"Kitchener" at Longmoor

[roythebus1]

There was mention on here recently of WD 2-10-0 "Kitchener" being blown up at Longmoor, but I can't seem to find the original post. I have a friend now living in Thailand who was a 2nd lieutenant at Longmoor in the 1960s, the military equivalent of an operating superintendent in the proper railway. From his recollection he says: 

 

"Not so; there was Exercise Wizard Prang when SR King Arthur 'Merlin' which had a cracked frame was derailed near Woolmer, tipped on its side and recovered, to be cut up. A good wheeze, but before my time. It was all filmed for BBC TV. Whilst I was under training I signaled out a freight from Longmoor Downs to Liss Jcn containing the cut up remains of Kitchener, a 2-10-0 and Sir Guy Williams, a 2-8-0. The buyer was furious and accused us of stealing the copper firebox and had to be told that all the WD wartime locomotives had cast iron ones. He had based his bid on the incorrect assumption that they were copper!"  He says in a later message that Sir Guy was also cut up on site.

[LMS2968]

 

[Wickham Green too]

1 hour ago, roythebus1 said:

... firebox ... all the WD wartime locomotives had cast iron ones. ...

Certainly ferrous but never cast iron ! 😎

[roythebus1]

That's what I'd have though, buy my pal is now just over 80. :)

 

[Matt37268]

That bloody whistles a bit annoying! 

[davefrk]

Just a bit of a damp squib if you ask me...

Seen similar at some exhibitions.

Dave.

[roythebus1]

That's what my pal said when i sent him the link to the video. The lads used standard railway dets for the "explosives" and removed a section of rail. I found the whole thing rather underwhelming to be honest. 

 

I expect the crash speed was about 20-25mph. with no driver on board to adjust the cut-off.

[Wickham Green too]

Of course 'The Wrecker' was filmed less than fifteen miles away : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xc9yIkSAjM ................ the whistle's silent on that one !

 

[Matt37268]

Interesting, but I wouldn’t call it spectacular, It’s certainly not as exciting as something like 46009 and it’s stage managed smack. 

[The Stationmaster]

16 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Of course 'The Wrecker' was filmed less than fifteen miles away : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xc9yIkSAjM ................ the whistle's silent on that one !

 

That film is delightful for an SR enthusiast as I think each train had almost every suitable type of engine on it at one time or another during it non-stop journey. (I have exaggerated a little - but not a lot.)

[LMS2968]

2 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

That film is delightful for an SR enthusiast as I think each train had almost every suitable type of engine on it at one time or another during it non-stop journey. (I have exaggerated a little - but not a lot.)

Yes, rather like 'Train of Events' with Jack Warner!

[The Stationmaster]

4 hours ago, LMS2968 said:

Yes, rather like 'Train of Events' with Jack Warner!

The surprising thing about that fo;m was the fact that where he lived was - according to one shot - backed directly onto the GW main line (or rather Up E&C Line) between Ladbroke Grove and Portobello Jcn.  That put him right in the heart of an area which was inhabited by GWR staff including Enginemen based at Old Oak.

[john new]

On 18/12/2023 at 22:28, Matt37268 said:

That bloody whistles a bit annoying! 

I read somewhere ages ago a suggestion that one reason for the unspectacular crash was the whistle being fixed open used up the steam pressure. No idea how plausible but agree it is annoying if you watch the clip with the sound on.

[LMS2968]

6 minutes ago, john new said:

I read somewhere ages ago a suggestion that one reason for the unspectacular crash was the whistle being fixed open used up the steam pressure. No idea how plausible but agree it is annoying if you watch the clip with the sound on.

Nah! Definitely not.

[Matt37268]

6 hours ago, LMS2968 said:

Nah! Definitely not.

When your trying to watch it with the sound on and your missus is banging on the ceiling from upstairs and asking to ‘turn that bloody racket down’ then would you not agree it’s a little annoying? 😜 I mean I can’t hear anything with the boss banging on the ceiling… 😀

Edited December 21, 2023 by Matt37268