Performance of D0280 'Falcon'

[slilley]

On 11/03/2024 at 16:36, D9020 Nimbus said:

While the class 47 resembled "Lion" in several aspects, its arrival on the scene was a bit more haphazard. AFAIK, the first six were originally going to be class 46s (perhaps D194-9?) but Eastern Region intervention caused them to be built in the way they were. There was quite a close relationship between the ER and Brush — witness the attempts to uprate the type 2s to 1600 then 2000hp.

 

I've seen this ascribed to the fact that Sir Ronald Matthews, the last LNER chairman, became chairman of Brush.

 

This is all covered in the book Class 47 50 Years of Locomotive History. To summarise very briefly, The ER decided it did not want the last 20 Peaks. With the new Type 4 specification in place JF Harrison the BTC CME decided in February 61 that building Peaks no longer represented value for money. Hence it was decided that these locomotives would be built instead to the new Type 4 specification using Brush equipment ordered originally for the Peaks.

 

It is more detailed than that but I did promise to be brief.

 

Simon

 

Langley

 

[45125]

1 hour ago, jim.snowdon said:

I'm not aware of any British diesel electrics having anything but a direct connection between the engine and generator shafts. The common approach was for the generator to have only an outer end bearing, the inner end of its shaft being supported by the engine crankshaft.

US practice, from what I have seen, tends towards making the generator mechanically independent of the engine, but still coupled directly.

The 12LDA has a step up gear to connect the twin crankshaft to the output shaft 1 to 1.44, this allows a smaller generator to be used.

[ISW]

On 10/03/2024 at 22:25, br2975 said:

On 27th. September, 1972 she arrived at Derby,towing Cl.25 7520 which was destined for works attention.

'Falcopn' promptly  returned light to the Western Region.

That little snippet was a real eye opener for me. I was trainspotting in the early 1970s at Burton-on-Trent, so the thought of missing Falcon going by is 'disappointing'. I was only redeemed in the knowledge that 27th September 1972 was a Wednesday, so I'd have been at school!

 

Ian

[Rugd1022]

Falcon was photographed on static test at Swindon in its new blue livery with its '0280' number applied...

 

 

 

Edited March 13 by Rugd1022

[kevinlms]

On 11/03/2024 at 09:25, br2975 said:

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After being purchased by BR 'Falcon' was taken into Swindon Works late in 1970, overhauled and her vac brakes removed and air brakes fitted - I suspect in advance of air braked Mk.2 stock being introduced on the Padd-Bristol route; but unusually she appears to have kept her steam heating..

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At this time she was also repainted blue, initially keeping her number "0280" only losing the 'D' .

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However, she was renumbered 1200 before being released from the works, back to Bristol, Bath Road.

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She was officially renumbered from '0280' to '1200' on 19/12/1970.

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'Falcon' was transferred to Ebbw Junction during August 1972  ( NOT 1974 as mentioned by 'Johnster' ), thence to Canton from 21/10/1972 (was this just a paper exercise ?) before returning to Ebbw Junction from 12/05/1973.

Canton was theoretically responsible for Falcon's more involved 'needs' and there are photographs to show she was dealt with at Canton.

A longtime friend of mine and retired Canton fitter repaired Falcon's speedo there.

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'Falcon' was also dealt with, at Gloucester, Horton Road on a few occasions.

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Following transfer from Bath Road, I first saw her at Ebbw Junction on 26th. August, 1972, and many times after.

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On 27th. September, 1972 she arrived at Derby,towing Cl.25 7520 which was destined for works attention.

'Falcopn' promptly  returned light to the Western Region.

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I would argue that she wasn't 'clapped out' on her arrival at Ebbw Junction, as she was but 4 months out of Swindon ( I had seen her there on 4th. April, 1972 ), and straight off front line workings between Paddington, Bristol and WSM, as well as summer saturday jaunts to Torbay.

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Whilst she may have been seen on Newport Docks - Llanwern (Spencer Works) iron ore turns,  this was not her intended, or rostered duty, as by the time she arrived at Ebbw Junction that depots Newport Docks - Llanwern and Newport Docks - Ebbw Vale iron ore turns had been in the hands of pairs of Cl.25s since late 1970,  Ebbw Junction had copious amounts of Cl.25s by August 1972.

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1200s rostered duties whilst at Ebbw Junction were 'Class 9' trips from ADJ (Alexandra Dock Junction) yard opposite Ebbw Junction on the south side of the SWML, to East Usk Yard, the Uskmouth Branch including Stewarts & Lloyds, Orb Works, Monsanto Chemicals, British Aluminium and Lysaghts.

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These trips were normally  05:20 - 23:50 Mondays, 01:05 - 23:50 Tuesdays - Fridays and 01:05 - 14:17 Saturdays or until 17:57 if required.

 

There are reports of 'Falcon' reaching as far as Hereford, Radyr and Ebbw Vale whilst allox to Ebbw Junction.

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'Falcon' was officially withdrawn on 18th. May, 1974 and turned up out of the blue at Brush, Loughborough about a week later. 

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The story goes that she had failed at Newport and 'higher authority' felt she should be returned to her owners, Brush.

Brush asked BR "why is Falcon in our siding ?"

"Well it's your loco" was the alleged BR response

"You bought it off us four years ago !" said the Brush employee.

'Falcon' returned  to Ebbw Junction, passing Derby on 16th. June, 1974 behind 47106, was repaired and reinstated to traffic, for almost a further year's service..

This tale is allegedly part of Ebbw Junction folklore.

 

As mentioned elsewhere, along with some Cl.47s, 'Falcon' was involved in the recovery of the Cl.37 that fell down an embankment at Cwm, twixt Aberbeeg and Ebbw Vale during 1975 where 'Kelbus' gear was used to extricate the errant Cl.37.

Hardly a job for a 'clapped out' loco.

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As for 'Falcon' retaining her cast emblems to the end, that was more by luck, than judgement - and the work of the BTP in recovering the missing crest.......... which during its enforced absence had been replaced by a self adhesive image of 'Babar the Elephant' - which was not removed when the recovered crest was restored to the side of the loco, and remained visible beneath.

See the photo below...........................

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Almost certainly BR purchased a relatively new loco for near scrap price. After all what else were Brush going to do with an ex-demonstrator loco, there was hardly a huge market for it.

[Halvarras]

18 hours ago, ISW said:

That little snippet was a real eye opener for me. I was trainspotting in the early 1970s at Burton-on-Trent, so the thought of missing Falcon going by is 'disappointing'. I was only redeemed in the knowledge that 27th September 1972 was a Wednesday, so I'd have been at school!

 

Ian

 

My Falcon sightings were always very hit and very miss! First time was a pure stroke of luck, passing it heading west between Taunton and Exeter while travelling in the opposite direction behind D821, on 23rd May 1969 - we were only going as far as Taunton to see an expected Peak working an ECS IIRC, so headed straight back to Exeter in time to see D0280 come back up from Paignton. We missed D28 but never mind! My attempt at a photo was compromised by D813 parking itself right in the way at the wrong moment, hence to this day it is still my least favourite Warship!

Next time should have been during the weekly Wednesday afternoon Swindon Works guided tour on 29th July 1970, but a late-running train meant we didn't get there in time. Oh well, at least I had finally copped D7000 a few hours earlier it had already been a good day.......

I started my working life a few miles from Swindon on 6th September 1972 so missed 1200 Falcon on the Paddington - Bristol workings by a matter of weeks if not days (this was also exactly 3 weeks after the RTC's Class 17 8598 had visited Swindon Works to collect Test Car Hermes, on 16th August 1972 - I only learned that about 25 years ago! But it was a work day anyway so I was unlikely to have seen it even if I'd arrived a month earlier).

After that I occasionally noted Falcon in South Wales while travelling from Swindon to Cardiff, usually parked as it was always on a Saturday, but struck it lucky one last time when I found it resting on Swindon Stabling Point on 9th February 1974, when I managed to get my only photos of it in blue.

[jim.snowdon]

Falcon in Swindon Works, 1970