lms 2500 to steam?

David, In NSW (Australia), we've been doing that for 30 plus years. Water gin + diesel pump = watering steam locomotives on the fly. Since 1970, we've had our traffic locos through piped too, so double ( and triple) headers can get a drink at the same time.

 

Water lifters were quite common on narrow gauge locos, in particular on the WW1 trench railways. Britomart on the Festiniog has had one fitted, not sure if it has been used on the move though. They work more like ejectors rather than injectors.

Tim

 

If 2500 were to be returned to steam, I imagine that a water hydrant valve would be fitted at the bottom of the tank on one side or the other - it's a modification the usefulness of which outweighs the issue of altering the artefact (the loco) in the first place, and one that the NRM has allowed on other locos in its care. Consequently, a through pipe from a milk wagon, GUC, PMV, CCT or whatever would most likely not require any weird and wonderful means of pumping the water from one to the other - the Panniers, as noted by someone else are a special case due to the height of the tanks.

 

Why not connect directly from a tanker to the bunker waterspace.

 

It would make sense to fit the water hydrant valve on the rear to allow for this.

 

Nevertheless, that's what they did. But it was rather a special situation, as the LT&S duties they were on were entirely self contained - unlike most other duties on the LMS, the locos did not wander away from their home shed, so a slightly more complex loco could presumably be justified on what was probably the most intensive passenger duties on the whole LMS. And with some of the most vocal customers if things went wrong. They didn't cover all duties - the LT&S 4-4-2's carried on until replaced by 2 cyl 2-6-4's (LMS and BR designs) but the 3cyl locos were used as far as possible on the fastest trains.

 

- Would be great to see this loco to steam agen, lets hope it does happen