The LNER Encyclopedia

Scanned from my old scrapbook, another pic obviously Kings Cross, but the year?
Was double heading common? Apologises to original photographer(s) as all of these (and previous) images have no details.

Are you sure it's a double header?

I've certainly never seen any photos or records of double heading LNER pacifics in BR days. It could be a failed loco being towed away

I think you will find that they have dropped down from Top Shed like that to get a path,rather than needing two.This was quite a regular occurance at the Cross in the late 50's early 60's.

The date would be around 1962 or 1963. Sir Hugo received smoke deflectors in 2-1962.

I certainly agree that locos were coupled together to drop down into KX station. But unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, 60083 is in forward gear.

John

I've seen maybe two photographs of Pacific double headed trains heading towards King's Cross, where the train engine has failed.

In both cases the train engine was a Gresley Pacific (A3 and then A4) and in both cases the pilot engine was a Thompson Pacific (A2/3 both times. In fact it may have been Dante twice at that, I will check when I get back to the books). Both photographs taken at the Hadley Wood section (Ganwick Curve).

I have seen a further one which had two Peppercorn A1s at the head, but on that occasion I seem to recall it was to get one of the two down into King's Cross to cover for another and was probably put on at P'boro or similar.

There's a few good examples of double headers with LNER Pacifics I can remember off the top of my head: one is in The Power of the A2s. Thompson A2/3 no.60511 Airbourne piloted Peppercorn A1 no.6126 Sir Vincent Raven on a Bristol-Newcastle express. Looked a remarkable combination.

The other is in The Power of the A3s, and shows an empty stock working (Newcastle-Holloway) with the train engine being Thompson A2/3 60516 Hycilla, and the pilot engine Gresley A3 no.60036 Colombo.

Ay up!

In the early days of the KWVR, the Ivatt 2MT developed a steam leak at the base of the safety valves while raising steam. Pressure was dumped by every means possible, the nuts tightened and the engine towed up and down Haworth yard with the valves set to the reverse direction of travel to build pressure back up. Could this be the explanation?

Another thing I can think of is maybe 3 engines worked down, the first has been dropped off and '83 is heading for its train?

Or is it a case that one of 'em is headed for Doncaster for overhaul and this was the easiest way of getting (presumably the Streak) there?

The locos have come down from Top Shed together and have been coupled to the train.
60083 is raising vacuum - evidence the steam from the ejector pipe drain below the cab. The driver would have dropped the gear into full forward as soon as the train was coupled.
In the mean time the fireman of the A4 (Sivler Fox perhaps?) has hooked his engine off and dropped a tail lamp on the back, typically on the left side where his driver can see what's happening and the engine is now waiting for the road to cross over to its own train.

Eddie

61962 wrote:The locos have come down from Top Shed together and have been coupled to the train.
60083 is raising vacuum - evidence the steam from the ejector pipe drain below the cab. The driver would have dropped the gear into full forward as soon as the train was coupled.
In the mean time the fireman of the A4 (Sivler Fox perhaps?) has hooked his engine off and dropped a tail lamp on the back, typically on the left side where his driver can see what's happening and the engine is now waiting for the road to cross over to its own train.

Eddie

60083 was a 'north eastern' loco. The light in the picture is very much to the west, note the tunnel mouth.

The lower white blob is the lamp. The upper is an electrification warning flash?

August 1962?

John