Tender first running.

[coachmann]

There was nowhere to hide from the rain when running tender first, not even in the largish cab of an Austerity 2-8-0. A storm got us one Saturday afternoon when running from Rochdale to Miles Platting. We were pressed up by the side of the backhead (well I was!) and still got a dousing. Even the stormsheets we had on the LYR 0-6-0s were not the blessing they were intended to be. A quick change in the road accompanied by a shift of crease in the sheet, and you got a bucket load of water where you didnt expect it!

[Mickey]

coachmann a bucket of cold rain water in the face would wake you up if you needed waking up?. By the way i see that you mention Miles Platting (Manchester) i have several dvds of late B.R. steam action around Manchester in 1966, 67 & 68 from that area loads of Black 5s & 8Fs climbing the bank up to Miles Platting Junction classic stuff!.

[coachmann]

Micky, I probably have the same videos, or did have before a recent clearout. I have always felt it a shame people did not wake up earlier to the impending demise of steam and film things while they were still quite 'normal' instead of waiting until 1964-68. If someone had filmed us charging the bank out of Man Victoria with a rake of bogie vans (the pilotman jumped off near Exchange so we could keep moving), with a Lanky 0-6-0 and struggling up to Miles Platting, they would have seen something far more exciting than a Black 5 or 8F. We had been shunting at Oldham Mumps since 4.30am so the loco was not fit for a run by the time noon arrived, which is when we set off for the big city on overtime. Also I hadn't cleaned out the smokebox! It was just sheer luck that the tender-first running was light engine to Manchester.

[Mickey]

Great days indeed coachmann. ''Thats when railways WERE RAILWAYS.'' Yes some great shots of goods trains being banked up the grade to Miles Platting Junction out of Manchester Victoria and you mention the Oldham loop as well great stuff. Even though this is an L.N.E.R. forum i prefer London Midland region steam during the latter days of steam on B.R. myself the exception being the last remaining steam around the north east and steam on the Southern out of Waterloo, the trouble with the southern end of the L.N.E.R. was that steam was all but gone by the end of 1964 even though Top shed closed in 1963.

[kudu]

On the Great Eastern they ran the J66's boiler first out of Liv Street when on the suburbans as they pulled better that way round.

Did the same apply to the N7s? There was a definite preference, but now I wonder if I'm remembering the correct way round or not.

And the N2s similarly liked to face north out of Kings Cross.

Kudu

[Mickey]

If a tender locomotive is/was running tender first over a water trough could the scoop still be lowered to top up the tender?.

[52A]

Water could only be picked up whilst running forwards, the other thing to remember when running tender first is that speed is restricted to 45MPH.

[Mickey]

Thanks 52A i didn't think the scoop could be used while running tender first but it's nice to get it confirmed. Micky

[Multiprinter]

Early diesels - Class 40s and Deltics, there may have been others - did have water scoops for either direction pick up.

[Mickey]

Yes strange as it may seem they were fitted with water scoop apparatus to replenish the water for the steam heater boiler.

[Bryan]

Weren't some tank engines fitted for either direction pick up?

[Multiprinter]

Weren't some tank engines fitted for either direction pick up?

That struck a chord as soon as I read it. Am I right in thinking that the ex GCR A5 tanks had pick ups?

[CVR1865]

On the Great Eastern they ran the J66's boiler first out of Liv Street when on the suburbans as they pulled better that way round.

Did the same apply to the N7s? There was a definite preference, but now I wonder if I'm remembering the correct way round or not.

And the N2s similarly liked to face north out of Kings Cross.

Kudu

I wonder if it is to do with cut off. With a greater cut off in one direction than the other and more weight over the front drivers or perhap sanding gear only working for one direction. The book only refered to the J66's I just can't remember where I saw it.