Deltic smoke

On the thread UKR "The White Rose" to York now 7th July, Deltic D9009 out,Tornado back

It was like that leaving Victoria on 16th May on the run to the SVR, not so bad once it got going. Did Deltics smoke like that leaving the Cross when they were in regular use on the ECML?

 

Yes.

 

At one time there was an instruction issued to drivers DO NOT leave the engines idling in stations too long, and where possible switch one engine OFF.

 

Deltics are well known for plenty of white clag when really opened up at low speed, not an indication that all isn't well mechanically like some other classes.

 

Today's departure from KX wasn't as bad as my memories of them at York station. Just a light grey haze along the line side, instead of filling the station roof. Just makes you realise how clean and quiet these new-fangled electric things are. I'd also forgotten the noise made by Mk1 brakes from 100 mph.

You can tell I don't get out enough, can't you!

 

A Deltic has a 2 stroke engine so they have to pass oil to lubricate the pistons They're certainly well known for being heavy smokers. Further to Victors point wasnt there a ban on them being opened up all the way when leaving York? After various complaints from the housewives of Dringhouses?!

 

I may have told this story before, several years ago on the ELR my mate worked in the booking office at Bury and took a phone call from an irate lady at Townsend Fold complaining about the amount of smoke from the big green steam engine, as she had just put washing out to dry. My mate duly apologuised on behalf of the railway and told her he would speak to whoever to make sure it didn't happen again, she was happy. My mate then thought we don't have a green steam engine in use (at that time), looking at the board in the booking hall you've guessed it, a DELTIC!!

 

"Does a Deltic Look Different?

Quite apart from the external design of the class 55 locomotive, a Deltic exhaust is similarly unique. The two stroke engine design carries over a significant quantity of oil into the exhaust collector drum. This is ignited, leading to a white or pale blue exhaust trail in many cases. After standing idling for some time, a Deltic can produce a cloud of smoke that many steam locomotives would find hard to match."

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/theblackwatch/tech1.htm

 

The occasional fire is normally attributed to the oil in the collector drum igniting.

 

A quote from the link provided by richards
"The collector drum (the white lagged object on the end of the engine, on the above photograph) was well known for collecting both carbon and oil deposits, and was often responsible for the creation of a few lineside and exhaust system fires."

 

Could well be right there Martin. I may have the 2 mixed up.

 

Yes this was certainly the case on the northbound Elizabethan on the 25th July 2012...to say I was concerned that the whole tour was about to go up in smoke is an understatement!

 

I read a story of a a guy who was somone high up at FP and I think it was 9 funnily enough hadnt been used for a while and was chucking out all sorts of rubbish and causing a few fires heading north. Anyway this guy had a phonecall from someone asking could the train stop at Peterborough so the fire brigade could 'sort it out?'. The reply was great 'Good God no, they'll want to shove hoses and do all sorts of damage to her. Keep her going she'll burn it out!' Sure enough by 9 got to Edinburgh all was well with her. Although I dont think the fire brigade and several farmers wernt happy! Deltics really are meant for high speeds, pootling around at 25 dosnt do them any good.

 

Deltics are opposed piston engines so have double the number of pistons passing a little oil every stroke, Add in the three bank Deltic configuration and the operation at 1,200 or so RPM thats a lot of pistons stroking every minute. So unless the piston liner, rings and piston ring grooves are all spot on in every liner you will get more oil passed than a EE, Sulzer, GM power unit etc . Power output will also alter the Deltic supercharger outputs so as Matt said pootling at 25MPH tends to suck oil in through seals and labyrinth glands as their is little boost pressure. All this is collected in the drum which drains excess off but any left on the surfaces, carbon build up etc will 'burn off' when powered up.

This is normal on any engine just more noticeable on Deltics due to the design and numbers of cylinders. Paxmans in the HSTs used to suck oil out at Stations and cover KX/Padd in blue on leaving.

Brian

 

Regularly only one engine used when running light. If both were running the power would suddenly build up and they would take off like a rocket. A bit uncontrollable to say the least.

With a Deltic arriving at Kings Cross from Edinburgh it was normal to have to add anything up to 10 gallons of lubricating oil to each engine. It would also get though about 600 gallons of fuel.

BR soon had complaints about the 'Deltic Pong' penetrating the overnight sleeping car trains. To overcome(?) this, an additive was put in the fuel. It didn't kill the 'Pong', but disguised into a more pleasant smell. Older members may recall the Redex 1d per shot upper cylinder lubricant pump/containers added to ones car's petrol. These were used for the additive.

And if you want an 'interesting' job, try removing all 36 fuel injectors on a night shift. You need a 2' long 3/8" drive socket extension to remove them. Nearly forgot to mention that the Deltic concerned had just come on the Depot having arrived from Edinburgh. It is a tad warm in the engine room............

 

I love the sound of them being shut down the gears grinding together. Then when they're started up the same sort of sound but followed by a lovely wumph as all the exhaust blows out! Beautiful!