Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

No one has investigated the exhaust system? It is the obvious thing to look at when a class has a reputation for needing what might be termed careful management.

 

I believe 88 has been ‘fine tuned’ slightly to 89 with a few subtle mods here and there, goes to show though not all engines from the same class are the same!

 

Whats the matter with the left way!

 

Once again Peter Smith’s book covers firing of different locos. Going slightly off thread once the Carnforth lads had learned how to fire the Jubs especially 45699 these locos performed above their class 5X status

 

Ropley's finest will also have the chance to fire a Jubilee soon.....

 

I hope it fares better than the last time we had a Jubilee on the line, it was so out of sorts, it hardly got up Medstead bank , i can remember cause I was firing it !! with Dave Fewin driving, we tried everything, it just wouldn't go, i had it on the line, plenty of steam pressure, it should have flown up, the front end was out .

 

As I recall it the A/S ratios were changed while boiler work was being carried out by taking advantage of the need to renew both tubeplates. Given the nature of the cylinder design and the short travel valve gear (3.25") you have a fair idea of what you are going to experience and this is confirmed by those who worked on the engines. The observations of Andy Norman and Steve are well worth bearing in mind. Not all crews are equal, when 13809 was on the mainline performance could be patchy, but for those prepared to learn and adapt the engines will do what you need them to do. I hope that the Mid Hants crews enjoy their experience with 88.

 

From an observers view they are very fine engines. I managed to see them all in one day on the S&D in the summer of 1962 and had at least one storming run with 88 on the WSRly

 

Which Jubilee was it and when did it visit? Must have been more than 20 years ago as I've beem visiting the MHR since 2000 and don't remember one being there.

 

5593 in the mid 1990’s, it’s not the first time MHR or ex MHR footplate staff have complained about it on this forum!

 

Can you have a STORMING RUN with a 25mph speed limit?

 

Yes, provided you get a suitable relationship between motive power, train weight and gradient...

Tom

 

and method of driving especially with position of valve gear. Not that I have any clue as to what does what on a footplate.

So probably driving uneconomically.

 

Err yes you most certainly can!

 

especially when departure is delayed and you have to make up time, , if your engine hasn't got a speedo, and there are no marker posts, its estimation on how close to 25 mph you are going,

 

It is very possible. I recall a storming run behind S15 506 over the MHR years ago when the MHR used to run a free round trip over the line after the evening AGM. A very loud performance from the S15 which even had the locals of Medstead looking out of their house windows to see what was going on.

Sent from my I3312 using Tapatalk

 

I drove and fired the 7F that visited the Bluebell a while ago, can't remeber which one it was. It seemed to go alright, I dilike the LMS brake though. Just a preference.
I can't remember any particular vices other thannot liking to be pulled up much.
I fired it on a happy snappers charter during which I burnt the most coal I have ever put in a steam engine because of all the run-pasts. It was about 3 1/2 tons by my guess.
I really don't think MHR crews will have any difficulty at all learning another engine.
I hope they enjoy it.

As for speed, well you should always have a very good idea of how fast you are going.
And as Tom hinted, it's possible to get to use all the boiler power you have with the right combination of variables without going into epic feats of haulage.

 

I recall a story of one time when someone estimated an ex-industrial loco (with driving wheels of less than 4' diameter) to be doing close to 40mph on a heritage line once, although whether that's merely an urban legend or something close to the truth I do not know!

 

Yes with a big load