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I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 6:49 pm
by 60022Mallard
Image

I have just obtained this postcard as part of a job lot, and, as the title says, I've never seen anything like it.

Can anyone throw light on just what it is all about and / or its history.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 7:32 pm
by Saint Johnstoun
What you are looking at is Gresley's rebuild of a North Eastern Atlantic LNER Class C7.

Gresley rebuilt 727 with a diagram 104 boiler and the articulated bogie arrangement under the tender was to accomodate a booster. These were removed by 1938. The two engines 727 and 2171 were classified C9.
NER classes C7 and C9.doc
(409.5 KiB) Downloaded 128 times

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 7:56 pm
by mr B
a fore runner to the 142 :mrgreen:

mr B

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 9:47 pm
by manna
G'Day Gents

Now the question is, who is willing to chop up a Hornby B1 !!!!!!!!

manna

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 10:12 pm
by 2002EarlMarischal
Not sure it's one of SNG's best lookers! :? - Everyone has a bad day now and then!

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 10:13 pm
by jwealleans
The late Malcolm Crawley had a scratchbuilt model of this loco which was on display at Nottingham this year.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 12:23 pm
by 60129 GUY MANNERING
My word there are some very knowledgeable people on this forum. I thought my knowledge was reasonable,but to be honest I had never even heard of this loco,despite researching tenders for the B2 / B17 classes which used P1 & C7 Tenders.
Regards in Appreciation.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 2:24 pm
by giner
2002EarlMarischal wrote:Not sure it's one of SNG's best lookers! :? - Everyone has a bad day now and then!
Yup, that rear end looks a tad hideous. Surely there must have been some raised eyebrows in NER circles, and by Mr. Raven in particular, when he saw what had been done to his C7 by Mr. Gresley. It doesn't seem to rank up there with the fallout from Thompson's visitations upon SNG's A1, though.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 4:34 pm
by 52D
The pair of them lasted till just after the war, being at Gateshead and Tweedmouth. It would be interesting to hear what footplate men made of them.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 4:49 pm
by richard
The LNER Encyclopedia does have a page for them:

http://www.lner.info/locos/C/c9.shtml

(along with every other locomotive / railcar type)


Richard

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 6:23 pm
by Saint Johnstoun
Thanks for reminding us Richard - we tend to use the forum and forget what else is there.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 11:13 pm
by richard
And I posted a couple of pictures of a preserved booster, here:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4491

...although there isn't much to see.

As an aside, the loco in question is due for a move in the next month or so (it keeps getting pushed back). The planned route as far as I know will go within walking distance of where I live. Most of the museum's stock will be on the move, so I could be posting quite a few photos. As well as the 4-8-4, they have a Big Boy (motion cut) and a GG1.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 9:13 pm
by owd sweedy
In Backtrack magazine some years ago there was an interesting article on Archibald Sturrock's steam tender/booster which he designed in the early 1860's and patented in 1863, IIRC, there were 50 (or so) in traffic.
As mentioned here...
http://www.lner.info/co/GNR/locomotives.shtml
In 1866 Patrick Sterling took over and that was the end of the steam tender. I must have a look thorough my back issues and see if I can find it.
Cheeers
Owd Sweedy.
Ottawa.

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 11:07 pm
by richard
Yes I keep seeing references to Sturrock's steam tenders, usually with a dismissive comment, but I've never really found any in-depth coverage. It might be worth tracking down the Backtrack article...


Richard

Re: I've never seen anything like it!

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 9:46 am
by manna
G'day Gents

The Sturrock steam tenders died the death because the loco crews complained that they were being made to work two locos but were not receiving double pay, or even a bonus, so the coupling rods and pistons were removed.

manna