B1 headlights

[thesignalman]

G'day,

I've searched the forum, web site and the internet in general and not found an answer - maybe I have been using the wrong search terms.

The B1 class seem to have had electric headlights as well as conventional lamp brackets for display headcodes and tail lamps. I'm intrigued to know why both were provided, and in which circumstances either were used.

Best regards,

John

[65447]

'Bright' idea, poorly executed, equipment failures, various methods of generating the electricity tried but none fully successfully, many members of the class only partially equipped or not equipped at all, use discontinued. End of.

Read all about it, which is not that much (just 3 paragraphs), in RCTS 'greenie' part 2B pp 133-4.

[thesignalman]

Thanks.

John

[Trestrol]

According to Simon Martin in his book about Thompson it was to reduce the amount of oil lamps. He was concerned how many and the cost of oil lamp provision. I wouldn't be surprised, if nationalisation hadn't come along, more of the classes he intended to keep were retro fitted.

[Mickey]

I had previously noticed them on the front of the B1s before in books and watching DVDs but I never gave them anymore thought but interesting to know that only some of the B1s were fitted with them.

[majormagna]

Indeed I do recall seeing in some photographs, of Thompson A2/3s (and even some later LMS Black 5s) fitted with electric lamps, the provision and usage of disc headcodes, smaller than the discs used on the SR or even ex-GER lines.

Presumably there may have been a shortage of oil for the lamps in the wartime/postwar period?

[Mickey]

Same here majormagna I have also seen them on the classes of locos that you have mentioned in railway books and in railway DVDs in the past but also like the B1s mentioned before I never gave them anymore thought although they actually look good on Eastern & North Eastern Region locos during the 1950s and the first half of the 1960s.

[Hatfield Shed]

...electric headlights as well as conventional lamp brackets for display headcodes and tail lamps. I'm intrigued to know why both were provided...

The 'why both systems were provided' is absolute necessity; no lights on loco, it's a failure, cannot go into traffic.

The oil lamp was simple enough for the relevant railway workers to handle and maintain as required, and the plentiful supporting resources on the railway system made complete failure a rarity, as deployment was effectively 100%.

Electric lighting on steam locos was a 'bolt on' which either worked or didn't; and the essential supporting resources of know how and spares were limited. I shouldn't think even 10% of the loco fleet was so equipped at nationalisation.

[52A]

I am fairly certain some of the V1/3s which worked around Glasgow had electric lights with some additions showing I think purple or blue, something to do with route indications.