Difference between revisions of "LMR 600 Gordon"
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After a period out of service, Gordon re-entered service on 8 December 1990, the day being marked by a severe blizzard.<ref>SVR News 98</ref> On 4 September 1993, Gordon took over an incoming railtour with the VSOE Pullman train at Kidderminster, when Prince Michael of Kent travelled on the footplate. The locomotive was also used for a series of specials with TV entertainer Roy Castle on 25 March 1994.<ref name= "SB9"/> Service continued until 1998, although in the SVR News locomotive notes for spring 1999 Jan Chojnacki reported that "''I have it on good authority that a sweepstake is being organised for the next failure''".<ref>SVR News 129</ref> The words proved prophetic, as shortly thereafter a fractured small tube causing significant damage in the firebox.<ref>SVR News 130</ref> | After a period out of service, Gordon re-entered service on 8 December 1990, the day being marked by a severe blizzard.<ref>SVR News 98</ref> On 4 September 1993, Gordon took over an incoming railtour with the VSOE Pullman train at Kidderminster, when Prince Michael of Kent travelled on the footplate. The locomotive was also used for a series of specials with TV entertainer Roy Castle on 25 March 1994.<ref name= "SB9"/> Service continued until 1998, although in the SVR News locomotive notes for spring 1999 Jan Chojnacki reported that "''I have it on good authority that a sweepstake is being organised for the next failure''".<ref>SVR News 129</ref> The words proved prophetic, as shortly thereafter a fractured small tube causing significant damage in the firebox.<ref>SVR News 130</ref> | ||
− | Gordon has not seen service on the SVR since 1999. It was one of the original locomotives to go on display in [[The Engine House]] at Highley from opening in March 2008. On Friday 25 July 2008, Gordon was formally handed over from the Army Museum to the SVR in a ceremony at the Engine House<ref>SVR News 164</ref> where | + | Gordon has not seen service on the SVR since 1999. It was one of the original locomotives to go on display in [[The Engine House]] at Highley from opening in March 2008. On Friday 25 July 2008, Gordon was formally handed over from the Army Museum to the SVR in a ceremony at the Engine House<ref>SVR News 164</ref> where it remains on display. Gordon is owned by [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC | SVR(H)]]. |
Due to its size and weight, Gordon is restricted to 5mph over Victoria Bridge.<ref>General Appendix to Working Timetables and Rules and Regulations, Section O6(a)</ref> | Due to its size and weight, Gordon is restricted to 5mph over Victoria Bridge.<ref>General Appendix to Working Timetables and Rules and Regulations, Section O6(a)</ref> |
Revision as of 09:49, 14 March 2019
LMR 600 Gordon | |
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LMR 600 Gordon | |
Built By | North British Locomotive Co |
Configuration | 2-10-0 |
Status | Out of service |
Loco Number | LMR 600 |
Other Numbers | WD 73651 |
History | |
Built | 1943 |
Designed By | Robert RiddlesRobert Arthur "Robin" Riddles, Member of the Railway Executive for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering responsible for the design of the British Rail Standard Class locomotives |
Type | WD Austerity 2-10-0 |
1971 | Arrived on SVRSevern Valley Railway |
1999 | Last steamed on SVRSevern Valley Railway |
Technical | |
Length | 58ft 10¼" |
Weight | 94t 9cwt |
Tractive effort | 34,215 lb |
Pressure | 225 lb/sq in |
The standard War Department 2-8-0 freight locomotive was a simplified version of the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway 8FThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic.. The 2-10-0 design was introduced to give a reduced axle loading, mainly intended for overseas use where track quality could be worse than Great Britain. To enable the locomotive to negotiate sharp curves, the 2-10-0’s centre driving wheels are flangeless whilst the next pairs have reduced flanges (a feature continued in the BRBritish Rail or British Railways Standard 9FThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic.).
25 such locomotives were purchased by British Railways in 1948 and were classified as 8FThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic..
Despite superficial similarities of being blue and named Gordon, there is no ostensible link between the locomotive and the fictional anthropomorphic tender locomotive in The Railway Series books by Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry.
LMR 600 Gordon in service
Although the 2-10-0 design was intended for overseas use, ‘Gordon’ only saw wartime service in Great Britain. Post-War, Gordon was mainly confined to the Longmoor Military Railway where, numbered 600, it was used by the Royal Engineers as a driver-training engine. However in 1957 during the Suez crisis, it is known to have worked highly secret trains between Longmoor and Southampton.[1]
Gordon’s last major steam event was the final open day at Longmoor camp on 5 July 1969. A photo may be found on Ernie's Railway Archive.
LMR 600 Gordon in preservation
Gordon was still the property of the British Army when the Longmoor Military Railway closed and was subsequently sold for non-military purposes. Following this closure, the Army asked the Tranport Trust if it could provide a suitable home for the locomotive.[2]. Gordon arrived on loan to the SVRSevern Valley Railway on 20 September 1971 through the courtesy of the Army and the Transport Trust, accompanied by three vintage carriages.[3]
After steam testing in January 1972, the locomotive entered service.[4] In August 1975 it travelled to Shildon under its own power to attend the Rail 150 celebrations. Service continued with only a brief break for the boiler to be completely retubed during the summer of 1978.[5] In 1980 Gordon travelled in light steam to Bold Colliery from where it participated in the locomotive parade at Rocket 150 at Rainhill.
Gordon is one of only two steam locomotives on the SVRSevern Valley Railway (along with 34027 Taw Valley) which are equipped to work with air-braked rolling stock. This facility was occasionally used in preservation, including in May 1982 when Gordon worked an incoming train of 19 wagons delivering 1,800 concrete sleepers.[6].
Having seen action in each of the years 1972 to 1984, Gordon’s boiler succumbed to broken stays and thin firebox plates and the locomotive was withdrawn from service at the end of that year, in the words of Chief Engineer Alun Rees "much to the relief of many of the footplate crews".[7]
After a period out of service, Gordon re-entered service on 8 December 1990, the day being marked by a severe blizzard.[8] On 4 September 1993, Gordon took over an incoming railtour with the VSOEVenice Simplon Orient Express Pullman train at Kidderminster, when Prince Michael of Kent travelled on the footplate. The locomotive was also used for a series of specials with TV entertainer Roy Castle on 25 March 1994.[2] Service continued until 1998, although in the SVRSevern Valley Railway News locomotive notes for spring 1999 Jan Chojnacki reported that "I have it on good authority that a sweepstake is being organised for the next failure".[9] The words proved prophetic, as shortly thereafter a fractured small tube causing significant damage in the firebox.[10]
Gordon has not seen service on the SVRSevern Valley Railway since 1999. It was one of the original locomotives to go on display in The Engine House at Highley from opening in March 2008. On Friday 25 July 2008, Gordon was formally handed over from the Army Museum to the SVRSevern Valley Railway in a ceremony at the Engine House[11] where it remains on display. Gordon is owned by SVR(H).
Due to its size and weight, Gordon is restricted to 5mph over Victoria Bridge.[12]
Mileage recorded by Gordon as reported in SVRSevern Valley Railway News was as follows:
Year | Mileage |
---|---|
1972 | 315 |
1973 | 670 |
1974 | 1,405 |
1975 | 1,020 |
1976 | 1,870 |
1977 | 1,720 |
1978 | 435 |
1979 | 630 |
1980 | 1,710 |
1981 | 1,060 |
1982 | 1,745 |
1983 | 1,266 |
1984 | 1,206 |
1990 | 829 |
1991 | 3,835 |
1992 | 1,870 |
1993 | 2,340 |
1994 | 4,031 |
1995 | 5,262 |
1996 | 2,832 |
1997 | 3,104 |
1998 | 3,889 |
1999 | 62 |
Total | 43,106 |
See also
Steam Locomotives
Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979
SVR-based locomotives visiting other events
References
- ↑ Information board in The Engine House
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book 9th edition
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 21
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 23
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 48
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 64
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 74
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 98
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 129
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 130
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 164
- ↑ General Appendix to Working Timetables and Rules and Regulations, Section O6(a)
Links
WD Austerity 2-10-0 on Wikipedia
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