Consett Ironworks Kitson A No 5 of 1881 0-6-0T back in steam

There are a couple of strips over the top, but they aren't remotely strong enough to take all the weight. And of course if such things are enough to define them as pannier tanks what have you done to the 45s!!

Too much hair splitting will always get you into trouble because its hard to get precise definitions: consider the "USA" tanks, for instance. Few would argue against them being side tanks, and the GWR 1500s being pannier tanks, but there's not that much difference between the two...

For my money side tanks extend below the bottom of the boiler barrel to the footplate/cab floor height and pannier tanks are entirely alongside the barrel, but we can all write our own definitions
Anyway, I think that's a really sweet old pannier tank, but if the boys who have done the hard yards getting her back into steam really insist on calling them side tanks then I'll buy them a beer and shut up in their hearing.

 

Are these simply to help with the stability of the tanks at the top, in the same way that most side tanks have support brackets at the top attached to the boiler? Dunno: I'm no expert on GW practice.

 

I should have thought so: In Russell's pictorial record vol 2 there's a photo of an 1813 class from above, and the straps look to me like flat plate and are bolted to the top face of the tank. It really doesn't look like a setup that could take much vertical load.

Here's another crop from the photo of 1501. You can see the straps in place, and they look T section and a bit more substantial, but I still can't imagine 4 or 5 tons of water hanging from them. And why would you? Its got to be far lighter and cheaper to have supports in compression underneath the tanks to take the majority of the load.

 

Interesting... never to old to learn something new...will you tell the Kitson boys or will I?

 

I'd be promoting that fact TBH, saddle and side industrials are ten a penny, how many non GWR panniers are there ?, a unique selling point is no bad thing.

 

Other than A No.5 the only standard gauge non-GW pannier I can think of is 'Brookfield.' Narrow gauge-wise, does 'Tom Rolt' count as a pannier tank?

 

[QUOTE="..........Anyway, I think that's a really sweet old pannier tank, but if the boys who have done the hard yards getting her back into steam really insist on calling them side tanks then I'll buy them a beer and shut up in their hearing.[/QUOTE]
Next time you are up on Tyneside JimC, call in, I for one will take you up on that offer!
Seriously, this has been my first involvement at this base and it has been, and continues to be, great. Fantastic working environment, great folk, fascinating work, a real pleasure.
Incidentally, from memory, the tanks are bolted through the plate which forms the front of the smokebox, supported on stools on the footplate at mid-length (we had fun making these fixings leak proof) and then the other big plate in front of the cab. No straps to or over the boiler, only other fixings are the feed and balance water pipes .

 

But apparently the GWR tanks were sometimes referred to as 'high side tanks'in their early days (RCTS Part 5).

It should be borne in mind that as the tanks are rectangular and the boiler top is round (they were used with round top as well as Belpaire boilers so the strap would be as much to hold them apart as together. Presumably the Kitson as a low speed industrial loco relies on some fixing to the cab front to steady them.

I think the difference between the front being fixed to the smokebox sides or wing plates his irrelevant.

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Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk

 

For anyone's interest, this engine is being loaned to Locomotion at Shildon for the bank holiday weekend so go and have a good look at her.
Spent yesterday morning helping to clean the cab inside paintworks and brasses and then tried to quarter the rear buffers. This was a bit difficult with only 2 inches between them and the buffers of the adjacent 03 diesel shunter.
The cleaners are continuing this morning and probably Saturday before she travels down next week.
Incidentally, this means that Stephenson Railway Museum will not, I understand, have a steam engine available for that weekend, but we will have the Harton Colliery Electric on show, remember, this one works and does run when the trailing battery wagon is charged up. Now how about getting the 2 remaining electrics together at Shildon, and running them, that could be good!

 

She returned safely today having been quite a success I understand. Yes OK, I got the wrong weekend in previous report, sorry about that.

It is intended that she will be in steam this coming weekend, the Bank Holiday weekend, but if you want to see her as she returned to steam earlier this year, watch 'Antiques RoadshowCompetition' programme on BBC 1 at 16.30 today, Wednesday. ( Not sure of the correct programme title, sorry BBC)

 

Just to say this useful loco is in action for 4 days this weekend for a ticket only 'Day Out With Thomas' event which is already sold out. The services are shared with the Peckett Ashington No 5 'Jackie Milburn'. If you haven't got a ticket then you will not be able to witness these great useful locos working, sorry. Try again later in the year.