John Bunch's Southern Moguls

Duty Druid said: ↑
Didn't most early lines?...............
Jamessquared said...
Nope

Are you sure you want to stand by that statement? The key word in the preceding question being "most!" The Bluebell is an exception to the rule - the GCR, SVR, KWVR, ELR, Mid Hans, WSR , NYMR, KESR, GWSR and so on all used industrial engines in their early days.

 

You'd take an S15 over a Black 5 or B1 then Steve given the choice and depending on the duty required?

 

Yes. Even though I normally stand when driving an S15.
Unless it involves going in reverse.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience. Not wishing to inflame any black 5 owners but its occurred to me often that, theoretically, an S15 on the Jacobite would be a good tool, particularly with bogie tender. Not raising a proposal BTW, before anyone gets the wrong end of the stick

 

Thing is even at 2 1/2+/- miles and considering the twisty/turny nature of that section of line overall can be most taxing for engines of any rating never mind class 4s like 31806

 

Don't forget that the tender of an S15 is lower than a Black Five and hence subject to everything that the tender-first loco is heading into - I have experienced "the wind chill" while getting a lift back on 841 Light Engine after a trip years ago - as Steve says, they steam so well that the fireman, the cleaner and I were all able to keep moderately warm in front of a part open fire door, but the driver had to stick to his side of the cab.

On another occasion, a local driver known by the name of his shed when a BR footplateman stated that there was some sort of treadle as they left Levisham tender first for Goathland, which when they hit it, started the snow one April day a good few years back. Of course, there is a tender sheet provided - "but we were mean of Steel and didn't use it" he said "as we passed the shed singing, the shed master called us 'silly b*gg*rs'"!

Steven

 

Ah, but at least on an S15 you can see where you are going when running backwards, which is more than can be said for a Black 5! I can vouch for how cold they can be going backwards, and we only get "soft southern snow"

It will be interesting to compare and contrast when the MHR finish 506, which is one of the Urie originals, as to whether there is much difference between them: I'd suspect not much at typical heritage line speeds, I think the Maunsell versions really came into their own at higher speeds. Either way, they are impressive things for a design that is all but a hundred years old.

Tom

 

How would any driver on the NYMR know what snow looks like?

They are all at home tucked up in bed while us poor sods in the PW are relaying track or building bridges in waist deep snow.

 

S15 Tender first, separates the men from the boys, medstead bank into a snow storm, freezes the parts you never knew you had, add onto that the wind chill factor going down the other side, when you shouldnt have the door open, or flap up, and it is flipping cold, but on a summers day when the choice was 30506 ,or 34105, i knew which i preferred.

 

Maybe the Moors would be the best place for an S15 reunion/gala/performance test at some point in the future.

I'll always remember my first trip up the bank behind 841 the first summer after it arrived. When it was blasting leaves off the trees!

Sawdust.

 

From looking at pictures?.....................

 

Hmm, now that would be interesting, going engine first anyway lol!

 

Dead easy. We look out of the window, see it is snowing and, as you say, go back to bed.
However, come the long summer months, when you are sat basking in the sunshine at New Bridge or Scarborough and planning next winters snow clearance programme, we are sweating our guts off keeping the passengers happy and (hopefully) bringing in the pennies for you to spend.

 

In some ways its a pity 30506 didnt get the chance to stretch its legs on the Daylight rail tours, very capable machines, and it would have made easy work of any of the local banks, i can remember several conversations at the time, i think that the local VAB inspector even drew up a list, or offered to that would have got the S15 a ticket, and it would have not needed much additional work but as ever, it was not taken up, S15's on passenger work was not exactly rare, and coal and water capacity with that large tender i think would have made it highly suitable , the Urie engines i believe had bigger cylinders , but a lower pressed boiler, at the time she had the one from 825 fitted so had the advantage of larger cylinders and the extra boiler presure of the Maunsell boiler.