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Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Jamessquared, Feb 16, 2013.

  1. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    Buy a 66, round off the edges, stick a boiler in it, job's a good 'un.
     
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  2. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Even better - don’t. :)

    Tom
     
  3. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    Wait, is the GWS making one now? :eek:

    :D
     
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  4. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    You must admit, that is one very ugly engine :)
     
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  5. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Not unless it from was using 66779!
     
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  6. Wagoniester

    Wagoniester Member

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    According to the railway's Facebook page the second guest for the branch line weekend will be announced at 5pm.
     
  7. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Well, with the lack of coal availability, I can see oil firing becoming the norm, in which case the thought of a Leader Mk.2 could become a more realistic option. Putting money aside and simply talking WIBN, oil firing would solve many of the problems of the original. Boiler placed centrally, fireman in one cab and the driver in whichever is cab leading. Fuel tanks underhung so no equivalent of a coal bunker to complicate the layout and the loco could probably be shorter as a result. I see little need for internal access between cabs, especially with a radio for comms and modern instrumentation. Automatic firing would be possible but I think that automatic water level controls would be difficult due both to the undualting nature of the road and the surging that you get under braking and acceleration so I''d still keep the fireman to control water and keep an eye on things. I'd do away with the sleeve valves and go for a simple form of poppet valve gear, a bit like Sentinel used. 75mph with 4 foot wheels would require about 500 rpm, easily achievable with Sentinels. Probably do away with the chain drive and go for cardan shafts. Any other changes, anyone?

    I'm too old to lead the project but Tom, on the other hand....:mad:
     
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  8. Cuckoo Line

    Cuckoo Line Member

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    Or just think how many batteries you could put in it to heat by electricity !!!!!!
     
  9. Bikermike

    Bikermike Well-Known Member

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    Mount all the cylinders in a marine-style upright arrangement inside the body and attach a generator, then drive wheels using traction motors. [2]

    Depending on space you could even chuck in a cheeky pantograph/pick-up shoes[1] and it can be it's own back-up and ETH provider for mainline work

    Mike
    [1]delete according to region/voltage/sanity
    [2] I believe the French invented this particular arrangement...
     
  10. 3855

    3855 Member

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    I'm hoping its Lady Ingrid from Spa
     
  11. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    With oil firing you have no need of an ashpan, so a simpler marine type boiler would do, so the boiler could be placed optimally for weight without having to fit the ashpan around the running gear.

    Just saying

    Steve B
     
  12. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    Screenshot_20230124-170531.png
     
  13. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Feel this gala is about a year or two too late - the late guards’ inspector would have loved the Lancastrian theme!

    Looking forward to it though. Can’t beat a good pre-grouping 0-6-0.

    Tom
     
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  14. acourtrail

    acourtrail New Member

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    Yes 2356 would have been a very useful coach for the Bluebell's Maunsell set, and one would have thought that it would have been an early priority for restoration as soon as it arrived at the line. It clearly must have had a lot wrong with it from the outset, otherwise the Bluebell would have got on and restored it as soon as they were in a position to. Other Maunsells in the collection were obviously in a better state, and those went to the front of the queue, pushing 2356 onto the back burner. I suspect that it was the worst out of all the unrestored Maunsells, and most likely not worth restoring despite how useful it could have been.
     
  15. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    I hoping that another 0-6-0 the Y14 in Great Eastern Blue from the NNR will be a future visitor, would look very nice with the Mets.
     
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  16. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    And also a ‘might have been’ when you consider one was supposed to be on the shopping list for motive power back in the early days.
     
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  17. WesternRegionHampshireman

    WesternRegionHampshireman Well-Known Member

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    You mean - This?
    View attachment 74321
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2023
  18. WesternRegionHampshireman

    WesternRegionHampshireman Well-Known Member

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    May have been the first but definitely Llangollen for the scenery and the more ideological location for such Cambrian locos. :)
     
  19. ady

    ady Well-Known Member

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    Dukedogs were seen on the Aberystwyth to Carmarthen line which the Gwili was once a part off too btw....

    Not that I support any idea of the Dukedog leaving the Bluebell I should add.
     
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  20. WesternRegionHampshireman

    WesternRegionHampshireman Well-Known Member

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    Neither am I! I do like it when the GWR comes closer to me rather than having to trudge all the way up to the West Country to see it.

    Although, that was some rather interesting information, thank you. :)
     

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