Donated Parts of 2999 Lady of Legend

[Andy Kirkham]

The reconstructed Saint, 2999 Lady of Legend incorporates a couple of genuine Saint components, as it says here: https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/63/2999-lady-of-legend

 

Parts include a connecting rod from 2906 ‘Lady of Lynn’ and the whistle from 2910 ‘Lady of Shalott’

 

I can understand a loco's whistle being preserved as a memento, but I'm intrigued as to how a Saint's connecting rod might have survivied. Does anyone know the story?

 

Could a Saint connecting rod possibly have been re-used on a Hall that ended up at Barry?

[Michael Hodgson]

17 minutes ago, Andy Kirkham said:

 

Could a Saint connecting rod possibly have been re-used on a Hall that ended up at Barry?

 

If the coupled wheelbase is the same, there 's a good chance it would work.

Ate you thinking of converting a Bachmann Hall to a Saint?

[Denbridge]

Swindon standardisation. Those parts would have been on all manner of locos from various classes during their lifetime.

[Barclay]

I see this beautiful locomotive and I admire its lines. I admire the hard work and skill that have gone into its construction. But I do have mixed feelings about it. The 'donor' loco was a real GWR engine that had a working life, photo's were taken of it, part of history. This one has nothing - it's a beautiful new toy, nothing more. 

 

Now I understand all the arguments against this:

• Maindy Hall was bought specifically for this purpose and would likely have been scrapped otherwise.
• It's their money
• It's their hard work
• It looks fantastic !

So - I appreciate I don't have a leg to stand on, but It still doesn't feel quite right. New build is a different matter - no history, but nothing's been lost in the making.  I wondered if I am the only person who thinks this way? Just my personal views you understand.

[Denbridge]

18 minutes ago, Barclay said:

I see this beautiful locomotive and I admire its lines. I admire the hard work and skill that have gone into its construction. But I do have mixed feelings about it. The 'donor' loco was a real GWR engine that had a working life, photo's were taken of it, part of history. This one has nothing - it's a beautiful new toy, nothing more. 

 

Now I understand all the arguments against this:

• Maindy Hall was bought specifically for this purpose and would likely have been scrapped otherwise.
• It's their money
• It's their hard work
• It looks fantastic !

So - I appreciate I don't have a leg to stand on, but It still doesn't feel quite right. New build is a different matter - no history, but nothing's been lost in the making.  I wondered if I am the only person who thinks this way? Just my personal views you understand.

Most importantly, there are plenty of "genuine" halls preserved. Had Maindy been unique I would agree with you, but it wasn't and I feel the GWS made the right choice. Had it remained a hall, it would probably still be in scrapyard condition especially since several of its surviving sisters are not restored or are out of service requiring significant injections of hard cash & labour.

[Denbridge]

3 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

Most importantly, there are plenty of "genuine" halls preserved. Had Maindy been unique I would agree with you, but it wasn't and I feel the GWS made the right choice. Had it remained a hall, it would probably still be in scrapyard condition especially since several of its surviving sisters are not restored or are out of service requiring significant injections of hard cash & labour.

In fact, of the eleven surviving halls only one (plus Lady of Legend) is currently in working order.

[Barclay]

Just now, Denbridge said:

Most importantly, there are plenty of "genuine" halls preserved. Had Maindy been unique I would agree with you, but it wasn't and I feel the GWS made the right choice. Had it remained a hall, it would probably still be in scrapyard condition especially since several of its surviving sisters are not restored or are out of service requiring significant injections of hard cash & labour.

Another good argument 'for', and I quite understand the logic. 

 

 

[Phil Bullock]

23 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

In fact, of the eleven surviving halls only one (plus Lady of Legend) is currently in working order.

Hopefully 4930 will be along before too long….

[Denbridge]

1 minute ago, Phil Bullock said:

Hopefully 4930 will be along before too long….

It still leaves a lot of halls either unrestored or out of traffic. That's one problem faced by preservation, the difficulty in raising money for a loco that has several surviving 'sisters'. People don't get excited enough to make donations.

[Blandford1969]

5 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

Hopefully 4930 will be along before too long….

Its coming along. Its on its wheels, tender connected and test filled with water. Work on painting the cladding is due to start soon. The only delay being a bit of extra work needed on the boiler before going into the frames. It will be nice to compare her to Rat bag which has just finished her ticket this year.

[33C]

7 hours ago, Barclay said:

I see this beautiful locomotive and I admire its lines. I admire the hard work and skill that have gone into its construction. But I do have mixed feelings about it. The 'donor' loco was a real GWR engine that had a working life, photo's were taken of it, part of history. This one has nothing - it's a beautiful new toy, nothing more. 

 

Now I understand all the arguments against this:

• Maindy Hall was bought specifically for this purpose and would likely have been scrapped otherwise.
• It's their money
• It's their hard work
• It looks fantastic !

So - I appreciate I don't have a leg to stand on, but It still doesn't feel quite right. New build is a different matter - no history, but nothing's been lost in the making.  I wondered if I am the only person who thinks this way? Just my personal views you understand.

It is already making it's own history in itself! 

[Zomboid]

On 27/08/2021 at 15:30, Barclay said:

I see this beautiful locomotive and I admire its lines. I admire the hard work and skill that have gone into its construction. But I do have mixed feelings about it. The 'donor' loco was a real GWR engine that had a working life, photo's were taken of it, part of history. This one has nothing - it's a beautiful new toy, nothing more. 

 

Now I understand all the arguments against this:

• Maindy Hall was bought specifically for this purpose and would likely have been scrapped otherwise.
• It's their money
• It's their hard work
• It looks fantastic !

So - I appreciate I don't have a leg to stand on, but It still doesn't feel quite right. New build is a different matter - no history, but nothing's been lost in the making.  I wondered if I am the only person who thinks this way? Just my personal views you understand.

It's a shame that another locomotive had to be lost to create 2999, but I think the world of preservation is better off overall with an example of whatever class 2999 is.

 

And the history of steam traction didn't finish in 1968, it's just another different chapter and new history is being made every day.

[Blandford1969]

The windows are stamped 2857, whereas those on 2857 are stamped 2861

[Bon Accord]

On 27/08/2021 at 14:17, Andy Kirkham said:

The reconstructed Saint, 2999 Lady of Legend incorporates a couple of genuine Saint components, as it says here: https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/63/2999-lady-of-legend

 

Parts include a connecting rod from 2906 ‘Lady of Lynn’ and the whistle from 2910 ‘Lady of Shalott’

 

I can understand a loco's whistle being preserved as a memento, but I'm intrigued as to how a Saint's connecting rod might have survivied. Does anyone know the story?

 

Could a Saint connecting rod possibly have been re-used on a Hall that ended up at Barry?

 

A V2 inside con rod survived in the old shedmasters office at York until the mid 2000s, this being until Green Arrow destroyed hers and it was used as a replacement.

[adb968008]

I doubt any steam locomotive out there has a full set of ex-works original stamped parts.

Everything seems to have bits of something else on it.

 

I actually take it on myself to see how many different locomotive parts I can ID a number, maybe someday I might pick up a 1962 abc and underline them as a “spot”.

 

These ones stamped 4979 are taken of 2999… 4979 is preserved elsewhere !

 

 

 

I recall one of the 9fs has 92220 stamped on a rod, and 6100 has a wheel off 6399 Fury… 45596 has a Claughton pony wheel, 60009 has 60700’s tender.

 

Theres all kinds of stuff out there, its fascinating looking closer at what you see…

 

Of course the odd one out was 4983 Albert Hall.. when they dismantled it, they found out that too many parts were actually stamped 4965 Rood Ashton Hall, and in places like frames which dont get swapped.. after checking historical pictures they confirmed the two swapped identities.

 

I bet if you try, you could find all the Bulleids exist in stamped parts.

Edited August 30, 2021 by adb968008

[adb968008]

The practice didnt stop with Steam either at Swindon…

 

D9523 has parts stamped D9530..

[LMS2968]

10 hours ago, adb968008 said:

I doubt any steam locomotive out there has a full set of ex-works original stamped parts.

Everything seems to have bits of something else on it.

2968 has. All the valve gear is stamped 13268 or 2968; there are no components from any other engine. Horwich (and Crewe) stencilled the engine number on many parts, not just valve gear, to make sure they went back on the original engine.  Other Works are avaialable!

 

 

[Phil Bullock]

1 hour ago, LMS2968 said:

2968 has. All the valve gear is stamped 13268 or 2968; there are no components from any other engine. Horwich (and Crewe) stencilled the engine number on many parts, not just valve gear, to make sure they went back on the original engine.  Other Works are avaialable!

 

 

Was all the motion still with her at Barry? 

[LMS2968]

Almost all. The left hand return crank and rod weren't there, and I walked every inch of that yard looking for them. I now realise it hadn't been with the engine when it left Wigan. Both sides' return cranks and rods were removed to dismantle the connecting and coupling rods, which then went into the tender. The RH crank and rod were refitted to work the axlebox mechanical lubricator, but the LH one was simply discarded. We had to have new ones made during the restoration, and they are the only parts which don't display her number, or one of them, anyway.

 

The photo by Dave Cousins is of 2984 at Horwich Works in September 1963 and shows the parts stencilled with the engine number. In this case, they didn't go back on the engine. Whatever was found caused her withdrawal, and she was broken up there.

[Phil Bullock]

56 minutes ago, LMS2968 said:

Almost all. The left hand return crank and rod weren't there, and I walked every inch of that yard looking for them. I now realise it hadn't been with the engine when it left Wigan. Both sides' return cranks and rods were removed to dismantle the connecting and coupling rods, which then went into the tender. The RH crank and rod were refitted to work the axlebox mechanical lubricator, but the LH one was simply discarded. We had to have new ones made during the restoration, and they are the only parts which don't display her number, or one of them, anyway.

 

The photo by Dave Cousins is of 2984 at Horwich Works in September 1963 and shows the parts stencilled with the engine number. In this case, they didn't go back on the engine. Whatever was found caused her withdrawal, and she was broken up there.

Many thanks. Presumably her uniqueness at Barry limited cannibalisation by other preservation groups …. Lucky other pilferers didn’t get there first! The advantage of leaving Barry fairly early on I guess….