Back Of The Shed

I thought it was initially to do with 60009 running specials in 1993 during the Forth Bridge Centenary celebrations?

 

Far too many Austerity 0-6-0STs painted in BR black, rather than their more interesting and colourful industrial liveries.

 

I always thought that as well but I could be wrong. No. 9 also worked on the S&C as Osprey; and as 60027 Merlin (09/91), and unnamed whilst displaying an 86K shedplate (24.02.90).

 

Did 4488 actually carry the name Osprey originally?

 

There is only three or four Austerity's in BR black currently and most of them are industrial liveries. So your far too many Austerity 0-6-0STs painted in BR black is incorrect.

 

Four too many then!

 

Just caught up on a fortnight of posts to now see arguing about how many Austerity's are in BR black

You guys!

 

According to the RCTS book on LNER Locomotives, 4488 (60009) was named Union of South Africa when built 6/37 and was not renamed.
A4 4494 (60003) was originally named Osprey when built in 8/37 but was renamed Andrew K. McCosh in 10/42.

 

Apologies - I stand corrected. 60009 has always been "Union of South Africa" but the change of name to that of an earlier A4 name was made to avoid problems during a period of political concern. I wonder if the chosen name was also made in connection with the publicity concerning the return of Ospreys to the Scottish lochs around Boat of Garten although IIRC the political problems were reported at the time as the main reason for the name change.

 

Particularly in the case of machines where spare sets of frames are known to have "done the rounds" this insistence that identities stem from the frames has always seemed a bit strange to me.

An example of a locomotive which has its its original century old mainframes is the very much operational W11. She went to Paris in 1878 as No. 40, her wrought iron frames carrying Stroudley's patent speed indicator, the only one of her type so equipped. Look under W11 today and you can see the holes whereby the rotor for the indicator was bolted on. I wouldn't assume though that other survivors have not played "musical frames"

 

i think it's better explained that the id stays with the frames, if they are scrapped and replaced , the id transfers to the new frames. Doesn't help when secondhand frames are used, but at the end of the day, I don't take much notice of numbers.

 

I think it was more common in pre-grouping days that when a loco entered the works, it would be broken down, the parts refurbished, and then built back up again, with the same parts staying on the same loco. It was only later practice that parts started to be repaired and put into a pool, from which they were then withdrawn to put back onto the overhauled loco, resulting in part swaps. That change probably relied as much as anything else on modernisation of workshop practice, where specific gangs did specific tasks with locos moving past them on a kind of production line basis, rather than one gang being responsible for a whole overhaul from strip down to rebuild. It would also be more common amongst larger classes, where it was more likely for multiple examples to be under repair simultaneously.

Amongst loco archaeology, a various parts of "Fenchurch" is believed to be original from 1872. Notable are the tanks, which contain the blanked-off holes in the top for the steam balance pipe that ran in front of the cab, and which was only fitted to the first six locos in the class. That strongly suggests the tanks are either original to Fenchurch from 1872 or, less likely but possible, original to one of the other first six locos. The Adams Radial 488 probably has original frames as well; evidence of a crude repair from East Kent Railway days still survives in the form of a patch over a crack.

Tom

 

The USA tank formerly known as Wainwright. Various Bulleid pacifics masquerading as classmates, 55022... for starters

 

Surely a good amount as more the class are in industrial liveries and it is harder to find a Austerity with BR livery then a industrial livery.

 

45157 Glasgow Highlander (45407) and that is on the big railway.

 

'68009' at the GC?

 

My understanding is that 4488 was originally to be called Osprey, but with the introduction of the "Empire" names in conjunction with the Coronation service, she was named Union of South Africa instead. The name Osprey was later used on 4494. I wonder if the plates had already been cast.
So 4488 never carried "Osprey" in service - until the 90's.

 

A float of spare frames were built at Crewe for Class 5s to speed up the turnaround at overhaul and some frames from the short firebox engine she were modified to take the long firebox boiler for the same reason

 

It isn't correct though, 45157 was a short firebox loco and only ever ran with a domeless boiler.

 

Surely I should not need to list the number of non BR livery Austerity and there is more heritage railways than just the Great Central Railway. The number 20 is bigger than 4 and there is plenty of green and blue livery Austerity's. Your logic is making no sense to me and the Great Central is a mainline preserved railway not a industrial line. The guy who owns 68009 is a big fan of the BR livery as his other locomotives 47406 currently in BR livery and 48305 will probably be wearing BR when running after overhaul.