LNER/ GN weight restrictions. Wakefield.

[doilum]

I have just had a most enjoyable visit to Little Bytham 1938 via YouTube.  Tony Wiright mentioned that until the 1930s the Pacific could not run to Leeds prior to bridge strengthening in the Wakefield area. Can anyone elaborate further with dates and location? 

[Traintresta]

Is this on the ECML route through Westgate that he was referring to?

[sir douglas]

it was the westgate viaduct

[31A]

The RCTS "Locomotives of the LNER" (Part 2A) says that Pacific 4474 made a special working to Leeds on the 4.45pm Pullman ex King's Cross on 19th May 1930 and returned the next day, being the first use of a Pacific from King's Cross to Leeds.  Normally a King's Cross Atlantic was used because of weight restrictions over the Calder Viaduct near Wakefield.

 

Regular class A1 workings to Leeds commenced in September 1930, although a severe speed restriction still existed for the time being over the Calder Viaduct.  At this time there was one diagram, for a Grantham Pacific to Leeds on the 10.10am King's Cross-Leeds and 3.15pm Leeds-Grantham.

 

Later, it says that following renewal of the Calder Viaduct in 1936 Class A3 and A4 Pacific could be worked to Leeds on a regular basis and in October 1936 2553 and 2555 went from Doncaster to Copley Hill to cover the "Queen of Scots" Pullman workings to London, which ended the reign of the Class C1 Atlantics on these turns.

 

The RCTS book refers to it as "Calder Viaduct" but I presume it means what I know as Wakefield Viaduct, which runs south from Westgate station on the Leeds-Doncaster main line, and does cross the River Calder.  Apparently it's also known as the 99 Arches; I didn't know that!  I wondered whether it was just the bit over the Calder that needed to be strengthened but as far as I can see it's all one structure of brick arches, including the bit where it crosses the river.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_davis_photos/38668005110

 

 

[doilum]

I know the 99 arches well. A very long time ago I built a section of it in 2mm for a friend who worked in the local housing department.  He was building  a display model to show local residents how the results of the General Improvement Area works would look.

[sir douglas]

 despite the old nickname, it actually doesnt have 99 arches, its over 110 not including whatever is under the station, its just that 99 sounds better

[doilum]

Thinking further: perhaps it wasn't the axle weight as much as the radius of the curve?

[Traintresta]

40 minutes ago, doilum said:

Thinking further: perhaps it wasn't the axle weight as much as the radius of the curve?

Has that changed over the years? I can see that structures might have been strengthened but were any of the curves eased?

[31A]

1 hour ago, doilum said:

Thinking further: perhaps it wasn't the axle weight as much as the radius of the curve?

 

Well the RCTS book did say it was a weight restriction, and I'm sure I've read that elsewhere too.  As @Traintresta says, it doesn't look as though the location of the structure has ever been altered.

[sir douglas]

the only major changes done to it was replacing an arch for a girder over Ings Road, all the stay rods stitched through it and a lot of brickwork has been replaced, the alignment hasnt changed.

 

when you take a good look at it, its a mess thats falling apart

(streetview screenshots)

 

[doilum]

The steel tie rods through the brickwork might tell a story.