RMweb Gold Right Away Posted April 13, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2019 The earlier batches of BR Standard 5 locomotives where fitted with a chime whistle positioned behind the chimney. In some cases a bell type whistle was used in the same position. On later built engines, whistles were fitted atop the firebox by reason of trouble with the long operating cable. My question: Was the original chimney located position selected as chime whistles will not operate satisfactorily in the horizontal position and could not be fitted vertically above the firebox by reasons of putting the engine out of gauge? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 1 hour ago, Right Away said: My question: Was the original chimney located position selected as chime whistles will not operate satisfactorily in the horizontal position and could not be fitted vertically above the firebox by reasons of putting the engine out of gauge? Don't see why a chime whistle should not operate horizontally. A4s and Standard pacifics had the whistles at the front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Right Away Posted April 14, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 14, 2019 Agreed, but the whistles were mounted vertically on the A4 and near vertical on the 7P. I was questioning the initial reasoning of the design team in their not placing the whistle on the 5 in the generally more convenient position above the firebox with its far simpler control. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted April 15, 2019 Share Posted April 15, 2019 I think anyone who could have answered that would be pushing up daisies by now. Good luck to you in your quest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 15, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 15, 2019 You could ask the A1 trust re Tornado. They might know why Chimes go at the front end? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted April 15, 2019 Share Posted April 15, 2019 Maybe as simple as wanting the sound to go forward without deafening the crew ??!? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted April 16, 2019 Share Posted April 16, 2019 A bit more detail, From the RCTS book "BR Standard steam locomotives vol two". "The original tri-tone chime whistle mounted vertically on the smokebox behind the chimney (cable operated) had a tendency to stick open in use and eventually disintegrate". Therefore : "Many of the class from the late 1950s (particularly on the SR) had their chime whistles replaced by the "bell type." From 73100 onwards (first Doncaster built loco) " an ordinary monotone whistle was fitted horizontally on top of the firebox." So it looks like the problem was more the operating system of the whistle. This doesn't reveal whether a chime whistle would have worked horizontally.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted April 16, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 16, 2019 (edited) As an aside the whistle we had on 73096 on the MHR was, as far as I know, an original chime whistle sited behind the chimney. It was fine when dryish steam reached it but there was a tendency for condensate to settle in the pipe length. Hence for the first second or so of sounding it it sounded more akin to a cat being strangled than a locomotive whistle. However once it got going you could play it beautifully. Edited April 16, 2019 by PhilH 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted April 16, 2019 Share Posted April 16, 2019 2 hours ago, PhilH said: As an aside the whistle we had on 73096 on the MHR was, as far as I know, an original chime whistle sited behind the chimney. It was fine when dryish steam reached it but there was a tendency for condensate to settle in the pipe length. Hence for the first second or so of sounding it it sounded more akin to a cat being strangled than a locomotive whistle. However once it got going you could play it beautifully. A reported feature of the Brittannia whistles from day one. Jim 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 16, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2019 Flying Scotsman's whistle is pathetic...…………………………….I am surprised it is actually fit for purpose on the main line today. Phil 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted April 16, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 16, 2019 6 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said: Flying Scotsman's whistle is pathetic...…………………………….I am surprised it is actually fit for purpose on the main line today. Phil In Poland the PKP steam fleet is fitted with diesel horns whilst the whistles remain, functional, the rationale is that the public in general are not attuned to hearing steam locomotive whistles, but are aware of vehicle horns (road/rail etc) and are more responsive to them, making a steam whistle less effective as a warning and therefore less safe. As such both are used. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 16, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2019 4 minutes ago, adb968008 said: In Poland the PKP steam fleet is fitted with diesel horns whilst the whistles remain, functional, the rationale is that the public in general are not attuned to hearing steam locomotive whistles, but are aware of vehicle horns (road/rail etc) and are more responsive to them, making a steam whistle less effective as a warning and therefore less safe. As such both are used. Have the OL49s got them now then and Beautiful Helena?. Only the big 2.8.2s had them back in 2003/4. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted April 18, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 18, 2019 On 16/04/2019 at 14:02, Mallard60022 said: Have the OL49s got them now then and Beautiful Helena?. Only the big 2.8.2s had them back in 2003/4. Phil Last time I was there (about 4 years back), the ol49’s had them... indeed I discovered by accident as I was riding behind it and kept hearing it, and I was looking for an SM42 thinking it was piloting or pushing it ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now