Phill Dyson (onslaught832) Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Hi, My question is, did any Syphon G's survive into the blue era still running on these GWR American? bogies....... Many Thanks Phill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I believe one did; when I get a chance, I'll look in the relevant book. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 15, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15, 2015 I certainly can't recall seeing any in the news fleet in the late 1970s but you never know. In fact the only vehicles I can recall with American bogies were various breakdown train vehicles which I'm fairly sure didn't last very far into the 1970s. But the bogies provided a lovely ride (speaking from personal experience) so provided they could be maintained there's no real reason why they might not have lasted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 I've not found my 'GWR Siphons' book, which showed withdrawal dates, and what vehicles had which bogies, but I'm pretty certain there was a solitary vehicle listed in the traffic fleet which had these bogies when withdrawn in the early 1970s. Were they actually American-built, Mike, or simply built to an American design? Very similar bogies were fitted to some French passenger stock (OCEM) into the 1980s, which some French sources nicknamed 'Pennsylvania' bogies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 16, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 16, 2015 I've not found my 'GWR Siphons' book, which showed withdrawal dates, and what vehicles had which bogies, but I'm pretty certain there was a solitary vehicle listed in the traffic fleet which had these bogies when withdrawn in the early 1970s. Were they actually American-built, Mike, or simply built to an American design? Very similar bogies were fitted to some French passenger stock (OCEM) into the 1980s, which some French sources nicknamed 'Pennsylvania' bogies. They were basically a Swindon copy of a US design as I understand it Brian - very similar idea to a Commonwealth bogie in some respects (or rather the other way round of course). Interestingly Paul Bartlett's site has a photo dated 1979 of a (static) boiler van with American bogies so they probably lasted on some departmental stock a bit later than I thought (and of course the some of the Western boiler vans were converted from Siphons) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phill Dyson (onslaught832) Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 I've not found my 'GWR Siphons' book, which showed withdrawal dates, and what vehicles had which bogies, but I'm pretty certain there was a solitary vehicle listed in the traffic fleet which had these bogies when withdrawn in the early 1970s. Were they actually American-built, Mike, or simply built to an American design? Very similar bogies were fitted to some French passenger stock (OCEM) into the 1980s, which some French sources nicknamed 'Pennsylvania' bogies. I do not have a copy of the book, but I wonder if the one listed as having American bogies is the Outside Framed example which was preserved by the SVR around that time? http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/1257.html Phill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 If it's any help, the remaining 121 examples of Siphon G in the 1976 RCTS coaching stock book are listed as "G.W.R. bogies & gangways" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 16, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 16, 2015 I do not have a copy of the book, but I wonder if the one listed as having American bogies is the Outside Framed example which was preserved by the SVR around that time? http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/1257.html Phill If it came from 'Wantage Road' in 1976 it wouldn't have been in traffic for a good 10 years (or on rails come to that) as teh sidings there were disconnected in 1965 and taken away by a scrappy not much later. So it presumably had been sold some time previously. If it's any help, the remaining 121 examples of Siphon G in the 1976 RCTS coaching stock book are listed as "G.W.R. bogies & gangways" And of course some were still in traffic some years later although as noted previously I can't recall seeing any of them in newspaper working on American bogies and I think that would have stuck in my mind if I had. But you never know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oil-burner Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 O62 W1332W is noted in the Siphons book as "changed to 9ft wheelbase American bogies early in life", condemned date 1/83. This could be a candidate for the vehicle on the rhs of your picture unless anyone knows better. There is a picture (undated) which shows it in BR days with the American bogies branded "To work between Paddington & Oxford" but B&W which won't help with the colour... Ken... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted July 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 17, 2015 They were basically a Swindon copy of a US design as I understand it Brian - very similar idea to a Commonwealth bogie in some respects (or rather the other way round of course). Interestingly Paul Bartlett's site has a photo dated 1979 of a (static) boiler van with American bogies so they probably lasted on some departmental stock a bit later than I thought (and of course the some of the Western boiler vans were converted from Siphons) I have always believed that "Commonwealth" in this context referred to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not the British Commonwealth. So all of these "American" bogies would be versions of the same thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 I have always believed that "Commonwealth" in this context referred to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not the British Commonwealth. So all of these "American" bogies would be versions of the same thing. Not exactly, Commonwealth Steel was in Illinois! See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Steel_Company Regards Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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