Most northerly GWR pannier

[burnie]

I've just seen a short film clip on tv of a pannier tank hauling a train at Dornoch station on the Black Isle near Inverness, I wonder if there were any more anomalies like that.

[kudu]

BR-built No 1646 replaced a Highland 0-4-4T on the Dornoch branch in 1957, later joined by 1649. They worked the branch until closure in 1960. No 1605 worked the Dursley-Coalville branch for a while in 1957, replacing Midland 0-6-0Ts. I'm not sure it stayed long, though. If my memory is correct, no 9401 was at Stratford for a while. In 1956 5700 class 7711 went to London Transport for engineering trains, later joined by several more, where they saw out the end of steam on LT. The 5700 class (and 9400 class?) was also used for banking on the Lickey. 5700 locos also went to the Southern for Folkestone Harbour banking and ecs workings out of Waterloo. I don't have more details to hand on these other transfers, and can't recall any other transfers out of GWR territory. I'm pretty sure those panniers on the Dornoch branch were the only ones in regular use on non-GW lines north of the Lickey.

Kudu

[thesignalman]

Yes, 94xx at Bromsgrove. Maybe not GWR but it was BR(WR) by then so not altogether surprising WR locos arrived there.

John

[manna]

G'Day Gents

Don't know a lot about the GWR (spit) but didn't they have a line to Birkenhead on Merseyside, I wouldn't be surprised if a Pannier or two worked in the area.

manna

[kudu]

That's why I said non-GW lines north of the Lickey.

Kudu

[14D]

What a strange topic for an LNER forum!

There were two 'most northerly' pannier tanks: Nos. 1646 and 1649. 1646 was moved from Croes Newydd to 60C Helmsdale, in February 1957 to replace a Highland Railway 0-4-4T that for decades, had worked the Dornoch - Mound branch line but irreparably broke a driving axle. To allow for a spare engine 1649 moved to Helmsdale from Bristol St.Philips Marsh shed in July 1958. When not used on the Dornoch branch the tanks were usually found at Helmsdale where they did shunting, that duty sometimes extending to Dingwall.

After closure of the Dornoch line in June 1960 the two panniers undertook random other work - for example, shunting at Inverness - such duties being maintained until the duo moved to 63A Perth shed with an official transfer date of August 1962. Both were placed in store there, being formally withdrawn on 29th December 1962, but remained at 63A until at least September 1963 before moving to the ex-NBR Works at Cowlairs for scrapping. There are countless online pictures of this pair of exiles north of the Border, at work and at rest.

[harvester]

Just wondering how these two "exiles" would make their way to the north of Scotland from their home territory ?

[Mickey]

Possibly both locos marshalled together in a goods train bound for Carlisle and running 'cold' after the removal of both of the locos side rods for 'free running' purposes before the journey commenced. North of Carlisle and on the Scottish region this time and still running 'cold' again marshalled in another goods train heading for the Dornoch branch the next stop.

[Hatfield Shed]

If being towed dead, then removal of the connecting rods and possibly the valve rod as well, so that unlubricated piston in cylinder action was prevented. They could have been towed in low steam with the lubricators on, though of course this required a man on the footplate.

However, when it is remembered that all steam locos sooner or later had to go to main works for overhaul, the steam railway was fully accustomed to moving small engines significant distances, and this was usually accomplished under their own power.

[Pyewipe Junction]

G'Day Gents

Don't know a lot about the GWR (spit) but didn't they have a line to Birkenhead on Merseyside, I wouldn't be surprised if a Pannier or two worked in the area.

manna

Birkenhead certainly had panniers allocated up until about 1959, along with other ex-GW types (which had disappeared by the mid 1950s).

[Mickey]

Several ex GWR Pannier tanks were the last steam locos to work on the western region of B.R. outlasting the official 'End of Steam' on the WR on December 31st 1965 working around the Croes Newydd-Brymbo-Minera branch until June 1966.

Previous mention of Hawksworth 94xx Panniers at Bromsgove. They were used in 3s coupled for banking duties on the Lickey Incline or you could have a 9F 2-10-0 giving you a push up the Lickey from Bromsgrove to the top at Blackwell if you was lucky?.