E1 for the IOWSR and 46447 to go on loan to ESR

In a joint statement the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and the East Somerset Railway have announced that the E1 is to be purchased by the IOWSR for full overhaul and that 46447 will be restored for a 10yr loan period at the ESR.

I will post a link to the statement when it becomes available and give more details when they become available.

 

Very nice, the E1 will look fantastic over on the Island. Will it be planned to retain the vacuum gear on the E1 for any potential visits over to the mainland?

 

Fantastic news - a real win/win scenario. The Isle of Wight people have been after the E1 for ages. The Ivatt can't be re-sold as part of the donation agreement with the Ivatt trust, but it can be loaned. it will be an easier job for the ESR to put it into traffic, as it doesn't need a new boiler. I'll look forward to hearing more news, and will also hope that 110 will retain its vacuum gear, as I'm sure that once restored, it will prove as popular a guest engine as Calbourne.

 

Is the current industrial boiler on the E1 still usable, or will she require a complete new boiler from scratch?

If so, any chance that she could have an LBSC-pattern boiler built? Can't imagine the cost would be markedly different than a "new build" industrial boiler, and it would return the loco to both a more easthetically pleasing appearance, and one more suited to Island usage.

And regardless of the above - this is fantastic news!

Tom


Tom

 

Excellent news.Win win for both railways.Well done to all concerned.

 

When I last visited the IOWSR, I talked to someone about the E1, and they said that a new boiler was required. I also remember that a planned visit to the Bluebell by the E1 was called off because of concerns about the thickness of the boiler plate. I'm only repeating what I have heard, and cannot claim any definite authority for these statements. However, the two "terriers" on the island have both acquired new boilers, and if the E1 is to follow suit, then "re-Stroudlification" would make sense. I don't think that the E1s were rebuilt by Marsh with extended smokeboxes, like the A1s, but I would be interested to know how much their appearance changed between 1874 and 1961 - apart from livery changes and re-numberings, of course.

 

The purchase and overhaul are being financed by a sizeable bequest, it will include a new boiler. From what I am told the island E1s were fitted with Marsh boilers and as the railway represents the islands railways history it is more than likely that the new boiler will be to the Marsh pattern.

Of course the big debates will be which island E1 will it represent? and which livery should it carry? My thoughts on livery are anything that is correct for the island.

The question of it retaining vacuun brakes is one that is possibly still up for debate.

 

Sounds like a trawl through Bradley is in order to check out boiler details - I'll try and do so but it might take me a few days as currently this is a busy time... As for livery it would have to be SR or BR livery (i.e. can't be pre-grouping and also and Island engine) of some variant, so I'd have to check the exact sequence of repaints and reboilerings.

With regards numbers: logic says it can't be any of W1 to W4. So why not number her the next available number in the W series? It would still look suitably "island-y" without actually masquerading as a locomotive it isn't.

Tom

 

Disappointed with this to be honest, I'd hoped that 110 would join the Bluebell's collection, especially since it could run on LBSCR track for the first time since it was sold to the colliery company on Cannock Chase. Perhaps more importantly from a historical point of view, if restored to external Stroudley condition (minus the wooden brakes of course) it could carry the long vanished Stroudley Goods Green livery, which no-one has seen since the Marsh era at the LBSCR began. Since 110 is the only remaining Stroudley goods engine left, it would be the only engine which could authentically carry this colour scheme.


Perhaps the IOWSR would allow it to visit the Bluebell in the future for this to take place, after all they have enjoyed at least 2 loans of Birch Grove in the past and 110 would make a fascinating sight on the Bluebell line, especially in the LBSCR surroundings at Sheffield Park.

 

Whilst this is great news for the E1, at last something is happening with 46447. For someone who used to see 46447 every day when I was at school in the 60's this is also great news.

 

Some people are never happy

 

Yes great news for 46447. It had seemed doomed to be a source of spare parts for the two Ivatt tanks.

I think effectively 46447 has been sold to the ESR, the term loan only has to be used because of the conditions imposed when it was donated to the IOWSR. Once the ESR have spent so much of their time and money restoring it I can't see the IOWSR taking it back, especially as they have no use for it.

Looking forward to seeing the E1 when it arrives on the island.

 

To be honest i'd rather it didn't. Nothing against the Bluebell but they have a lot of locomotives there, many being unique. It's not every day the IoW gets a chance to get a class that is authentic for their history so personally i feel it's better suited there.

And yes, the IoW have enjoyed two or so loans from Birch Grove (and Fenchurch & Stepney have also visited) but remember Bluebell have also had an event with both Newport & Freshwater in 2000/2001 with Freshwater returning again in 2006.

But let's see the IoW overhaul her and get her running there first before visits are thought about...!

 

I kind of agree that I'd have liked to have seen 110 at the Bluebell. But I think she'll be a great addition to the IoW collection and she could always go back to the mainland for visits when the overhaul is complete.

As mentioned in a previous post I think 110 has been on the IoW's wishlist for a while. Not sure of what liviery she should carry. Although unauthentic I quite like the BR Black she currently carries and her previous liviery.

Also haven't the IoW bought 2 new built Israel Newton boilers for W8 and W11 that both currently/will carry. So maybe a LBSCR pattern boiler built for 110 from them.

Edit: I found the IoW Strategic Vision from a few years back which happened to mention getting hold of Island appropriate engines including 110 http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/images/stories/docs/2010-pdfs/forwardplan.finaldraft.6-6-09.pdf

 

I can assure you that it is a loan agreement, when returned to the IOWSR after an overhaul it almost certainly will be offered out for hire or long term loan again. The IOWSR intends to honour its past agreements.

 

I can confirm that the E1 is to be sold to the IOWSR without conditions attached. In return The IOWSR will loan the Ivatt to the ESR. The ESR will complete the overhaul of the Ivatt with the assistance of IOWSR (parts etc.) and will then have use of the loco. Renewal of the agreement may be possible but the loco will remain the property of the IOWSR at all times. The previous members of the Ivatt Trust who originally saved the loco have given their agreement to the exchange.

 

This news has made my day!

 

Beating Jamessquared to the post, as-built by Stroudley between 1874-75, the original six members of the E class 0-6-0T (Nos. 97-102; they became the E1 class once a variety of locomotive types were allocated to the E series) featured boilers, firebox and cylinders based upon his D class 0-4-2T of 1873. The latter class had a boiler with a diameter of 4' and length of 10', and a working pressure of 140 lb (as did the initial batches of the E class). The firebox was 5' 2 1/4" long with a grate of 15 1/4 sq. ft.

The following information regarding the boilers of the E class up until 1911 comes straight from Bradley in 'Locomotives of the L. B. & S. C. R.: Part 2' (London: RCTS, 1972): 'the boiler barrel [of the D class] was formed by three telescopic rings, with the smallest at the front. Single riveting was used for the circular lap joints between rings, while the longitudinal joint of each ring, positioned in the mid-line above the steam space, was butt-jointed for strength, with double riveted inside and outside covering straps.' The plating that produced the boiler shell was made from ‘carefully selected Yorkshire Iron’ whilst the tubeplates were made from Siemens-Martin steel ‘because it could be more easily flanged’. The dome had two spring-balanced safety valves attached, the ensemble being sited on the rearmost ring where the most steam was collected due to it being the highest point on the boiler.

Where the E class boiler differed was in the length, which was 10’ 2”, whilst the grate area was slightly greater at 15.3 sq. ft. Stroudley later modified the blastpipe of E class locomotives selected for temporary passenger duties to cover a shortage of locomotives to cover suburban services (passengers and crewmen complained of ‘bumping’ and a difficulty in firing the class at speed). A further modification was made to No. 153 ‘Austria’ in March 1881, which had boiler pressure increased to 150 lb. Subsequent locomotives were built to this specification, and older locomotives were generally set to the new limit whenever they entered the shops (some retained 140 lb pressure until 1923). An interesting note by Bradley is that crews complained of this change as it increased fuel consumption, and decreased their fuel bonuses!

In May 1884, Stroudley modified the tube arrangement to encompass 229 1 1/2” tubes instead of 160 of 1 ¾”. Apart from an ‘Enlarged E1’ (No. 157 ‘Barcelona’), Stroudley’s E class remained a highly standardised class of locomotive until his death. Stroudley’s replacement, Robert Billinton built a further six members of the class from 1891 with revised balancing arrangements, cast-steel wheels, steam sanding, new injectors, cast iron chimneys, roof ventilators, opening cab spectacle plates. Although the boiler remained the same in terms of dimensions, the dome was moved to the centre ring and a ‘manhole’ cover placed over the firebox along with the whistle. Grate area was 15 ft, and the boiler pressure was again increased to 160 lb. Billinton redesigned his cast-iron chimney in the mid-1890s; his new version could not be used on the Stroudley smokebox, so replacements for older class members continued to be of the Stroudley copper-capped variety.

Bradley states that locomotives seldom exchanged boilers under Stroudley, which tended to increase the time out of service when under repair. Billinton ordered three spare boilers for the E class in 1891 from Kitsons. Five more were ordered from the Yorkshire Engine Company in 1893, whilst a further two were built at Brighton Works. These differed from previous boilers fitted to the E class in that they had continuous handrails that crossed over the smokebox front. These boilers were of the 160 lb variety. As a result, the boilers were frequently swapped around the class.

Between 1900 and 1902, several Stroudley boilers were nearing the end of their economical lives, and a new series of iron boilers were constructed to a broadly similar patter as those built by Billinton in the mid-1890s. However, these featured 205 1 5/8” tubes, and the dome was returned to the rear ring. A further batch was produced in 1904, but made from steel.

Billinton’s successor, D. E. Marsh ordered a further series of boilers in 1906-1907, which featured two steel rings and ‘a large, plain dome on the rear and modified Ramsbottom safety valves over the firebox’. These were built to 170 lb working pressure at Vulcan Foundry. Later boilers built after 1909 featured closed domes and flared safety valve casings. On locomotives fitted with these boilers, the whistle was mounted on the cab roof. Whilst E class boilers remained within the class, various members could be seen with a Stroudley, Billinton and Marsh boiler in sequence. Copper-capped chimneys were kept going until eventual replacement with Marsh’s plain cast-iron design. One engine was rebuilt by Marsh with a 4’ 6” diameter and 10’ 7” long boiler in 1911 and classed E1X (hence why Maunsell’s 0-6-2 rebuilds became E1R).

The preserved example (No. 110 ‘Burgundy’ as built) had a Stroudley boiler and had retained its copper-capped chimney when withdrawn still in LB&SCR livery in February 1927. It was sold to the Cannock & Rugeley Colliery Co. in May 1927. It was soon given a new boiler with pop-safety valves situated over the firebox and ‘an ugly tapered pattern’ of chimney. It operated to 175 lb, and was rescued for preservation in 1963.

See Bradley, p. 28-36 for further details.

 

Great news for both locos, the Ivatt being left unrestored would've been a waste of an extremely useful loco, and fantastic to hear the IoW will have another historically suitable loco. As others have said, a win-win situation!

 

Great news - the E1s were an important part of IoW railway history and I look forward to seeing her in action again - she did briefly work on the ESR (Mendip Steam Dream 1993 if I remember correctly), but was soon out of service again. The Trix Twin model railways had an E1 in their range and I've still got mine!

I believe that the occasional Ivatt mogul (certainly the tank engine version) worked on the old Yatton - Witham (through Cranmore) line, so this too will be authentic.