Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

IR does have another Bulleid Pacific that he is involved with, namely 34007. I think that may be much more advanced than 35009 which has been on the back burner for some years.

Peter

 

Doesn't that belong to someone else though? Doesn't seem a likely source of a borrowed tender.

 

Regarding tenders, I did hear that 34007 might be exchanging tenders with another of SLL's stable, on account that it has a greater water capacity where as the one thats being worked on at Ropley is of a smaller capacity , SLL has build new tender chassis before, and it wouldn't be that hard to build a new one for 35009, along with a new tank, the wheel castings are availible, .

 

I suppose there's potential for economies of scale as SLL will need to build tenders for Brocklebank, Sidmouth and Sir Fred. Although there again I suppose they could just rotate them as other locos come out of service. Four tenders across seven locos seems manageable.

 

I wasn't referring to tenders or ownership. The topic of this thread is Bulleid Pacifics and IR is currently doing a contract overhaul of 34007. I suggest that he is given time to finish that job before worrying about tenders for 35009. We haven't even had the MN livery discussion yet.

Peter

 

34007 is receiving 34072’s tender, according to the latest SLL news bulletin. 34072’s current tender has 5,500 gallons, whereas a new-build high-sided tender originally for use on 34007 is 4,500.

 

Indeed, thus allowing the SLL in turn to fulfil a long held desire to have at least one high-sided tender to pair with one of their two original 'spam cans', which I I have to say does best suit them in my opinion.

 

I picked up a copy of Colin Boocock's Locos of Nine Elms last week.
There are 3 appendices listed in the back for loco allocations in 1950,1959 and 1965.
The thing that interested me was all the Bulleid Light Pacifics allocated in August 1950 were Battle of Britain Class. Was this down to some predetermined strategy by BR to have only the BB's in London and the WC's down in the West Country or pure chance?

 

A good question although my 1959 Combined Vol has both allocated to 70A including WCs 34006/007/009/010/018/020/029/031/047/093/094/095 with only 3 BoBs 34064/065/090. I'm intrigued.

 

Yes my typo I was talking about 1950, your list agrees with his data for 1959.
I will correct my original post.

 

https://sremg.org.uk/steam/blp-dat.shtml

Have a look at this, scroll down to the second table. 34001-20 and 34041-7 started out at Exmouth Jn. 34021-32 started at Ramsgate while 34033-40 were at Stewarts Lane.

In early 1950 according to Shed Bash UK 34022/3 were shedded at Nine Elms. It does look as though all of 34001-48 were outside London for a period in 1950 but from the attachment that didn't last long.

 

An update on the Ian Riley’s Facebook page re 35009 today.
Oh

 

It’s in my memory bank that there’s a subtle difference between BB’s andWC’s with regard to the cabs which gave BB’s a better route availability for use over Brighton & SECR lines. I’m sure Tom or someone else can confirm or say it’s utter rubbish.

 

The Light Pacifics as built came with 8’ 6” cabs up to 34070 and 9’ cabs from 34071 onwards. Thus both original WCs and BBs came in both 8’6” and 9’ cab versions. All rebuilds had a 9’ cab.

 

Could that be because the WC / BB were initially built as a mixed traffic locomotive to replace some of the older life-expired designs - many of which were allocated to depots in the outer edges of the Southern Railway ?

 

If you want to be really "nerdy" about it you can see all the dates that the WC/BB were built/rebuilt and modified in this comprehensive table from the Bulleid Society: -
LOCOMOTIVE SUMMARY 'WEST COUNTRY' AND 'BATTLE OF BRITAIN' CLASS
At Swanage currently there are two original Light Pacific's running 34070 which was the last pacific built with an 8'6" cab and 34072 which was the second built with a 9' cab.

 

I forgot to mention that although 34067 had an 8’6” cab throughout its working life, it was fitted with a 9’ cab when it went main line in the preservation era.

 

Confirming details from my 1950 locoshed now that I've found it : 70A had BoBs 34049-34065 and no WCs allocated at this time. (also MNs 35005 and 35010-35020)

34067 was at Stewarts Lane in 1950

 

A bit OT but it is Bulleid related - it is good to see that the Q1 is back in one piece and on display in the NRM again

Peter

 

Beauty and the beast….