850 Lord Nelson

Wow....you're expecting a lot of overhauls in the next couple of years and you didn't mention 30506!

 

Meiningen Works (Germany) use these indicators to do the final valve setting on Locos following overhaul.

 

Perhaps he's just being realistic. The original post suggested that 6 overhauls could be completed in 3-4 years, including two ex-Barry engines. That would be an incredible performance and I don't think there's any evidence to suggest that Ropley works is that productive. How long did it take to do 45379? - and that was an early Barry departure, more complete and in better condition.

 

To speed up the overhauls, some posts have been lifted out and dropped in the ash pit out back.

It's safe to wield a wrench again.

 

You going to fund all of these then wingnut?

 

Well also knowing a couple of fireman who were also based at Eastleigh, they actually liked the Nelson's and knowing a current West Coast fireman who fired 850 a several occasions out on the main line, he also liked it so I guess it comes down to a matter of personal preference.

I wouldn't take what he said as being gospel because once you got the knack of firing to the engine, it wasn't so bad, you just needed a good steady swing to get it down the front with there being a couple of options in doing so.

 

850 was in service this weekend working on the Wizard Express on Saturday and working the last Sunday service train until Santa specials start in December. I'm led to believe the boiler ticket exspires on December 31st 2015. It doesn't seem that long ago when 850 arrived at the MHR. It's been a great joy to see 850 running on MHR over the last seven or so years. Just a shame it wasn't turned around to face out of Alresford. I must say the paint work has done every well over the last ten years. With any luck 850 will be rostered to work the Christmas leave event over the Xmas period.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/product.php/36/christmas-leave

 

I managed to catch this yesterday of the last down run.

 

Any word yet on whether 850 is going back to York or is to be overhauled at the MHR, once the boiler ticket expires. I've heard that mechanically the loco is in pretty good knick. The boiler too seems to have settled down nicely after its early problems when it first arrived at the MHR.

 

I haven't heard what's happening with 850. I'm sure will get to know in the near future.

 

I've heard various over the last week, so will keep me mush shut on that front, as they are at the mo just if, buts, maybe's - no point in adding flames to the fire!

 

Things are going to be a bit lean, motive power wise at the MHR over the next few months, compared to recent times, but once the Ivatt and 76017 are outshopped hopefully things will improve. According to one of the guys minding 34007 last weekend, that particular loco may be withdrawn earlier when it is winterised.

 

I knew there was a reason why we route the last down train of the day through Ropley loop (up) platform ;-)

 

The Nelson isn't a particularly difficult engine to fire, it's just different. It doesn't like a big back end like most locos and if you stuff it too full of coal there it won't steam. Nellie loves it down the front and the sides in a kind of "reverse horseshoe". Since it's a long box with a low brick arch, you need a very flat trajectory on the shovel swing, otherwise the coal will hit the arch and form a wall three quarters of the way down. That's where most people go wrong with it and when that happens you might as well get the iron out sooner rather than later and push it over. If you get it right it's a really good steamer, particularly since it's had a new grate installed with wider spacing between the bars. It's a ghastly engine to prep of course, with zillions of oiling points and no rocking/drop grate or hopper, but once you get out onto open track with it, it's a phenomenal machine. I had possibly my last run on it before overhaul last Friday and it was an absolute delight. We will miss Nellie at Ropley when the ticket runs out and hope to see this great engine back ASAP.

 

Delighted to read some positive feedback regarding loco operation. The Nelsons seem to have had a bad reputation regarding steaming, but as Widge points out, a considered firing technique is the way to make steam with Lord Nelson. Also, very interesting that changing the firebar spacing has had an effect on steaming too. Many thanks for sharing your experiences Widge.

Cheers,

Alan

 

Nellie is one of those engines that's reputation proceeds it, actually once you get the nack she (He?) is a pleasure to fire. Its an engine that keeps you on your toes. as it uses a lot of steam to get going and if you haven't got the firing right once the pressure drops away you are in trouble! Agreed the morning prep is a pain in the butt, trying to get a fire iron to clean the front of the box is almost impossible, but once you are over that a day out on Nellie is always a good day!

 

I'll add my plaudits to the others. Once the front end was sorted at Ropley and we'd had a chance to get used to his lordship's foibles we all agree Nellie is a fantastic engine. As Widge says he makes most of his heat from the front of the box so, for me, a flat thin fire is the order of the day. There are hang ups about the length of the grate but really if you fling it hard enough the coal will hit the tubeplate and stop. The real issue is covering the grate about 3 foot back where it dives over the axle. Leave this uncovered and the pressure will die as the brick arch cools off.

I love this engine, prep excepted, so hope to have it back at the MHR in the not too distant future.

 

Fascinating to hear your experiences, chaps. I remember chatting with a couple of firemen on the MHR when she first appeared on the line, one of whom took 61624's line and the other who said much the same as Widge and Gilesy - the low arch, long grate and rather flat rear grate require a very particular technique, and if a fireman gets it wrong, he (or she) is in trouble; get it right and the design spec of 500 ton boat trains at 55mph is well within reach. I gather that a lot of the boiler / firebox troubles experienced in SR/BR service were a result of holes in the firebed at the front of the grate, letting "cold" air in. I can't find the reference in the book I thought it was in, but I seem to remember that the class was eventually concentrated at one depot (Eastleigh?) where the crews got to understand the required technique, and the locos' reliability and performance improved greatly as a result.

 

I can add that I recall listening to a talk given by Bert Hooker a number of years ago that confirm the comments on here that the Nelsons needed a particular method firing. I do hope that we shall see her in action on the mainline after her next overhaul.