Tornado extended works stay

[lar1976]

It would appear that we won't see Tornado in Brunswick green till April http://www.a1steam.com/index.php?option ... Itemid=123

[60041]

It looks like the all welded boiler has not been as successful as they hoped; maybe they should not have ignored nearly 200 years of experience in building riveted boilers.
I realise that some of the problems stem from the very intensive use that the loco has had since it's launch, but surely this is nowhere near what it would have had if it had been in front line service in the 1950s as its predecessors were.
If it is the number of thermal cycles that is causing the problem, would it not be more cost effective to keep the boiler hot between duties with some supplementary heating such as a oil or gas burner that could be put into the firebox?

[S.A.C. Martin]

I realise that some of the problems stem from the very intensive use that the loco has had since it's launch, but surely this is nowhere near what it would have had if it had been in front line service in the 1950s as its predecessors were.

You would be surprised. What we are seeing are similar to the problems the Bulleid pacific boilers had, although glancing at the website stats suggests not quite as bad, though without an entire locomotive works to hand for maintenance, a problem quadrupled in size.

If it is the number of thermal cycles that is causing the problem, would it not be more cost effective to keep the boiler hot between duties with some supplementary heating such as a oil or gas burner that could be put into the firebox?

No argument there, though I am not certain such a device exists or could be used - that said, some Swiss engines have an electrically powered convection heater to help with startup and keeping the boiler warm.

[52D]

When i worked at British Steel in the rolling mill the mill rolls were of a type of steel prone to cracking in cold weather. When rolling had finished for an extended period gas pokers were set to keep the air temprature around the rolls warm enough to prevent cracking. Surely a device similar to this could be used in an empty firebox.