Tyseley Single Wheeler.

Well, nothing's perfect!

It isn't realised that LNWR engines had FOUR braking systems: the handbrake on the tender; the powered (if that's the right word!) brake on the engine and tender; the reversing wheel; and, if all else failed, the regulator with the reverser in back gear. This was known on the North Western as "powing".

Don't fancy doing it at 90 mph, though!

 

Its been a long time since I read about these , must read up on my history again, but I seem to recall the Bloomers were quite fast engines for their day?

 

Don't know about 90mph running but they were certainly timed to run at 70mph plus on the 'Scotch Expresses'.

Please note that this thread is also intended to generate enough interest for people to put their hands into their pockets and help this project on it's final leg to completion.
I know it's taken a long time in the finishing. Remember that this project was started in the dark days of mass unemployment in the 1980's when the Manpower Services Commission were keen to get people off the official jobless totals by setting up 'work experience schemes. So there was a pool of people to be shunted into schemes and the MSC would fund them.
However when the 'boom' times returned and the MSC schemes were scrapped The Bloomer Project suffered.
Ever since then the project has relied entirely on voluntary donations and what spare time the staff at Tyseley can spare.
I know that regular visitors to Tyseley will see the Bloomer sitting there looking pretty much the same as it has for ages. But behind the scenes there is a fair bit of work going on, especially in the machine shop, but the people employed in there are paid staff so commercial work takes precedence. However as the money comes in and time permits work is still being done on the Bloomer.
I know times are hard but if you really do want to see a piece of Victorian railway engineering strutting it's stuff then please donate. Even a pound will help.

 

I wish the project well. But was the original poster lying, just to generate cheap publicity?

 

Have you got an add. to donate to.?

 

There hasn't been a defintive answer either way it seems, even if it had steamed it sounds like it was only a partially finished state so would need cladding and painting and even then it may be kept quiet till a dedication at an open day.

One way or the other i don't expect any news on it for a while.

 

See: http://www.shakespeareexpress.com/tlw/0670_bloomer.htm

 

It's not as far from completion as it looks. The majority of the parts required for completion are on-site; it just needs some attention - we do tend to get a bit distracted by the mainline toys. Every time we walk past the driving wheels, we all say "we should really finish the Bloomer!"

We must get it finished. It represents an era that is very poorly represented in preserved railways. If there is anyone out there that wants to pop down Thursday eve's and help us get the project back on track, please drop me a line.

Thanks for your interest!

 

Do you mean Poling?

i.e. Using a lever reverser to put the engine's valve gear in the opposite direction to the direction of travel to gain more retardation due to counter pressure, and in extreme circumstances opening the regulator to increase the force.

This is still very common with traction engines, steam rollers etc where the handbrake isn't always the best thing in the world.

 

No. I am aware that 'poling', as a term for reversing an engine in motion as a means of increasing the brake force, was used on the Midland and probably most other railways. No doubt it derives from the enginemen's term for the reversing lever: the Pole. But the LNWR went over to screw reverse in Ramsbottom's day and, with only a few exceptions, stayed with it.

I've been catching up on my reading lately and found the term 'powing' in Eddie Talbot's 'The LNWR Recalled', top of Page 43. This is part of the 'Tales of a North Western Driver' by W.H.A. Jameson, who states, "Incidentally, 'powing' is the term we used for stopping an engine by reversing her."

I'll admit that it came as a surprise to me too!

 

Thanks for the link to the bloomer web page. They could make donations easier if they were to put some info up as to who to make donations payable to. I haven't got any toner cartridges to donate but might be able to send a small amount in the new year. I am sure others might do the same.

 

I do wonder whether 'powing' was one man's interpretation of what everyone else referred to as poling, even if it was a screw reverse?

 

may have a few cartridges to donate- just the matter of locating them! Looks a fantastic project and wish them all well with it.

Regards
Duncan

 

I can't say for certain: I'm not old enough to remember the LNWR, nor the LMS, come to that! But I feel the terminology might be correct:

1 It could be short for applying power in reverse, but mostly
2 The book was compiled by Eddie Talbot, who probably comes nearer than anyone else on Earth to knowing everything about the North Western. If it was good enough for him, it's good enough for me!

 

Maybe 'Powing' is a colloquialism for poling, but as the originator is long gone I suspect we will never find out! If I remember I will ask Ted Talbot next time I see him about it and see if he can shed any light.

 

Can we get any official information on how close the Bloomer is to completion, and is the problem money or time, and if money what order of funds is needed? Is there any definite official info on this?

 

The amount of money required was estimated on 29.6.2009 as £60,000. With Tyseley's scheme of collecting used ink-cartridges (now closed) they raised "over £1000" in five years. So in 300 years time the Bloomer should be up & running.

 

Hmm consider... A dozen runs with 7029 on the mainline that money's in the bag. Maybe 150 runs with the bloomer to earn the same... Which makes sense to invest your money in ?

As with any engine.. If you want to see it faster, open thy purse.

 

All we need to finish the Blomer is money. As I have mentioned before, we are concentrating time and resources on mainline steam at present, HOWEVER, if someone were to come up with close to six figures, we could get it finished in a matter of months.

I eagerly await a flood of funds.

 

The other Bloomer thread has been closed, just when I'd hoped we might get some real information from Tyseley.

I was involved with the Bloomer scheme from its beginning, and for years invested a lot of time, money & effort in it. My intention was to donate a substantial amount towards getting the Bloomer finished, but as there is no properly organised & audited fund specifically for this purpose, to send or bequeath any money seems unwise.

Now, and after reading the messages on the other thread, I do not believe the Bloomer will ever be finished.


But I am, on this board.

Goodbye.