Indicator Shelters

[harvester]

Over the years I've often seen many photographs of locomotives fitted with indicator shelters, some with what resembled port holes facing forwards. May seem like a daft question to some but was provision made for engineers to travel at the front end of the locomotive or were the recordings made automatically?

[52A]

Yes in there were two victims, sorry observers, muffled up against the heat of the smokebox and the freezing draughts around the edges. Not the best of working environments, wonder how the Hysteria and Stupidity brigade would look on that today!

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I would think it would be a bit like being a diesel loco with all the doors and windows open, and someone sprinkling ash on your head !!!

manna

[Malcolm]

Previously posted on this forum about two years ago.
Malcolm

[52D]

Re Malcolms post above, I have seen video of that event but cant remember where.

[Blink Bonny]

I once read a story, I forget where now, where a proposal was made to install a tractor seat under te boiler of a B17 where some poor unfortunate was to have sat watching the frames to see if they flexed. This would have put the chap's head within striking distance of the boiler bottom and the inside big end swishing past his chin close enough to give him a shave.

When "authority" learned of this (one presumes that the question was asked "why are we buying a tractor seat?") they quoshed the idea. Quickly.

It has been said that the boffins wer cut from a different cloth...

[hq1hitchin]

I once read a story, I forget where now, where a proposal was made to install a tractor seat under te boiler of a B17 where some poor unfortunate was to have sat watching the frames to see if they flexed. This would have put the chap's head within striking distance of the boiler bottom and the inside big end swishing past his chin close enough to give him a shave.

When "authority" learned of this (one presumes that the question was asked "why are we buying a tractor seat?") they quoshed the idea. Quickly.

It has been said that the boffins wer cut from a different cloth...

Almost - it was an idea dreamt up by Bill Harvey, shedmaster at Norwich, and concerned a rough riding B1. Colin Morris, who was District Motive Power Superintendent, got wind of what was proposed and arrived on the scene in time to prevent it happening. He was so upset that he actually sent the erring shedmaster home. Dick Hardy mentioned this only quite recently. Mr Harvey was very gifted mechanically, though - pretty sure he sorted Green Arrow out a treat in the early days of its preservation.

[Blink Bonny]

Ah, it's a while since I read that story. Thanks

[52A]

If it was such a good idea why didn't Harvey himself take the hot seat?

[hq1hitchin]

If it was such a good idea why didn't Harvey himself take the hot seat?

Indeed, that's what he was going to do

[Blink Bonny]

Always thought the guy had courage, after reading his articles.

Awesome!

[OllieK]

Excuse the long-term thread resurrection!

Does anyone have any idea what colour LNER indicator shelters were? I’ve always presumed brown, having thought they were wood, but according to this article they were made of sheet steel.

https://www.railwaywondersoftheworld.co ... -loco.html

Were they perhaps black, to match the smokebox?