Urie M7

Only recently discovered that Urie had rebuilt M7 No. 126 and i quote from Kent Rail.org.uk : 'this engine was equipped with enlarged cylinders and a superheated boiler, featuring an elongated smokebox and a Urie stovepipe chimney.'

Does anyone have any images of this unique M7 at all? I would be very interested to see what she looked like.

Cheers,

 

Page 168 of "LSWR Locomotives - the Drummond Classes" by DL Bradley is your friend...

Basically, the modification was along the same lines as Urie had previously carried out to the Drummond 700 class "Black Motor" 0-6-0 goods engines. The boiler was of Drummond pattern, but with a superheater fitted, and was pitched 9inches higher than standard; the cab spectacle plate was altered to suit and the cab roof profile changed.

Urie claimed she used 18% less coal and 13% less water than the saturated steam members of the class, but she was too heavy for the lines she was used on and thus apparently was unpopular with shed foremen; hence no more were converted.

Incidentally, when she was broken up, the frames were reused under no. 254, but preserving the number 254 - which if nothing else gives the lie to the enthusiast notion that a locomotives frame's carry the identity of the loco!

Tom

 

Page 76 of Bulleid Man, Myth and Machines by kevin Robertson has a cracking view of M7 126 at Waterloo sometime after 1932.

 

Cheers for the reference, will have to look for these at somepoint.