Hengist - new build

[hq1hitchin]

Yes, a shame one of the pair didn't make it into preservation, as one of them was dumped at Willesden quite late on, 1966? They must have been good machines, too, because they lasted almost 20 yrs, not a bad score for non standard items.

[swanpool]

Flamingo asks Why, with 140 Pacifics of its own already in service, anyone thought that the Southern would have wanted 5 more of BR design is a mystery.

The 72010 website suggests that the proposal was to supply the region with "Clans" rather than rebuilding "West Countries" as actually happened. The former would have had a better route availability.

[stembok]

The June 1956 journey of 72001 Clan Cameron from Glasgow to Spean Bridge on the West Highland was to transport guests to a Clan gathering of the Camerons at Achnaharry Castle the ancestral home of the clan .It was stipulated that the driver,fireman and guard all had to bear the surname Cameron. Cameron of Locheil the clan chief was a member of the Scottish area board of BR at the time. The T I report on the run mentioned that the engine did not appear too happy on some of the West Highland's curves.
One wonders why the Clans were built, they did not seem to have a niche and it was known that certain people in the BR motive power hierarchy thought a 4-8-0 might have been a better choice. Originally, they worked the Glasgow -Lancashire trains, but unsurprisingly had little in hand and needed to be really pushed if time was to be kept. As one driver stated they were no great improvement on the Jubilees, which faced the same problems on trains that really needed 7P power. It is possible that the operating people looked at them and thought "Pacifics !" which may have led to asking too much of them or overloading. Opinions by crews varied, though in conversation some of the Carlisle Kingmoor men seemed to quite like them on the Stranraer boat trains. As it was, and despite being Light Pacifics, most of the Clan's work was done on the main lines

[stembok]

Previous post: correction Achnacarry not Achnaharry Castle

[stembok]

An additional piece of information about the Clan Pacifics was the temporary transfer of four of the class to Haymarket shed Edinburgh in late October,1957. The four engines nos 72000 and 72002 from Polmadie 66A and 72005/6 from Carlisle Kingmoor were used on Waverley route freights and stopping trains and were also reported on the ECML at least as far south as Tweedmouth. They were also seen on the Queen of Scots Pullman between Glasgow and Edinburgh and on the Edinburgh -Aberdeen route. Some Haymarket crews were reported critical of the limited water capacity of the engines and found them to be "sluggish" performers, a criticism echoed by some of the G E enginemen when 72009 was tested on the G E main line.

[52D]

Presumably the Clans mentioned above on the ECML were working Edinburgh - Berwick locals and freights.does anyone have further details on these workings. I cant see them being any improvement on the indigenous V2s for this sort of work.

[Solario]

I know that it is getting a bit off subject, or even the reverse of subject, but I recently found this negative whilst going through my old photographs. Someone might be interested.

It was taken at Darlington, North Road scrapyard. Unfortunately I have no record of which Clan, several met their end at Darlington.

Solario

[stembok]

Solario/52D: T I reported 72005 at Tweedmouth on a freight from the Newcastle direction, at the, "end of October,1957".
26/10/57 72005 20.55 Carlisle -Craiginches (Aberdeen) freight.
29/10/57. 72004 13.28 Carlisle -Edinburgh Waverley passenger and 72002 15.22 Edinburgh Waverley -Carlisle passenger.
I remember the Polmadie Clans 72000-004, withdrawn 12/62, arriving at Darlington for scrapping in the autumn of 1963.
Wonder if the transfer of the Clans to Edinburgh 64B in October ,1957 may - and I stress the may - have been to help out with seasonal traffic, such as the seed potato traffic down to Lincolnshire and East Anglia. I think it is a very safe assumption that the East Coast enginemen would have preferred the more powerful V2 to which they were well accustomed.

[stembok]

52D: Came across some more information in a magazine re: Clan Pacifics on the ECML working from Haymarket,which I thought you might find of interest.
January 5th,1958 72008 (68A) on a passenger working into Newcastle from Edinburgh.
January 11th,1958 72005 (64B)14.00 Carlisle -Newcastle into Newcastle. On the same day 72002 seen on a Newcastle -Edinburgh goods.
January 14th,1958 72002(64B) afternoon Aberdeen-Edinburgh express forward from Dundee.
January 18th,1958 72006 (64B) Edinburgh -Aberdeen portion of down Night Scotsman -through to Aberdeen.

[52D]

I wonder did the clans ever come across the Newcastle Carlisle route on a regular basis working back to Edinburgh.

[stembok]

Recently read 'Steam Days at Haymarket', by Harry Knox 2007, an excellent and very informative read and in it he gives a personal view on the arrival of the Clan Pacifics at 64B and the reaction to them at that depot.

[northernsteam]

I just entered Hengist into Google and came across this forum.
Being a NELPG member I am now hooked and wonder how I didn't know you here before.
Anyway, I am also involved with Hengist and wonder if there is still anyone out there interested in this project.
In case you don't know it has moved on a pace since 2008, with assembly of frames waiting for the final stretcher patterns to be made before the big casting and machining expense.
The smokebox and cab are well progressed.
Currently looking for an assembly home and the finance for the cylinders.
Big publicity initiative under consideration at present, watch your railway press!!
Incidentally, the engines were very popular on the Stranrar route and quite effective on Settle and Carlisle and Beattock lines pulling fair loads. This one will have all the mods that the 242 batch would have had,giving better steaming, riding, they were always good on consumption with the right handling. Just like 71000 has been improved in rebuilding.
Sorry, don't want to bore you all!

[northernsteam]

I am pleased to advise folk that following the EGM on Saturday, the project is to continue with an elected Council of Management in charge.
A full press release will be issued later this week and it will be put on the Project website for all to see.

[coachmann]

So can we have a Gresley V4 next , please, or failing that, a LMS Patriot, with parallel boiler?

Your wish for an unrebuilt Patriot is coming true at Llangollen.....

http://www.llangollen-railway.org.uk/patriotloco.html

For NER fans, someone is currently building a G5 0-4-4T.