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Saddle tank identification

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by Rlangham, Apr 17, 2009.

  1. Rlangham

    Rlangham Well-Known Member

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    Spotted this on the Cromford & High Peak Railway incline between Middleton Top and the Junction Work Shops - anyone know what it is? Looks like the saddle tank off a locomotive, an unusual shape for it to be anything else. A photograph on an information board on the trail showed a Kitson 0-4-0ST upside down , could possible be off that?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Kerosene Castle

    Kerosene Castle Well-Known Member

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    Heh... we could do with a new one for 1363...
     
  3. richard_3672

    richard_3672 Member

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    Could be the tank and foundation ring.
     
  4. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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  5. houghtonga

    houghtonga Member

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    The Kitson saddle tank had straight rather than curved ends at the bottom of the saddle tank.

    There is also a debate tonight over some alleged locomotive remains on the Hopton incline further up the line beyond Middleton Top.

    viewtopic.php?f=106&t=19036
     
  6. Ann Clark

    Ann Clark Member

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    I agree with Steve that is not a saddle tank. Looking at it I was wondering if it was a cradle for something. :-k

    Ann
     
  7. 34007

    34007 Part of the furniture

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    Looking at that picture that would be a fairly large firebox??? Has anyone thought about digging down and having a look at what is further below ground?
     
  8. Rlangham

    Rlangham Well-Known Member

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    Interesting replies, thanks... but what else could it be?

    Wouldn't be much point in digging underground 34007 - if it's a saddle tank upside down, therefore from an upside down loco, there wouldn't be anything underneath!
     
  9. Ann Clark

    Ann Clark Member

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    As I don't know the area you are talking about can you tell me if this was industrialized at some point. If it was it could be something to do with heavy industry in the steam age. From the picture the plates do not look right for a foundation ring and if it is a firebox it would not come be from an 0-4-0 much too large a structure for that. However if there was a pumping house or steam winch in the area that could be a possibility. Don't forget there were a lot of stationary steam powered plant during the industrial revolution and a lot of it was in what are now beautiful parts of the country.
     
  10. 8-10 Brass Cleaner

    8-10 Brass Cleaner Member

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    Are you having a laugh?

    Ever seen a foundation ring made out of angle iron?, or angle iron used to join the corners of a firebox?

    Lets just say I havn't, and I will be very suprised when I do.

    As for the tank, it is clearly very old, its construction of small plates rivetted together means that it is withoubt doubt wrought iron (as is I believe the sic ''foundation ring'').

    So we are talking what? 1860's give or take 20 years?.

    What could it be?, I dont now.

    On that basis I will leave it to those with more competence to speculate.
     
  11. Ben Fisher

    Ben Fisher Member

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    I've no idea just what those items are, but could they be linked in some way to the Middleton Top winding engine? ISTR it now runs on steam from modern plant as its own boiler is long since shot (it runs on an amazingly low pressure so you could probably power it with a steam cleaner - well, maybe something slightly more powerful but you get the idea). Maybe ask one of the people who look after the engine, or the folk at the visitor centre?
     
  12. saltydog

    saltydog Part of the furniture

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  13. Anthony Coulls

    Anthony Coulls Well-Known Member

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    Ramsbottom saddle tank?
     
  14. Rlangham

    Rlangham Well-Known Member

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    Just to clarify, I don't think the square shaped metal box in the foreground of the photos is related to the saddle tank, from what I could tell. Although there are at least two engine houses along the route for the incline, it's a good way from either of them, and can't think why they would need a saddle tank for a stationary engine
     
  15. Anthony Coulls

    Anthony Coulls Well-Known Member

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  17. ovbulleid

    ovbulleid Member

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    am i the only one here who thinks it probably isn't from an engine? the water tank doesn't seem to have a radius wide enough for any saddle tank i've ever seen (most seem to cover the top 180 degrees of the tank, with some as little as 120, but this one looks like it's only 90 degrees). there seems to be a feed on what is now the centre point of the top surface, but if this was on a locomotive that would be at the highest point of the lower plate, and all saddle tanks have feeds on both sides at the lowest point (otherwise there would be a load of water in the tanks wasted), and besides a feed there would cut into the location of the boiler.

    the 'firebox' could be any number of conventional water tanks.

    hate to say it, but the hypothesis with the least number of assumptions is always the correct answer.
     
  18. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    I'm sure I've seen photos of these items before somewhere - possibly in a magazine? - possibily 2-3 years ago?

    I can't for the life of me remember what they said they were but I'm fairly sure they weren't off an engine.

    Phil
     
  19. Kerosene Castle

    Kerosene Castle Well-Known Member

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    Could always have been added later.

    Rob, did you get to see what the bottom was like, was it curved like the rest of it?

    It's probably off a road sweeper, or something daft.
     
  20. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    You're not alone. I said that in an earlier posting. It would be a very peculiar loco to have a tank like this. As for the so called firebox, well that is a definite non-starter. Any kindergarten kid would tell you that.
     

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