Front couplings

I think some 8Fs were built with only a small ejector, identified by only one pipe emerging from the cab front, it was those I was thinking of not being able to worked fitted trains

 

Yes, some were, but they could still work fitted trains - that's why they had the ejector. The first sixe had no vacuum equipment originally but it was soon added. See my post #20.

 

I assume it would have taken a long time to blow the brakes off on a fully fitted train. That’s why I wondered if there were any restrictions on their use

 

Another reason for lifting the coupling out of the way. To keep it out of the ballast.

We normally work with the coupling up either on the hook or on the small bracket below the headlight.

 

Most crews don’t have that problem, Bryan.

 

Or if they do, they probably have bigger problems...

 

What great pictures of 8Fs, thanks @LMS2968 One of the very few locos I do actually remember seeing at work

 

WDs much rarer. Only ever seen one photo of one on a passenger turn

 

Oddly enough, the Austerity 2-8-0s had a regular passenger duty for a few months during the summer of 1949 over what is now the Bluebell, hauling an Eastbourne - London Bridge via Haywards Heath and East Grinstead service. Usage stopped in the winter because they didn't have carriage warming apparatus and didn't resume the following year. I assume the reason for using such unlikely motive power was as a return working for a loco that had worked down on a freight duty.

Tom

 

The WDs were not suited to passenger duty. They pulled and steamed well enough, but there was no balancing of the reciprocating masses so once speed got much over 25 m.p.h. they began a very unpleasant fore-and-aft surging which would have been transmitted to the coaches. It was very unpleasant for the men too, even on a normal goods train, and certainly inhibited any attempt at even normal goods train speeds.

One effect of this was for the coal to come forward in the tender and tip out on to the footplate. From there it would work its way forward to pile up under the firehole doors, waiting to be shovelled in. John (A.J.) Powell, a loco inspector and author of many books, described at as 'suicide coal'.

 

I remember Clive Groome talking about suicide coal in connection with some loco; can't remember which now (and can no longer go back to ask )

Tom

 

I have very distinct memories of riding on the footplate of WD 600 Gordon from York to Sheffield in 1975, the engine and tender would start banging together, when the driver shut the regulator the motion would stop only to start again minutes later, so the driver would crack open the regulator and the motion would again stop. This sequence happened on multiple occasions. I was told by an experienced timer who was riding in the train that the speed was mostly in the mid 40s.

 

Yes, the ex Bury, 26D fireman I used to know said that about them, they were powerful, steamed well and were easy to fire, but the ride was terrible. He said that Lees shed, 26E, I think it was, fitted a spring loaded drawbar to one of theirs, presumably, taken off a withdrawn Austin 7, and that was much better.

I'd forgotten that the Southern had an allocation of them just after nationalisation, they didn't have them long.