RMweb Gold russ p Posted April 7, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 7, 2016 Mucky aussies at Bickershaw here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67100-apollos-grand-days-out/page-3&do=findComment&comment=2212496 I love 'em !! Brit15 I love scenes like these,real jobs for real men. Makes you proud to be British! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS2968 Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 From memory, the resident diesel would haul 14 loaded MGRs from the loading point to the exchange sidings; on Thursdays it was under maintenance and the tankie (only No. 7 when I saw the operations) would haul seven loaded - but at a much faster speed than thee diesel could achieve. For some reason, Fred Larner decided to increase this, one wagon at a time. He eventually managed 11 loaded. It didn't seem to me to be going very much slower, but it was a lot louder! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runs as required Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 1 I’ve had a particular regard for these abused beasts since the 1970s. Staying at sister-in-law's house on Killingworth lake in the south-east Northumberland coalfield on long leave from overseas, I awoke one still night and could not believe my ears. It was the distant sound of a loose coupled train of coal empties slogging endlessly through the wee small hours; uncanny, for I knew it to be at least 5 years since the end of steam on BR. Next day my kids and I discovered Backworth and the NCB system, with some very friendly guys that let us get up close to their machines . 2 For me (and now the grandchildren) the interest of a place like Tanfield is not only the ride behind steam. It is even more the fascination of the workshop - a combination of museum and mind boggling ambitious heavy repair work underway. Beyond the workshop is the hope that is invested in the lines of machinery one is invited to inspect in the yard. This resource is something one could never quite believe in the early days of Barry. 3 Reference to the Severn Valley and industrial steam (in March) above. I seem to remember passing industrial steam shunting Buildwas power station in the year I commuted through the gorge from Bridgnorth to work in Shrewsbury – usually behind a Collet 0-6-0 and three GW corridor coaches. dh 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clock O' The North Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 And I'm sitting here Quite happy to see a steam engine that you can walk up to and talk to the crew without breaking OH&S. The rail movement is shockingly bad in Australia. Just look at 3801. On another note I'm one of those people who's just quite happy to see a WORKING steam engine. However to me it makes no sense for an industrial engine to carry BR livery when it never carried it. Lachlan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jongudmund Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 (edited) The Pontypool & Blaenavon railway has a lovely Austerity in Mech Navvies livery. The thing out of place on this line is of course the big fat coaches! EDIT: Just seen there's a pic of this on the previous page as well. They also have this lovely little Barclay 0-4-0 What's not to love? (Oh, don't get me wrong I like big engines as much as the next man, but surely we can all find room in our hearts for these too) Edited April 23, 2016 by Jongudmund 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Nice to see those photos, I was the driver on 'Rosyth' yesterday on the vintage set of an ex-Manchester and Milford' directors saloon and an ex-GE inspection saloon, both wooden bodied vehicles that sit very nicely behind her. This year we are also welcoming 1501 from the Severn Valley and 1369 from the South Devon for the gala in June which will see up to 5 locos in steam. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Those little industrials are wonderful things. I can understand that the big engines are much more glamorous, and I'm rather partial to some of Mr Bulleid's efforts, but private owner industrial locos have a huge charm too. I'm pleased that both types have survived... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted April 25, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2016 (edited) There is another aspect to this. I was on a shed tour on Saturday and one fact that came out was that getting a Bulleid Pacific like 92 Squadron into steam uses 1.5 tons of coal at £200 a ton before it even turns a wheel under its own power. An Austerity on the other hand uses 0.5 ton so the other ton can be used to generate income .... Most preserved line don't need anything more than a tank engine (GCR, West Somerset, NYMR and SVR excepted perhaps) for most of their services. Now if they were run that way the preservation movement would be poorer but we have to accept that the smaller lines will, for the economic reason above, use a smaller loco whenever they can. Edited April 25, 2016 by Richard E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Actually an austerity probably uses less than 0.25 ton of coal to raise steam and takes around 4 hours from cold unlike a larger loco that can take 8+ hours if done correctly with care for the boiler. At Blaenavon if 'Mech Navvies' bunker is full to capacity (2 tons) we will use around half a bunker from lighting up and run 25 miles during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jongudmund Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Nice to see those photos, I was the driver on 'Rosyth' yesterday on the vintage set of an ex-Manchester and Milford' directors saloon and an ex-GE inspection saloon, both wooden bodied vehicles that sit very nicely behind her. This year we are also welcoming 1501 from the Severn Valley and 1369 from the South Devon for the gala in June which will see up to 5 locos in steam. When in June? I might come up for that. (Please don't say the 11th as I have something on!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted April 28, 2016 Share Posted April 28, 2016 Thread for the P&BR gala here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/109120-pontypool-blaenavon-gala-2016-june-24-26/?p=2233871 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Those little industrials are wonderful things. I can understand that the big engines are much more glamorous, and I'm rather partial to some of Mr Bulleid's efforts, but private owner industrial locos have a huge charm too. I'm pleased that both types have survived...It's a pity that more weren't saved.There are still a few around today that do need saving! I wonder how heritage railways are going to manage in the future? Overhauls,coal and insurance are rising and volunteer numbers are falling but are visitor numbers increasing? Are steam locomotive enthusiasts increasing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 Actually an austerity probably uses less than 0.25 ton of coal to raise steam and takes around 4 hours from cold unlike a larger loco that can take 8+ hours if done correctly with care for the boiler. At Blaenavon if 'Mech Navvies' bunker is full to capacity (2 tons) we will use around half a bunker from lighting up and run 25 miles during the day. How much does it drink in a day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 We could comfortably do two rounds trips out of a full 1200 gallon tank, including standing time, so probably around 2000 gallons in a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 We could comfortably do two rounds trips out of a full 1200 gallon tank, including standing time, so probably around 2000 gallons in a day. Thanks Nigel. How does that compare with larger or other locomotives such as a Jinty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted May 4, 2016 Share Posted May 4, 2016 The Jinty we had at Foxfield a couple of years ago was comparable to an Austerity for coal and water consumption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 (edited) I'm not trying to be inflammatory but you can't really make me believe that most enthusiasts prefer riding behind some strangely coloured industrial saddle tank to, say, a proper mainline loco (even a smaller type like an 41XXX Ivatt or BR Standard tank). Personally I have very little interest in "proper" mainline (steam) locos. All the recent media hype about Flying Scotsman simply passed me by but give me a "strangely coloured industrial saddletank" and I'll drive for hundreds of miles to ride behind and photograph it. Any Austerity beats any mainline loco, as far as I'm concerned but only in the right environment. If it's pulling a BR Mk1 and is painted in some fictitious British Railways livery then I won't bother. My favourite preserved (are we still allowed to call them that, or is it heritage now?) railways are the Foxfield and the Tanfield. Why? Because they're as near to the real thing as your going to get nowadays. They have the sorts of locos hauling the sort of vehicles they would have, in a setting that suits. If you've ever wondered round Marley Hill shed, with locos in steam, or sat at the side of Foxfield Bank and watched (and heard!) an Austerity take 8 21t hoppers up the 1 in 50 you'll see that it's a far better than some great big mainline loco chuffing up and down with a few BR Mk1s. Hmm... Seems I need to brush up even more on my knowledge of these Locos however, I reckon I'm biased being ex-forces Is there a definitive history of these Austerity locos one can access anywhere? Try these: Industrial Railway Society Industrial Railway Record No.203 Continent, Coalfield and Conservation - the biographical history of the British Army Austerity 0-6-0 saddletank Locomotives Illustrated No.61 The Hunslet 'Austerity' 0-6-0STs Edited May 9, 2016 by Ruston 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) Strangely-coloured industrial saddletanks, today. Really, what's not to like about that? If only the pictures had sound with them. Far better than F***** S******n in my humble opinion, of course. Edited July 17, 2016 by Ruston 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 Great in their natural habitat. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) Interesting site here - the old Blundells Colliery site in Pemberton Wigan back around 1969 / 1970. The industrial loco was being stored there and my mate and I went off inspecting - it was in steam and the guys there gave us (dangerous) rides up and down the very bad track. Us and a few other kids / enthusiasts. I didn't have my camera, found this site by accident !! Crazy / wonderful day. http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/pemberton-colliery-wigan-1970.t53871 The tips have all gone - now a housing estate (I wouldn't buy a house there - riddled with very deep mine shafts !!) I believe the Loco is / was owned by the Red Rose Steam society and was moved later to at Astley mining museum. I don't know where it is now. http://www.agcm.org.uk/ Brit15 Edited July 17, 2016 by APOLLO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 (edited) Hello Ruston .. If it's pulling a BR Mk1 and is painted in some fictitious British Railways livery then I won't bother. .: I regard a comment like that as a challenge and just have to post these slides from the Locharty Railway in Fife in 1973. Yes a WD Austerity and a brightly coloured coach - in fact the ex LNER beaver tail coach before it went to the Great Central at Loughborough. Lochty Railway Fife, August 1973 Ex WD No.147 and ex BR E1719E Beaver Tail (now at Great Central Railway Leicestershire) Lochty Railway Fife, August 1973 Regards Ray Edited July 18, 2016 by Silver Sidelines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Hadyn Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Interesting site here - the old Blundells Colliery site in Pemberton Wigan back around 1969 / 1970. The industrial loco was being stored there and my mate and I went off inspecting - it was in steam and the guys there gave us (dangerous) rides up and down the very bad track. Us and a few other kids / enthusiasts. I didn't have my camera, found this site by accident !! Crazy / wonderful day. http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/pemberton-colliery-wigan-1970.t53871 The tips have all gone - now a housing estate (I wouldn't buy a house there - riddled with very deep mine shafts !!) I believe the Loco is / was owned by the Red Rose Steam society and was moved later to at Astley mining museum. I don't know where it is now. http://www.agcm.org.uk/ Brit15 The loco is Avonside 1563 and is owned and under restoration by a group of friends at Foxfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted July 18, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2016 A bit of my footage of "Mech Navvies" on a miserable day in May: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJOTUPKJ2H8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jongudmund Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Great in their natural habitat. image.jpg That's a beautiful picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Sapper has just arrived at the Avon Valley Railway, located between Bristol and Bath on the old Midland line into Bath. I took a few quick pictures of her in action today. Sapper running into Bitton station having departed from Oldland. Sapper on the curve heading south from Bitton to Avon Riverside Sapper's builders plate. Sapper taking water at Bitton. What can you good folks tell me about the history of Sapper? Am I right in thinking that the non standard chimney indicates that Sapper was once fitted with an underfeed stoker? What was the circular flap in the top half of the smokebox door for? I will try to get some better pictures in due course. Gordon A 3 Link to comment 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