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Wright writes.....


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1 hour ago, LNER4479 said:

Highly meritorious, though!

 

It led me to wonder afterwards how many UK steam 100mph maxima were actually achieved on the flat? For info, on that night, there was a 50mph slack through Thirsk so it was a true acceleration from that speed up to 100mph with no assistance from gravity to speak of (I think 1-in-600-ish is about as steep as it gets in the Thirsk area). Nine coaches - and no diesel (just in case anyone asks!)

 

I'm pretty certain all ECML 100mph maxima were with the assistance of gravity. However, I'm not well acquainted enough with the WoEML to comment on whether 1967 Bulleid maxima had the assistance of gravity (nor Kings on the Western) so happy to be put right on that.


I don’t know about the Kings but I’m pretty sure that the 1967 Bullied runs were down the banks from Andover to Salisbury or Worting to around Shawford. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting one of the Bullied drivers in his later days - you would never believe he was a young ‘speed merchant’!

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1 hour ago, LNER4479 said:

Highly meritorious, though!

 

It led me to wonder afterwards how many UK steam 100mph maxima were actually achieved on the flat? For info, on that night, there was a 50mph slack through Thirsk so it was a true acceleration from that speed up to 100mph with no assistance from gravity to speak of (I think 1-in-600-ish is about as steep as it gets in the Thirsk area). Nine coaches - and no diesel (just in case anyone asks!)

 

I'm pretty certain all ECML 100mph maxima were with the assistance of gravity. However, I'm not well acquainted enough with the WoEML to comment on whether 1967 Bulleid maxima had the assistance of gravity (nor Kings on the Western) so happy to be put right on that.

It was hugely meritorious, especially since 60163 did it 'on the level'.

 

As I mentioned, Stoke Bank has been the location for just about all (if not all) of the ECML records. The big difference between steam and diesel/electric traction is that the latter achieved 'normal' line speeds whether they were going up or down Stoke. I recall a magic ride behind BALLYMOSS one day when she topped Stoke at 100 mph, going north!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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13 hours ago, Lemmy282 said:

Not been able to fund a report of the Sandy derailment, but the newspaper reports of the Great Heck accident state this was the 2nd accident for 91132 and various websites quote only two major accidents involving the class.

Of the 10 set that will remain in service until 2023/2024, 91110 has been selected for the national collection as it holds the speed record of 161.7mph which achieved just south of........   Little Bytham.

 

Latest edition of Railway Herald confirms that it was this loco that was involved in both Great Heck and Sandy accidents. It goes on to say that 91 103, 104 & 108 will be next to go and are currently being stripped for spares to keep the rest of the fleet operational.

Edited by Tony Teague
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8 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

As I mentioned, Stoke Bank has been the location for just about all (if not all) of the ECML records.

The notable exception being No.2709 on 27th Sept 1935 with the Silver Jubilee demonstration run. The 112mph maxima on that day was achieved on the north bound run south of Peterborough, taking advantage of the falling gradients from Potters Bar onwards, having first ascended the 'northern heights'. What was it - 43 miles at an average of 100mph? One of the all-time 'greats' of the steam age.

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3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Was it Adrian Vaughan (a WR signalman) who wrote that a 'Hymek' failed by his 'box one day because the driver had knocked a cup of sweet tea over on the console, and the subsequent sticky residue had insulated some of the contacts?

There is a Defence Standard test which had to be applied to a operator's console in a military helicopter I was involved in testing.  It requires the console to continue to work when tea, coffee or orange juice is spilled over it and I seem to remember the test specification defines the number of sugars in the tea.  We did joke with the pilots that the test really should consider the impact of spilling their Gin and Tonic.

 

Rob

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3 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Highly meritorious, though!

 

It led me to wonder afterwards how many UK steam 100mph maxima were actually achieved on the flat? For info, on that night, there was a 50mph slack through Thirsk so it was a true acceleration from that speed up to 100mph with no assistance from gravity to speak of (I think 1-in-600-ish is about as steep as it gets in the Thirsk area). Nine coaches - and no diesel (just in case anyone asks!)

 

I'm pretty certain all ECML 100mph maxima were with the assistance of gravity. However, I'm not well acquainted enough with the WoEML to comment on whether 1967 Bulleid maxima had the assistance of gravity (nor Kings on the Western) so happy to be put right on that.

 

From Wikipedia: "On 26 June 1967, [rebuilt MN] 35003 Royal Mail recorded the highest speed ever for the class. Hauling a train comprising three carriages and two parcels vans (164 tons tare, 180 tons gross) between Weymouth and Waterloo, the mile between milepost 38 and milepost 37 (located between Winchfield and Fleet) was covered in 34 seconds, a speed of 105.88 mph."

 

According to the gradient profiles this was done on a stretch of level track after descending a short stretch of 1 in 460, preceded by a level section and a stretch of 1 in 249.

Edited by SD85
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Back when Rebuilt Merchants still worked through to Exeter, the "racing road" for Bulleids was the long straight bit on the down line near Chard Junction where there was no risk of scalding diners. The gradient is variable, but I think most of it is falling at 1 in 120 .

 

The fastest speed officially recorded was 35028 Clan Line, at 104mph, on a normal express service, so 10+ coaches. However, when that became public, more than one driver expressed the opinion that 104 was "just warming up" for certain other members of the class that had achieved "at least 110" there. 

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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57 minutes ago, SD85 said:

From Wikipedia: "On 26 June 1967, [rebuilt MN] 35003 Royal Mail recorded the highest speed ever for the class. Hauling a train comprising three carriages and two parcels vans (164 tons tare, 180 tons gross) between Weymouth and Waterloo, the mile between milepost 38 and milepost 37 (located between Winchfield and Fleet) was covered in 34 seconds, a speed of 105.88 mph."

 

The Wikipedia writer needs a lesson in uncertainty and significant figures. As that time is given to the nearest second, the uncertainty in the speed is +/-1.5 mph, so there is no way five significant figures is justified. Charles Rous Marten, 70 years earlier, was timing trains with a stopwatch with a resolution of 0.2 seconds; even with that, assuming the time was 34.0 s to the nearest 0.2s, we would have to say +/-0.3 mph. So if quoting the speed without the uncertainty, one would have to call it 106 mph.

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2 hours ago, Northmoor said:

There is a Defence Standard test which had to be applied to a operator's console in a military helicopter I was involved in testing.  It requires the console to continue to work when tea, coffee or orange juice is spilled over it and I seem to remember the test specification defines the number of sugars in the tea

And of course the very worst and probably most frequent "foreign" contaminant endured by military equipment in use?   

Carbonated drinks (probably out of a red coloured tin or bottle).

 

Alan

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8 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I think it's accepted that steam locos needed (need) more time out of service for maintenance, but what's not always remembered is that they would keep going in such a bad state of repair, whereas alternative (more modern) motive power would fail totally if left to get in such a condition.

 

Was it Adrian Vaughan (a WR signalman) who wrote that a 'Hymek' failed by his 'box one day because the driver had knocked a cup of sweet tea over on the console, and the subsequent sticky residue had insulated some of the contacts?

 

Expanding on the subject, I think the 'pinnacle' of post-War A4 running was non-stop  'Elizabethan' where the standard of reliability was incredibly high. Granted, the individual locos only worked for six and a half hours in 24, but it was continuous. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Urghhhhh

 

Sugar in tea

 

Yuk!

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I used to know someone who worked on the customer helpline at Olivetti back in the 1980s. They often received calls from people who had knocked over cups of tea or coffee and it had gone into the keyboard. The first question to ask was 'Do you take sugar?' which callers thought was a joke, but it wasn't. No sugar and it would be fine once it's dried out, sugar and it would mean a new keyboard.

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10 hours ago, Northmoor said:

There is a Defence Standard test which had to be applied to a operator's console in a military helicopter I was involved in testing.  It requires the console to continue to work when tea, coffee or orange juice is spilled over it and I seem to remember the test specification defines the number of sugars in the tea.  We did joke with the pilots that the test really should consider the impact of spilling their Gin and Tonic.

 

Rob

Standard NATO = milk and two sugars as I recall.

 

This also reminds me of the new CO whose adjutant brought him his tea and asked if he took sugar.

 

"No, thanks".

 

"Well don't bl00dy stir it then".

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2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

On the one I made, I didn't leave a gap between the filled-in coal rails on the tender and the tender tank top. Have I got that wrong?

I suspect not!

 

The little tags are quite fragile and one or two have got disturbed during painting and lining. With the toolboxes in their alternative position on my tender, it's almost impossible to get at them to adjust or refix.

 

I'm reminded that you fitted the older style chimney and dome on 4327. That's OK as there's a mix of types in photos on the superheated locos. I deliberately fitted the more modern (ha!) chimney on mine so should be a nice contrast between the two locos. Some also acquired mechanical lubricators when superheated and I have depicted this on No.3050, as you have on 4327.

 

I see Ian went the whole hog and lined the tender frames. I drew the line (ha!) at that!

 

With Frank's lovely J also out-shopped it's turned into a bit of a GNR evening.

Edited by LNER4479
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5 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I've finished the renumbering/renaming/detailing of the latest Hornby A2/3, changing it from 60512 to 60519 (one of two which retained a rimmed chimney all their lives). It's going to a Scottish friend..................

 

1344904987_HornbyA236051211now60519.jpg.0f1abdac230c447d1d6aa7cb8773a6a9.jpg

 

Next it's going to get a coat of satin varnish (to 'lift the green), then light weathering, both courtesy of Geoff Haynes. 

 

It'll form part of a forthcoming article in BRM. 

 

Looks great, would the Hornby 'Sun Castle' be simple enough to convert to 'Dante'?

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7 hours ago, Chuffer Davies said:

At long last I have been able to undertake final assembly of one of my Covid lockdown projects.   Design started in January 2021 and was for me my most difficult project to date because of its curved footplate.  Main features are EM gauge, Ultrascale wheels, American pickup, motor-in-tender drive system, and CSB suspension.  The tender is the LRM Horseshoe tender.  

 

My thanks must go to Ian Rathbone for the superb painting and lining.  And yes I have glazed the spectacle plates Tony.  Lamps will have to wait until we know what train it will be rostered to haul on Clayton.

 

Four other loco's were returned along with the J1 and so there will be further updates in due course.IMG_3554.jpg.cf8fb5ea19992480b795d940141f22e2.jpg      

A simple 'like' response is not enough.

 

I suppose I could have clapped hands.....................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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6 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

I suspect not!

 

The little tags are quite fragile and one or two have got disturbed during painting and lining. With the toolboxes in their alternative position on my tender, it's almost impossible to get at them to adjust or refix.

 

I'm reminded that you fitted the older style chimney and dome on 4327. That's OK as there's a mix of types in photos on the superheated locos. I deliberately fitted the more modern (ha!) chimney on mine so should be a nice contrast between the two locos. Some also acquired mechanical lubricators when superheated and I have depicted this on No.3050, as you have on 4327.

 

I see Ian went the whole hog and lined the tender frames. I drew the line (ha!) at that!

 

With Frank's lovely J also out-shopped it's turned into a bit of a GNR evening.

But at least you painted all the lines elsewhere - indeed, the whole thing.

 

This is where I find myself in a personal paradox. I can build to a standard which I find 'acceptable', but I can't paint to that same standard. All right, yes, if it's just plain black, and weathered, but the likes of a fully-lined LNER black D2? No! 

 

I keep on going on about folk doing things for themselves, but I know my own painting limitations.

 

In fairness to the likes of myself (Frank, though he's more fastidious?), if 'our' painting isn't up to the standard of 'our' building, then a model goes to the likes of Ian Rathbone. Anyway, when I built to a 'professional' standard, the client expected a 'professional' paint finish. 

 

It's just that I greatly-admire those who are self-reliant in all aspects of their modelling.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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3 hours ago, Shaw_Thing_M8 said:

 

Looks great, would the Hornby 'Sun Castle' be simple enough to convert to 'Dante'?

Very simple.

 

Just renumber and rename; nothing else needs altering for a later period A2/3 (not the latest, with lowered front lamp bracket and divided cross rail on the smokebox door). 

 

The only two you couldn't alter SUN CASTLE to are CHAMOSSAIRE and HONEYWAY; not without changing the chimneys, because both those retained a rimmed type to withdrawal (don't believe everything one reads in the 'established' works). 60514 also had extended sandbox filler backing plates. 60500 could only be represented post-'61/'62 because the boiler cladding bands were different. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited by Tony Wright
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1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

But at least you painted all the lines elsewhere.

That's very kind but ... shh! Keep it to yourself - it's actually lining transfers.

 

Like you, I'm not so confident with painting and lining. This one's OK as it's mine (although it will appear at exhibitions I suppose) but the work of the likes of Ian is artistry I could never aspire to. And it's not like I haven't tried!

Edited by LNER4479
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