Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

Bit of Carnforth Kremlinology here, but given that 34073's boiler is now on 34067 and 34067's boiler is sat on 34073's frames, do we think there's a possibility that 34073 will run again?

 

Unlikely, I would have thought. It's more likely to be seen as a spare set of wheels and boiler for Tangmere. You can overhaul Tangmere's boiler when she is nearing the end of her ticket on 34073's boiler, and cut down your overhaul time.

 

This is something I always mused over regarding Clan Line and the superb group that support her on the mainline not deciding in the past, to source a second loco/boiler to speed up the turnaround of overhauls.

 

Agreed. They have also got Bodmin to overhaul.

 

Come up with the money and anything’s possible! There aren't that number of spare MN boilers knocking around so it would have to be a new one.
There’s also the question of the engine’s integrity, the boiler, although not the original, is an an MN boiler that has seen service in steam days. Apart from a few additions to allow it to work on the modern railway, the loco is as it was in BR days, even the tender tank is the original

 

The opportunity was there when Ian Riley put what was left of Shaw Saville up for sale, before deciding to restore it himself....

 

34067's boiler needs a new outer firebox apparently, and 34073 is little more than wheels and frames now, so very unlikely I would've though.

 

Reluctantly, I'm inclined to agree with you. I'd love to see 34073 working again as it's one of the few Bulleids to have worked over my late lamented local line (the Cuckoo Line, Polegate-Eridge, which shut in the 1960s) but with Bodmin, 44767, 44932 and 48151 all needing overhauls, it's hard to see it being a priority with Carnforth. A while ago, it rumoured that Jeremy Hosking wanted to buy a "Spam Can"/"Flat Top"/"original Bulleid" and I believe he approached one owning group but they didn't want to sell. 34073 is essentially his only option and he has the money to restore it, even in its present condition, but (i) would the present owner(s) be prepared to sell? (ii) it's a while since be bought any new steam engines, so he may have given up on the idea and (iii) the Mid Hants is looking to put 34007 on the main line and recently a lot of individual locos have formed links to the big operators such as Tyseley, West Coast or LSL/Saphos. If 34007 ended up in a similar arrangement to 60007 (and may I add that I have absolutely no idea whether anyone is considering such a tie-up), then it would alleviate the need to Mr Hosking to acquire a "spam can" of his own, so it may be a case of RIP for poor 34073, but on the other hand, never say never.

And given what a Riley Black Five is capable of, a Riley MN will be something to look forward to! He doesn't seem to be in any hurry to complete it, but to Southern fans like myself, 35009 must rank alongside 32424 and 563, the Swanage T3, as the most exciting prospect (steam loco wise) of the decade.

 

The air pump was fitted when the loco was first restored back in 2003 I think, back when it used to run the Kingfisher Railtours Excalibur Express charters. I think it's been retained so 34067 can be used on the steam hauled Northern Belle trips that up until recently 6201 was doing and 60163 since.

 

It was first fitted behind the cladding, but soon moved to the front to let the airflow keep it cool. And it's easier to hit it with a hammer if it's accessible!

 

I've lightened this 2012 image a bit, the air pump is tucked into the right hand corner immediately behind the disc.

 

Quite so - and, whilst there has never been any enthusiasm to fit air-brake controls to Cfth steam locos (Big Al take note - it isn't and never will be a mandatory requirement), if it's already fitted and works and therefore means the Northern Belle can be hauled by a home loco, then why not?

The majority of WCR steam-hauled stock is either vacuum- or dual-braked.

JS

 

It is good to see that the SLL will soon have two original Bulleids back in operation as 34070 Manston is having its cladding put back on at Tyesley, before going back to Swanage where its brake gear will be refitted and 34072 257 Squadron is having a new steam pipe fitted.

 

SLL also report that 34010 Sidmouth's chassis has been moved to Sellinge for overhaul.

 

Here are two pictures (Courtesy Mr S Troy SLL) of Sidmouth's frames being lifted at Sellinge.

 

In the first picture the valves look somewhat further in than the cylinders. That would make sense with the original valve gear driving the valves from inside, but how is the alignment sorted out in the rebuilt Bulleids with valve gear on the outside?

 

The rebuilds had pendulum levers (my terminology), 2 levers swinging on a common pivot. The combination lever was connected to the outer pendulum lever and the inner pendulum lever drove the valve. This arrangement also meant that no valve guide was required.

I have attached a cropped picture of Clan Line at Ramsgate in 2019 which shows this.

Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk

 

Thank you.

 

The SLL website news has been updated today, with news of our six Bulleids. https://southern-locomotives.co.uk/News/news.html

 

Further to the picture that @RLinkinS posted, I took this photo of Sir Archie the other day, which shows the form of the pendulum lever more clearly:



Tom