Changes

Jump to: navigation, search

LMR 600 Gordon

2,310 bytes added, 14:46, 16 January 2023
featured article
|built = 1943
|years1 = 1971
|events1 = Arrived on SVRon loan
|years2 = 1999
|events2 = Last steamed on SVR
|years3 = 2008
|events3 = Presented to SVR(H)
|length = 58ft 10¼"
|weight = 94t 9cwt
|power = 34,215 lb
|pressure = 225 lb/sq in
}}'''Longmoor Military Railway No. 600 'Gordon'''' was built in 1943 at the North British Locomotive Company’s Hyde Park Works in Glasgow as works number 25437is a World War II 'Austerity' 2-10-0 locomotive designed by R. A. Riddles. The locomotiveDespite superficial similarities of being blue and named Gordon, which there is named after no ostensible link between the locomotive and the fictional anthropomorphic locomotive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_George_Gordon|General Gordon_the_Big_Engine 'Gordon of Khartoumthe Big Engine'], is a World War II ‘Austerity’ locomotive designed in The Railway Series books by R. A. Riddles, and was the second of 150 such locomotives builtReverend Wilbert Vere Awdry. It was originally numbered WD 73651 for the War Department.
The standard War Department [[Whyte notation | 2-8-0]] freight locomotive was essentially a simplified version of the [[48773|LMS 8F]]. The A total of 935 were ordered with the first delivered in January 1943.<ref name=Rowledge16>[[Whyte notation Bibliography#Other References| Rowledge (1987)]] pp. 16-17.</ref> The War Department then issued a requirement for a locomotive having the same tractive effort as the 2-108-0]] design was introduced to give a reduced but an axle loadingnot exceeding 13.5 tons, mainly intended for some 3 tons lighter than the 2-8-0. This would enable it to be used on secondary lines or overseas use where lines of poorer track quality could be worse than Great Britain. Riddles considered a producing a 2-8-2 version before adopting the 10-coupled design,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]] p. 9.</ref> which shared many similarities with the 2-8-0 version. To enable the locomotive to negotiate sharp curves, the 2-10-0’s 0 was fitted with flangeless centre driving wheels are flangeless whilst the next pairs have had reduced flanges (a feature continued in the BR Standard 9F).<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:Flangeless_Wheel_20160213.jpg | A flangeless driving wheel (left)
</gallery>
25 such Orders for 150 2-10-0s were placed, with deliveries starting in December 1943. The 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 locomotives were purchased built by just two companies, the Vulcan Foundry and the North British Railways in 1948 and were classified as 8FLocomotive Company, with the latter company producing all of the 2-10-0s<ref name=Rowledge16/>.
Despite superficial similarities ==LMR 600 Gordon in service==The locomotive was the second of being blue and named Gordonthe class, there is no ostensible link between built at the locomotive and North British Locomotive Company's Hyde Park Works in Glasgow as works number 25437. It entered service in December 1943 as War Department No. 3651. During 1944 it was renumbered 73651 following an instruction to increase the [https://enWD numbers by 70,000.wikipedia.org<ref name=Rowledge16/wiki/Gordon_the_Big_Engine fictional anthropomorphic tender locomotive > Although the majority of the 2-10-0 class were shipped overseas, 73651 only saw wartime service in The Railway Series books by Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry]Great Britain.
==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 the locomotive was mainly confined to the [[:Category:Rolling stock associated with the Longmoor Military Railway|Longmoor Military Railway]] where, numbered 600, it was used by the Royal Engineers as a driver-training engineand for other general duties. However It was given the Army number 600 in 1957 during 1956<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]] p. 49.</ref> and was named after the Royal Engineers' famous General, Charles Gordon ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_George_Gordon|General Gordon of Khartoum]). During the 'Suez crisis' in the same year, it is known Gordon was reputed to have worked highly secret overnight trains carrying Government materials between Longmoor and SouthamptonDocks, crewed by the Army and accompanied by a BR pilotman.<ref>Information board in The Engine House[[Bibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]] p. 52.</ref>
<gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
</gallery>
The LMR was home to a number of other steam locomotives, but by the 1960s Gordon was the last remaining in service. It made a brief appearance as an express passenger locomotive in the Children's Film Foundation film "Runaway Railway", filmed at the Longmoor Military Railway LMR in 1965.<ref>[https://www.reelstreets.com/films/runaway-railway-childrens-film-foundation/ reelstreets.com]</ref> Gordon also worked special trains, such as the RCTS 'Longmoor RailtourIt was a popular attraction at enthusiasts' events and on both 16 and 30 April 1966 worked RCTS excursions on BR metals from Woking onto the LMR, to Liss and onward continuing later to Staines, the first occasion being photographed by Tim Stephens of the [[Master Neverers Association]].<ref>Never Again Volume 9, MNA Publications, p. 212.</ref><ref name= "RM1019">The Railway Magazine, October 2019. pp. 40-46</ref>
Gordon's last major steam event was the final open day at Longmoor camp on 5 July 1969. The line closed on 31 October 1969, Gordon working the final train, from Oakhanger to Longmoor<ref name="RM1019"/>.
==LMR 600 Gordon in preservation==
</gallery>
Having seen action in each of the years every year between 1972 to and 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''".<ref> SVR News 74</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 Saturday 25 March 1995.<ref group="note">A caption in SVR News 114 Spring 1995 p.6. states "Saturday 25 March 1994". Given the 1995 date of publication, and that 25 March was a Saturday in 1995 but a Friday in 1994, the running date is assumed to be 1995. Stock Book 9 also mentions 1994, possibly based on that caption.</ref> 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 spent some years stored outdoors before being cosmetically restored as 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 National Army Museum to the SVR in a ceremony at the Engine House, where it remains on display.<ref>SVR News 164</ref><ref>SVR given Gordon, Heritage Railway Magazine, Issue 115, 4 September – 1 October 2008</ref> 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>
| <b>Total</b> || style="text-align:right;" | 43,106
|}
 
==Other Austerity 2-10-0s==
The LMR was also home to WD 73797, renumbered 601 and named ''Kitchener''.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]] p. 52.</ref> That locomotive was not preserved, however two other Austerity 2-10-0s which served overseas were later repatriated to the UK for preservation:
*WD 73652, now at the North Norfolk Railway<ref>[https://www.nnrailway.co.uk/portfolio-items/wd-90775-the-royal-norfolk-regiment/?portfolioCats=20%2C18%2C19%2C30%2C31%2C24%2C32%2C25 'WD-90775 ‘The Royal Norfolk Regiment’'] on the NNR website</ref>
*WD 73672, now at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway<ref>[https://www.nymr.co.uk/war-department-2-10-0-no-3672-dame-vera-lynn No. 3672 "Dame Vera Lynn"] on the NYMR website</ref>
==See also==
*[[Steam Locomotives]]<br>*[[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979]]<br>*[[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events]]
==References==
==Links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD_Austerity_2-10-0 WD Austerity 2-10-0 ] on Wikipedia]
{{SteamNavbox}}
Robin
Trustworthy, administrator
11,876
edits
Retrieved from ‘https://www.svrwiki.com/Special:MobileDiff/27914’

Navigation menu