Tender first running - Original Pictures - Debate

There's the well known story of a Black 5 doing a turn to Windermere from, I think, Preston, in the dying days of steam; on arrival at Windermere the crew realised that the turntable wasn't available any more, so the return journey had to be tender first. Despite this, little time was dropped; it must have been 'interesting' on the footplate at speed.

 

I was wondering if we can make an extrapolation from tank engine working in that photters preferred front 3/4. Tilbury / Southend was the home of the 2-6-4 tank in its latter days. I can well recall trains running bunker first but there are seemingly few phots of this. Similarly even when auto train working, such as the Dunton Green branch most phots and even cine are of the engine going away from the camera to replicate front 3/4. Therefore that there is less photographic evidence of bunker / tender first running probably is not a good guide to its frequency.

 

The 23s worked regularly on the Saarbrucken push - Pull local services and were often coupled smokebox towards the train. This is an afternoon departure on a bitterly cold day in January 1970,
-15C I think it was.

 

Curiously Mitchell and Smith’s 'Kidderminster to Shrewsbury' sets out to disprove this by including 5 photos of Ivatt and BR Standard Tanks in service on the Severn Valley, all bunker first.

 

AFAIK Tank Locos would be turned if the opportunity arose

 

I've been transcribing some of the GWS' photo catalogues, and in a list of over 700 photos of Castles and 43/73/93 2-6-0s (what I've done so far) I haven't come across a single reference to tender first running It may be, of course that wasn't something noted in the catalogues, I haven't been looking at the photos, but its interesting.

 

A few weeks before the end of steam I was waiting on the up main line platform at Carnforth to catch a Windermere - Morecambe d.m.u. This turned up being hauled by a tender first Black 5 due to failure of the unit. The Black 5 had been on the Windermere branch, but couldn't turn as the turntable was no longer available.

Bob.

 

Just received the special offer, all 4 issues of M&GN in colour for £20 and by page 14 of issue 1 there are 2 examples of Holiday Camp Express tender first running (1 in each direction), due to the lack of turning facilities and the requirement for a reversal to change between the former M&GN and GER lines at North Walsham. I never knew they did that! I was a bit disappointed how thin the packet was initially but I am now thoroughly engrossed and heartily recommend these books. £20 well spent (postage free too!). http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M-GN-in-Colour-All-4-Volumes-/302197892218

 

Clearing up some copies of "The Railway Magazine" a couple of days ago, I came across an article in the April 2009 issue under the "Practice and Performance" item (pages 18-23) devoted entirely to tender-first running. According to this article, there was a limit of 45mph for tender-first running, although the article then records a number of instances where this was exceeded.

 

Half of all the coal trains I saw were running tender first - obviously! https://ironroad.smugmug.com/1960s-Steam-Finale/i-hNG4Lq7/A .

 

For those who like to see tender first running for a change, GWR7822 "Foxcote Manor" is currently facing Robertsbridge on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. (This is necessary in order to facilitate watering during passing moves at Rolvenden)
So it is possible to see her tender first up the bank to Tenterden.
Loco roster shows her out today and tomorrow, and several other dates over the month of May.

 

What a fantastic album of photos! Thank you for sharing them here, really enjoyed looking at them.