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Southern railway W class tank

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by Gav106, Mar 10, 2011.

  1. Gav106

    Gav106 Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]

    looking at these makes you think they would be a great new build project.
     
  2. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Apparently they were very rough-riding locomotives at speed, but with slight alterations to springing, I'm sure something could be done. Apart from the aforementioned issue, they were very good at what they did, and an acquaintance of mine remembers seeing a few of them lined up for scrap at Morriston, Swansea (I think it was Bird's, but not entirely sure). An excellent example of Maunsell's standardisation programme and recycling, the Ws used N class boilers, and reused bits left over from the K class tank rebuilding project.
     
  3. guard_jamie

    guard_jamie Part of the furniture

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    And even alterations to the springing would hardly be necessary if it was only ever going to do 25.
     
  4. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    I suppose, but if something is worth doing, its worth doing well...
     
  5. W Bareham

    W Bareham New Member

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    The rough riding of the Ws was well known despite which BR insisted on trying one one a passenger train. 'Never again' seemed to be the conclusion. They were very quiet locos and hauling goods trains over the Norwood flyover had a woolly sounding exhaust.
     
  6. Coboman

    Coboman Member

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    Gav, I say if your going to build a new loco, make it a monster!
    [​IMG]
     

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  7. spindizzy

    spindizzy Member

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    An L or J Class tank would be nice, perfect for a trot up to Victoria from Sheffield Park.
     
  8. Gav106

    Gav106 Well-Known Member

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    Nice. Looking locomotive 4 6 4 hmm
     
  9. Coboman

    Coboman Member

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    Apparently they cost more to build in 1922 that Staniers Coronation class did in 1937!
     
  10. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    They didn't have the advantage of the great depression to lower costs?
     
  11. 34007

    34007 Part of the furniture

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    A nice looking loco and would make a great project along with the likes of the V4 & Brighton 'K' Class....

    Is that Bulleid or a Q1 tender behind the W Class Tank?
     
  12. Coboman

    Coboman Member

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    I dunno, was there deflation in the depression then? 1937 was quite a long time after, as 1922 was quite a long time before.....
    Wasn't there an abortive attempt to start a V4 newbuild and they were going to use one of those ex B1 tenders in a Doncaster scrappy?
     
  13. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Yes, Q1.
     
  14. Gav106

    Gav106 Well-Known Member

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    What's the difference in the tenders.
     
  15. 34007

    34007 Part of the furniture

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    My initial thought was a Q1 tender. Thanks for the confirmation.
    BTW - This type of tank looked a lovely engine. What was it's usual load? and could there/will there be a possibility of building one to the spec in the future? (And are there any parts available from the original locos?)
     
  16. nickt

    nickt Member

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  17. Stewie Griffin

    Stewie Griffin Member

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    Yes. There was a good article on banking at Exeter in Steam World a few years ago, I'll see if I can dig out my collection to see exactly when it was.
     
  18. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Its the way it has a 'stepped' coal rave design akin to the first-batch MN tender designs, but smaller. The tell-tale difference is the lack of vacuum reservoirs immediately behind the coal bunker.

    From my sources (Bradley, Boocock, Rowledge), the Ws appear to have had three separate sets of valve gear from the off. I say appear, as they don't expressly mention this detail, but presuming it would have had the Holcroft conjugated valve gear, then it is usually possible to tell from a photograph whether they are separate or not. The N1 prototype used levers to carry-forward the action of the combination lever assembly that controlled the fore and aft movement of the valve spindle to a pivot point connected to levers from the "inside" valve spindle. In photographs, this arrangement partially obscured the upper part of the outside cylinders, and was one of the reasons why Maunsell's three-cylinder locomotives featured GWR-style cylinders that pitched outwards at an angle towards the bottom. However, 822's Holcoft valve gear was removed during a rebuild in 1930-1931, so it is fairly safe to assume that the W class was not so-equipped.
     
  19. ady

    ady Well-Known Member

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    Since these have standard 'Maunsell' parts, the construction of a new W tank might prove benfitical to the creation of new parts for other preseved engines. The construction of a clyinder block for the W could be usefull for construction of a brand new N1 and U1 moguls.

    However I feel a U1 might prove more usefull, as they have less weight on their axles, and more water and coal space. Plus they were regulary used for passenger services, while the W's were always freight engines.

    If you want a big Southern freight tank the ex. LSWR H16 4-6-2Ts or G16 4-8-0T has to be considered to...
     
  20. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

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