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6029 returns to do battle with Tumulla Bank

Discussion in 'International Heritage Railways/Tramways' started by Spinner, Jun 6, 2016.

  1. Spinner

    Spinner Member

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    In steam days, Tumulla Bank, with its sinuous 1 in 40 grade that ran for miles, was a renouned location for watching the spectacle of steam working. Tumulla Bank had one feature appreciated by ferro-equinologists but perhaps disliked by locomotive crews. There was a crossing loop mid grade, with a signal box. Tumulla was also a safe-working staff point, so every train had to change staffs when heading in either direction. Heavily loaded goods trains, with two steam locomotives up front and one pushing at the rear, were required to stop at Tumulla to change the staff and to allow either crossing or passing trains to go by. Today, Tumulla has been straight railed, it is just a place on the single track mainline with strange earthworks and a road brisge over the line.

    60 Class Beyer-Garratts were allocated to depots on the West for a large part of their service life. In the 1960's, the three western depots (Bathurst, Dubbo and Parkes) shared up to 15 of these mighty machines between them. Whilst 6029 was not officially allocated to a western depot, it did work trains out west including over Tumulla Bank. You can buy a CD version of an older LP released by the ARHS (NSW Division) called Night Shift, which features 6029 being assisted up Tumulla bank by 3631. Quite an impressive sound recording.

    http://www.arhsvic.org.au/index.php...ight-shift-night-trains-in-new-south-wales-cd

    For people reading this on National Preservation, what I wrote above is just mumbo-jumbo blah blah blah. It does serve to introduce another superb Bevan Wall video. You see, over the last few days of May 2016 and the first few days of June 2016, the ARHS (ACT Division) owned and maintained 6029 has returned to some of its western line haunts. This included two days of running from Bathurst to Newbridge , Saturday 04 June 2016 and Sunday 05 June 2016. The train, including both 6029 and POTS (power other than steam) Unit C502, is in the order of 720 tonnes. A heavy type 60 Class, such as 6029, can haul a maximum load of 620 tonnes (aside of its own weight) up a 1 in 40, a C Class POTS Unit is rated similarly. Bevan had to endure quite inclement weather to bring this video to us, 6029 on Tumulla bank. Enjoy.

     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2016
  2. John Stewart

    John Stewart Part of the furniture

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    So one goes all the way to Australia and still gets a box on the back. :( We could do with one of those water tankers over here. I suppose that the Garratt's too big for a visit?
     
  3. Spinner

    Spinner Member

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    No, it's not too big for you to visit. If you want to take it or one of its three surviving sisters to the UK, you'd be looking at the nene Valley Railway and perhaps the Great Central Railway as the only places it'll fit. In NSW, we use a loading gauge similar to the Continental loading gauge.

    That water tank wagon (NSW term - water gin) is a fomer petrol tanker, thoroughly cleaned out and overhauled. It only holds 10,000 gallons of water. Other operators use the more familiar (to our eyes) D shaped bogie water gins which hold 8,000 gallons.
     
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  4. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Excellent video, weather looks quite normal to me.
    Interesting exhaust on the start at about 16.15, two beats close together soon come together, is this an example of the two units initially being out of sync but soon merging?
     
  5. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Nice video though slightly disappointed it isn't King Stephen you've unearthed ;)
     
  6. odc

    odc Member

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    Yes this is quite normal for articulateds of all simple types. They all do it, seem to prefer being in mechanical harmony!
     
  7. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Noticed the same thing in Zimbabwe and South Africa, but in this particular video is was very noticeable. I believe there are several theories as to why and how both ends get into sync, but it's a strange phenomenon nevertheless.
     
  8. Spinner

    Spinner Member

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    They don't actually get into sych. The two engine units go in and out of synch all the time, due to variations in wheel diameter, track curvature (horizontal and vertical), slipping* etc. If you think it has gone into synchronisation, it is most likely due to closeness of exhaust beats or the front unit (shorter exhaust path to smokebox/chimney) being louder than the rear engine unit and drowning it out. There is no mechanical connection between both engine units, the only connections are the first bit of steam pipe off the superheater header/regulator and the last bit of exhaust pipe connected to the blastpipe. That does of course disregard the frames etc. Experience in NSW shows no preference for mechaincal harmony.

    *Slipping isn't necessarily full slipping but partial diameter wheel slip which eventually causes oval wheels. In NSW, the 3 cylindered D-57 Class were notorious for this, being booked for 'skidded wheels' on a relatively regular basis.
     
  9. andrewshimmin

    andrewshimmin Well-Known Member

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    You have to be careful what you say about Gresley valve gear locos on NP....! Some people won't hear a word said against it...
     

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