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Sir Nigel Gresley - The L.N.E.R.’s First C.M.E.

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by S.A.C. Martin, Dec 3, 2021.

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  1. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Not so. His offspring maybe but Gresley is God. :)
     
    Spamcan81, Dec 7, 2021
    #141
  2. D6332found

    D6332found Member

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    The 3 CMEs had a build the best pacific competition.
    Robinson's never got off the drawing board; Raven's was excellent; Gresleys was arguably the finest loco ever built.
    He still only won it by a whisker
     
    D6332found, Dec 7, 2021
    #142
  3. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

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    well . that's a red herring if ever i saw one .
    if the ECML had been electrified the opposite would have been true. the Duchesses were still relatively new when they were withdrawn and capable of excellent performances right up to the day they were taken out of service . was it Montrose that was rostered as "spare" for Royal Train duty 3 weeks before withdrawal?
    no ER engine could hold a candle to them--------still can't
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2021
    sir gilbert claughton, Dec 7, 2021
    #143
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  4. osprey

    osprey Resident of Nat Pres

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    It's WAR......
     
    osprey, Dec 7, 2021
    #144
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  5. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

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    if the drain cocks were a real issue they would have been fixed and cheaply . more of a problem in preservation for some reason- possibly intermittent use ?
    much cheaper than taking the big ends down after 40k miles.
    big ends and derived motion were lived with and accommodated . the problem never went away.--and that was very late in the day. only those of us over 70 remember the Gresley Pacifics clanking around KingsX.
     
    sir gilbert claughton, Dec 7, 2021
    #145
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  6. Jimc

    Jimc Part of the furniture

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    Well, Gresley's entry in that competition was presumably the original A1. To describe that as arguably the finest locomotive ever built is maybe a little parochial!
     
    Jimc, Dec 7, 2021
    #146
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  7. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    May I recommend you take notice of the smiley in my post?
     
    Spamcan81, Dec 7, 2021
    #147
  8. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    No more parochial than several other posts extolling the virtue of other designs/CMEs.
     
    Spamcan81, Dec 7, 2021
    #148
  9. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The big end problem did go away after Cook arrived at Doncaster. As for the clanking, that was due to the steel used in the rods rather than any big end.
     
    Spamcan81, Dec 7, 2021
    #149
  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    But they did tend to get rather warm when taken over 120! ;)
     
    Big Al, Dec 7, 2021
    #150
  11. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

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    True
    the finest loco ever built lived in France
     
    sir gilbert claughton, Dec 7, 2021
    #151
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  12. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

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    by about 1959 then by the time the overheating issues due to reduced tolerances were sorted . 1922 - 1959 . that's a lot of hot bearings
     
    sir gilbert claughton, Dec 7, 2021
    #152
  13. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Earlier.
     
    Spamcan81, Dec 7, 2021
    #153
  14. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

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    steel doesn't clank unless something hits it . a worn bearing for instance.
     
    sir gilbert claughton, Dec 7, 2021
    #154
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  15. osprey

    osprey Resident of Nat Pres

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    I seem recall Silver Link ran for several days straight out of the box and broke the speed record. Not bad for a new design. I can never understand why it was never preserved...
     
    osprey, Dec 7, 2021
    #155
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  16. Eightpot

    Eightpot Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Perhaps you could kindly inform us to at what mileages the inside big-ends on LMS Pacifics and 4-6-0s were taken down for inspection?
     
    Eightpot, Dec 7, 2021
    #156
  17. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Billy Butlin wanted to but BR(E) asked too much. BR(LM) on the other hand were happy to flog off their locos cheaper so Billy went that route instead.
     
    Spamcan81, Dec 7, 2021
    #157
  18. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Wrong. Read the books.
     
    Spamcan81, Dec 7, 2021
    #158
  19. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

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    80k -- general repairs
     
    sir gilbert claughton, Dec 7, 2021
    #159
  20. 2392

    2392 Well-Known Member

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    Link ran for about 10 days on her own before the next A4 turned up. The only issue they had was with the brick arch in the firebox collapsing. It took a few hours for her to cool down enough for somebody to get into the 'box and rebuild it. Apparently Gresley was somewhat shocked when he found out and remarked that one of the ordinary none streamlined locomotive would have done as a stand in........
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2021
    2392, Dec 7, 2021
    #160
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