintenance in the next few weeks before being stored for overhaul. In the meantime, I understand that next Saturday, the 11th January, there will be the opportunity to view both projects (4253 and 5668) in Rolvenden yard. If you are interested in going to have a look, please contact gwr4253@gmail.com for further information.

 

Returning to the issue of range. The USA Tank 65 has to take coal on the last trip at Rolvenden on the down train. If the firemen overfire the Austerities can run out of coal.


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