BR Riddles 4MT 75069

From SVR Wiki
Revision as of 15:40, 15 June 2016 by Robin (talk | contribs) (add tag)
Jump to: navigation, search
75069 at Hastings circa 1992

75069 is a BRBritish Rail or British Railways Standard 4MTThe 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. 4-6-0 locomotive designed by R.A. 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. The Standard 4MTThe 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. was designed for mixed traffic use on secondary routes where the BRBritish Rail or British Railways Standard Class 5 and its predecessor, the ‘Black Five’, would be too heavy.

75069 in service

75069 was one of the final batch allocated to the BRBritish Rail or British Railways Southern Region, which were built with a larger tender giving greater coal and water capacity but with the same route restrictions as the Standard Class 5.

75069 was built in 1955 at BRBritish Rail or British Railways’s Swindon works and entered traffic at Dover. After just 11 years in service around London and the South Coast, the locomotive was withdrawn from service at Eastleigh in September 1966.[1]

Being a Southern engine 75069 is paired with a BR1B tender. This weighs approximately 49 tons (49.94 t), carrying 4,250 gallons of water and approximately 7 tons of coal.

75069 in preservation

75069 arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway from Barry Scrapyard on 31 March 1973. After a restoration lasting more than 11 years, the locomotive finally entered service in 1984. This period of service included working railtours on the main line as well as on the SVRSevern Valley Railway itself. Details of the railtours worked were as follows:

Date Tour name Route Notes Web SVRSevern Valley Railway News
02 Mar 1985 Red Dragon Newport - Swindon - Gloucester 75069 first main line run 76-30
27 Jul 1985 Red Dragon Newport - Worcester Shrub Hill D/H with 92220, after attending Newport open day SBJ 77-10
27 Aug 1985 GW150 Celebrations Excursions Swindon - Gloucester - Swindon Shared duties with Clun Castle SBJ 77-16
01 Sep 1985 GW150 Celebrations Excursions Swindon - Gloucester - Swindon Shared duties with Clun Castle SBJ 77-16
22 Mar 1986 South Yorkshireman Tyseley (LE) - Saltley - Marylebone Took over from 777 Sir Lamiel SBJ 79-6
12 Apr 1986 William Shakespeare London Marylebone - High Wycombe - Banbury - Stratford SBJ 80-14
31 May 1986 Red Dragon Hereford - Newport - Swindon D/H with 5690 (SBJ incorrectly shows as 31 March) SBJ 79-20
28 Jun 1986 Swindon-Newport-Herfeford D/H with 5690 81-40
28 May 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 85-33
29 May 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 85-33
12 Sep 1987 John Player Special Nottingham - Tyseley Tour continued to London with Clan Line 86-11
13 Sep 1987 Derby - Matlock x2 87-2
16 Jun 1991 Cambrian Limited Barmouth - Shrewsbury (7819 worked the outward leg) SBJ 100-38
23 Jun 1991 Cambrian Limited Barmouth - Shrewsbury (7819 worked the outward leg) SBJ 100-38
19 Oct 1991 Cam 85 Special Crewe - Hereford - Kidderminster W.A. 'Cam' Camwell Birthday special SBJ 106-50
07 Jun 1992 Ashford 150 Festival Ashford - Hastings - Ashford SBJ 103-19
28 Jun 1992 Devon Belle Exeter Central - Salisbury SBJ 103-19
28 Dec 1993 Christmas Steam Special London Victoria - Brighton - London Victoria SBJ
27 Apr 1994 Exmoor Explorer Kidderminster-Minehead 111-41

In 1987, 75069 was due to work a full Cardigan Bay Express season along with 7819 Hinton Manor, but was unable to complete this due to mechanical issues. 'Mickey Mouse' 46443 proved a worthy replacement.

75069 was last in service in 1994. As of 2016, 75069 is being overhauled at Bridgnorth Loco Works.

One major task that has already been completed is that of complete replacement of the dragbox. Additionally, during dismantlement of the cylinders the flange of one of the rear cylinder covers was found to be broken. A pattern for the replacement (along with its other handed partner) is in the course of construction in the SVRSevern Valley Railway's pattern shop.

The locomotive is owned by The 75069 Fund.

See also

Steam Locomotives
The Severn Valley Railway on the main line

References

  1. BRDatabase Retrieved 29 January 2015.