The 'Ghost' A3 Salmon Trout

MLS? (Apologies if this has been explained before).

Tom

 

Acronym for the multi-valve regulator system used on Blue Peter, four other A2s and the Britannias.

 

Melesco Superheaters and Multivalve smokebox regulators...

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1865710

 

Yes indeed - note "MeLeSco" - M L S - giving the acronym.

 

As has been said, MeLeSco was the trademark for the Superheater Co who produced the multiple valve regulator, amongst other things . Not sure where the name came from, though.

 

You’ve driven BP Steve - what do you make of the MLS setup compared to a conventional regulator setup?

(I may have asked this before, my apologies. Cannot remember!)

 

Did Swindon Licence the Melesco superheater for the 3 and 4 row headers as used on the later Castles? - I know they kept the standard GWR regulator valve..

 

Don't know about the Castles but the front page of the MeleSco maintenance manual that I illustrated in my previous post shows a photo of GWR 1000 County of Middlesex so it is quite likely.

 

The later Castles with the No8 HC (3 row) and No8 HD (4 row) - the 69XX and 79XX had a 3 row, the 60xx had a 4 row No12WB

interestingly the GWR drawings make no reference to Meleso in the discriptions

118297C 1943/01/16 Details of superheater elements (combined regulator and header)
133225 1953/12/xx BR Western Region combined regulator valve body & no 4 type superheater for standard boiler no 15/08
124845 1947/05/xx 1957/02/12 Combined Regulator Valve Body and 4 row Superheater header Standard Boiler no 12, Preface WB

and a note about 4160 from the SVR forum ;

This loco is a rather interesting survivor as it carries a GW No 2 boiler with BR STD type Melesco superheaters rather than the conventional BR(W) ones. As such it is one of only 2 (?) survivors of this type (5668 is similarly fitted) and the difference will be immediately apparent to anybody looking inside the smokebox when compared to 5164 or 4150.
A number of No 1 boilers were similarly fitted with several surviving on preserved Halls or Modified Halls.

 

I can't lay my hands on it right now but I've seen a WR drawing/paper listing boiler types which referred to all the 3 and 4 row boilers as having Melesco headers.

 

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap13105/the-superheater-company-limited

 

Thanks for that. You learn something every day. When you stop learning you are probably dead.

 

What was different about Melesco superheaters? I always thought it was how they were attached to the header (ball and socket joint clamped together rather than the s/h tube expanded into the header). Were there any other differences/

 

The superheaters (and multiple valve regulators) are described in detail in their various booklets see e.g. http://users.fini.net/~bersano/engl...glais/NZ-accessories/Melesco_superheaters.pdf. I would guess that most of the company's business was supplying the total package - fully finished elements (they were particularly proud of their forged return bends and ball joint seating), support clips to hold the elements centrally in the flues, the header, all the clamps/bolts, maintenance tools etc. They had a big works in the UK at Trafford Park.