Streamlined Non-Pacifics

Did it not just do one (after dark) test run?

 

Not sure of the time of day, but that’s basically my understanding - one run from Eastleigh to I think either Micheldever or Basingstoke and back. Some bits of plywood may not have made the complete round trip...

Tom

 

Yep ,621 which I photo'd last October on a Victor Harbor to Mount Baker train,527 in Port Adelaide Museum.

 

Looking at some of the others put forward what about GT3? Would you say that it was streamlined - or is it maybe more "air smoothed" similar to a West Country/BoB?

 

There is definitely another picture as I have seen a side on version although again I think its a works photo. I think its in https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bulleid-Giant-Steam-Sean-Day-Lewis/dp/0049230085

 

Thanks a lot for the link to the New York Central 4-6-4s Tobbes!

Knut

 

This streamlining attempt from New York Central was beautiful........think it was called the Mercury.

 

Another streamlined beauty Andre Chapelons famous P.O.-Midi 231-726!



Knut

 

No the "Big One" didn't use Pacifics, the "Also Ran Three " did though

 

Please give us all a good laugh and post some pictures of the gwr's 'streamlined' things - 'barbara castle' and 'king awful' I think they were called.

 

You mean this er beauty? I think the phrase “that will do” was probably used.....

 

The less well executed pieces of streamlining had already been removed by the time this was taken.

Why on earth did they insist on retaining the copper capped chimney, brass safety valve casing and standard livery?

 

i think the point was that streamlining made very little ,if any, difference to performance and Collett was paying lip-service to the wishes of his Directors to be "trendy" . You've read the "plasticine" story right? The photo on face-value doesn't tel the whole story.

 

To be fair, GWR locos never went fast enough to benefit from proper streamlining.

 

Its kinda ironic that the style of streamlining Collett adopted was quite widely used thereafter, including several classes praised above.

I've been trying to work out why it does look so dubious. The completely bare smokebox seems to be part of it - all the others seem ornamented with a decoration, a headlight or something. Its also more conventional to have a single full length casing covering all the boiler fittings rather than simply fairing them.

 

It does not mean that they were aerodynamically efficient though.

 

true and nor were any others. I think the "air-smoothing" was to facilitate mechanical washing wasn't it?

I'll just leave this here

 

A4s certainly benefitted from streamlining on the high speed "flyers" and the wedge noses were very good at lifting the exhaust. Bulleid made no such claims for his air smoothing and as for facilitating mechanical washing, I've read much debate about this with no definitive answer either way.

 

the benefits would only be at very high speeds (ie not everyday speeds) and would I think be marginal.I believe greater advantage was acheived by streamlining between and underneath the carriages.It would only take one window left open to negate most of the measures I imagine.

I'm not an Engineer so this is just an opinion (same as almost everyone else on here)

 

It's well known that Saints could reach speeds of 135mph!