B12 question

[book law]

Could someone tell me what were the B12's water backpack for, what they did and why they discarded it.

Im asking this question as ive come across a photo with a B12 with on of these on.

[60B]

It was a water heater by ACFI (a French company) designed to warm the water before entering the boiler. Can't remember why it was taken off though it may have been something to do the war effort. Experts can fill it the last part a bit better.

[Malcolm]

Do you mean this?

If so then go here for the full story:
http://www.lner.info/locos/B/b12.shtml

Malcolm

[book law]

Yep thats the one

[65447]

ACFI (Societe l'Auxiliaire des Chemin de Fer et de l'Industrie) feed water heater, fitted to 8505, 8517 & 8523 from December 1927. Pre-heating the water was proven to produce economies and a further 50 of the class were so fitted between 1931 and 1933. The gear was removed from 1937 onwards, having proven expensive to maintain.

Not so many people know that a different type - the Worthington-Simpson feed water heater and pump, was also trialled on 8509 between March 1926 and May 1929. It was also in 1926 that a batch built by Beyer Peacock were fitted with Lentz poppet valves driven by oscillating cam gear.

Stratford, predominantly under Edward Thompson, didn't half mess around with certain classes - of which the B12 was probably the most afflicted.

[book law]

I was thinking it had to do something with cost, i thought due to technology getting better, i thought it was becoming a bit out dated.... or somewhere along the lines of that.

[52D]

Didnt they get the name Hikers from carrying this thing on their backs so to speak.

[Bill Bedford]

Didnt they get the name Hikers from carrying this thing on their backs so to speak.

I though the name came from the distance between the tender and the firebox the the fireman had to walk.

[jwealleans]

Both theories can be found in published works.

[stembok]

As with many pieces of equipment fitted to steam locomotives to improve economy or efficiency it is often found that in practice the costs of fitting and the increased maintenance costs outweigh any efficiency savings. This was found with two Gresley A1s 2576 and 2580 fitted with the ACFI equipment. The feed water heaters evidently suffered from furring up which decreased their efficiency and required frequent attention. The Scottish engines may have done better in this respect because of better water quality.

[65447]

As with many pieces of equipment fitted to steam locomotives to improve economy or efficiency it is often found that in practice the costs of fitting and the increased maintenance costs outweigh any efficiency savings. This was found with two Gresley A1s 2576 and 2580 fitted with the ACFI equipment. The feed water heaters evidently suffered from furring up which decreased their efficiency and required frequent attention. The Scottish engines may have done better in this respect because of better water quality.

Absolutely. East Anglia is definitely a hard water area and, although the sheds (or at least the main ones) all had water softening plants, nevertheless limescale was and remains a problem. We noticed the difference in water hardness when we moved back from the West Highlands - but at least the water in East Anglia doesn't go rusty brown with peat

[book law]

[quote="Bill Bedford"][quote="52D"]Didnt they get the name Hikers from carrying this thing on their backs so to speak.[/quote]
I though the name came from the distance between the tender and the firebox the the fireman had to walk.[/quote]

Yep the nickname came from the backpack.

[Bill Bedford]

Didnt they get the name Hikers from carrying this thing on their backs so to speak.

I though the name came from the distance between the tender and the firebox the the fireman had to walk.

Yep the nickname came from the backpack.

According to the RTCS vol 2B 'hikers' was the name given to B12 in Scotland, while the GE men called the ACFI fitted locos 'camels'.

[book law]

Never heard of the camel nickname, hikers yes ive heard that.

The nickname i like the most is the Raven A2's with the nickname "Skittle Alley"

[gresleybear]

Hello.

Apart from the high maintenance costs which have already been mentioned, operational experience revealed that the apparatus was most efficient when it was on continuously during long runs but less so the more the engine stopped at stations. So ACFI gear was plagued by the hard water of East Anglia, and did not perform at its best on the short runs which are characteristic of the GNSR.

A Google search for ACFI revealed that the apparatus is still being manufactured and is a key component of stationary boilers, such as would be found at electrical power plants.

Forward!

John