Identification of diesels a brief dissertation by Jamessquared

Afraid not. Strangled a few farts in my time though........

 

Changing the subject a bit, there is a big red white and blue thing that regularly gurgles and throbs its way up and down the headshunt at Alresford, I am told it is a Lion brand vacuum cleaner, or hoover. However rather than cleanoing, the track is noticeably dirtier after the passage of this "hoover" as it seems to leave spots of sticky black liquid on the sleepers. Can you advise on what this machine is actually doing? Should I inform the trading standards people?

 

Possibly not but the local scrap metal operatives may be interested.

 

As was previously discussed, the Hoovers were intended as a more modern, sophisticated replacement for the Brush, Type 4. However, like many things forged in that 1960s "white heat of technology" they maybe weren't all they were cracked up to be: they became, as we know, "popular" and were so popular that they were all long gone while the supposedly out-of-date Brushes carried on, sweeping all before. As such, they can be seen perhaps as an allegory of our times: technically sophisticated is not always an improvement on the tried and trusted old fashioned ways of doing things. See also Sinclair C5 vs bicycle; Watneys Red Label vs Real Ale etc etc.

As for sticky black liquid left on your track: have you tried carbolic soap and elbow grease?

Tom

 

Codswallop. I spent many an hour watching Deltics at Leeds Central and never saw one go past at 100mph.

 

Ah, but us lads "in the know" went up to Holbeck High level, when they'd got the bit between their teeth. A bit of light trespassing at Copley Hill shed and a nice stroll down to Holbeck HL to see the Deltics and what was left of Mr. Gresleys finest:nod:

And Ralph, if they didn't slow down they'd finish up in Wellington St. along with most of Leeds Central. :lol:

 

I bet they weren't doing much at Holbeck HL, either. I'm told that they were pretty slow off the mark leaving Central when compared with an A3/A4 but I only ever sampled the Gresley Pacifics on the Donny locals (running in turns) and never one of those multi piston thingies. Oh, and 60073 as a substitute for a failed Deltic on the West Riding one day (very rare trip to the Smoke). Only 7 minutes lost on the 3 hour schedule, if my aging memory banks are right.

Holbeck HL was where I always went to revise for my A levels! Even though it was shut and deserted there was still plenty of steam action on the Midland and Whitehall curve in 1967 and it made an ideal viewing point. Happy days...

 

Steve - this is a *diesel* thread. Don't come in here with your memories about kettles and saying that Deltics are slower than an A3/A4. Victor's still got some blank pages in his book, tha knows.

Richard

 

Aah, I don't mind, I'm an "enthusiast", I enjoy all things railway (except Pacers). People like to knock the 47's, I happen to think they are good machine, the Black 5's of the diesel world, they'll do owt, go anywhere. A couple of years ago we went (1st class :nod on The White Rose, Leeds to KX and return, Scots Guardsman (Ron Smith) down and a WCRC 47 back. The 47 certainly didn't hang about, very impressive bit of running.

BUT DELTICS ARE BEST.eace:

 

But would you like a Pacer if it had a Deltic engine in it? :bolt:

Richard

 

Ooh. Touchy touchy!:shocked:

 

You'll have to humour him, it's his age, combined with the the trauma of being introduced to the mysteries of infernal combustion locomotion.

Lets hope we never have to confront the strange blue boxes with 8 wheels that move without smoke or sound :fear:

 

When do we get on to Petrol engines?

 

I think you just did!

Mark

 

Pedaloes? Oh sorry, it does have an engine...

Come on Clarkson, it may not be as fast as a Bugatti Veyron, but can a Veyron haul a 20T dropside ballast wagon up a 1:75 gradient?

And I'm not sure, but is the vehicle it is pulling a class 62 Electro-diesel, no 62002?

Tom

 

Ah, the Class 62. Those Southern Region designers certainly knew their stuiff. Drop-sides for easy engine maintenance. Four wheels so you needed fewer motory things. And low height for getting under low things.

However, this low height also needed the development of a totally new engine. Not the mighty trianglar 18-cylinder Deltic engine, or the twin-bank 12-cylinder outfit in the Brush Type 4s. Oh no. The Class 62 used a unique flat 0-cylinder engine, famed for its excellent fuel efficiency and low maintenance. Photos of the Class 62 in service suggest that another steam or diesel locomotive was often attached to the other end of the train, but the train operators assured photographers of the time that this was only there to provide traction and braking and had no effect on the performance of the Class 62.

As it turned out, the unique engine design provided very unreliable, and the Class 62 were soon converted - quite cheaply - into standard wagons.

Richard

 

Oh this question definitely deserves an answer....

op2:

 

The poxy things are scary enough with the engine they've got, pop a Deltic engine in and it would corkscrew the prop shaft. And the owners of the Pacers are refurbishing the damn things in our area.:doh:

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Although an underslung Deltic engine would be a sight to behold. Those yoofs round South and East London are dab hands at modifying things, they'd give it a go, :happy: