If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Things that seemed a good idea at the time, but in practice are pretty useless.

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by Eightpot, Oct 3, 2019.

  1. huochemi

    huochemi Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 6, 2008
    Messages:
    2,751
    Likes Received:
    1,393
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    UK
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    As did the Midland Compounds until withdrawal.
     
    bluetrain likes this.
  2. bluetrain

    bluetrain Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2019
    Messages:
    1,326
    Likes Received:
    1,460
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Wiltshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thanks for pointing that out - I was unaware.

    But now, I belatedly realise that we still have another Derby-designed engine that retains its tail-rods - I photographed it just a few weeks ago!
     

    Attached Files:

    huochemi, 240P15 and LesterBrown like this.
  3. huochemi

    huochemi Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 6, 2008
    Messages:
    2,751
    Likes Received:
    1,393
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    UK
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Good spot, the tail rods are quite difficult to see on most images because they are tucked under the front footplating. The small boilered S&D 2-8-0s did of course share the same boiler as the Compounds.
     
  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,102
    Likes Received:
    57,421
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I wonder if the tail rods on the early Maunsell mogul family was another signifier of Clayton’s (Midland) influence on the detail design? They disappeared in later life as the locos were progressively given new cylinders.

    Tom
     
  5. bluetrain

    bluetrain Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2019
    Messages:
    1,326
    Likes Received:
    1,460
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Wiltshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I agree that it is likely that Clayton took the initiative to propose tail-rods for the SECR, drawing on his Derby experience. The Midland appears to have been among the most enthusiastic adopters of tail-rods at that period, extending them to the Superheater Class 2P 4-4-0s and 4F 0-6-0s. On the 0-6-0s, the tail-rods poked through the top of the buffer-beams, but were later removed.

    I assume that none of the Wainwright 4-4-0s carried tail-rods? On the D1/E1 rebuilds, rods poked out from under the smokebox, but I am unsure if they belonged to the cylinders or to the piston valves.

    The authorities at Eastleigh seem to have been in two minds over the subject, fitting tail-rods to only some of the Urie & Maunsell 4-6-0s (Most H15s plus the final batch of King Arthurs).
     
    240P15 likes this.
  6. Smokestack Lightning

    Smokestack Lightning Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2013
    Messages:
    262
    Likes Received:
    91
    Gender:
    Male
    If I remember rightly, the 5AT group were proposing to use tail-rods, so they must have seen some value in them?

    Unless I've made that up of course.

    Dave
     
  7. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2017
    Messages:
    1,002
    Likes Received:
    2,477
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Titfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    You've not imagined it. This from the 5AT faq's
    "The key is optimum design of the reciprocating parts, and it can be revealed that the pistons, piston rings, piston rods and piston tail rods for the 5AT are already fully specified, the total mass of this assembly being only 200 lb., with a stress-based fatigue life equal to the full expected life of the locomotive. It would therefore appear that the target of 550 lb. for the total mass of the reciprocating parts per cylinder is going to be bettered."
     
    Smokestack Lightning likes this.
  8. Hermod

    Hermod Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2017
    Messages:
    985
    Likes Received:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Klitmoeller,Denmark
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    These 550 lb was ca 800 lb on LMS class 5s.Is it possible?
     
  9. Jimc

    Jimc Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2005
    Messages:
    4,052
    Likes Received:
    4,665
    Occupation:
    Once computers, now part time writer I suppose.
    Location:
    SE England
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    With high strength steels why not?
     

Share This Page