Does anyone fancy having a go at deciphering the class of this locomotive based on the four clues provided.
This is an attempt to encourage those closet locomotive sleuths amongst you to have a go, it is an extension of a previous thread started by Tom Quayle, "What is it 2" to be found here:
The main rule is that if you work out the answer then you write the next set of clues yourself. There are usually three or four clues.
Give it a go and see how you get on! It's a bit like a crossword, without the across and down bit, perhaps it's nothing like a crossword really but it can be fun
1. Unamed locos; dual attribution
2. Tractive effort summed up as 28
3. Class: a corvid
4. Nearly half the class at an eastern region shed (1950)
Yes: I do mean BR eastern Region sheds, (1950 is the date that nearly half of these locomotives were located in one particular ER shed)
Richard - you are bang on the money, it is a "J" class 0-6-0!
JWealleans you are right but it's not the right corvid for this locomotive class, Richard was right with the Jay. The corvidae found in the UK, if memory serves me correctly, includes the following birds:
Raven
Crow
Hooded crow
Rook
Jackdaw
Jay
Chough
Magpie
Here is another hint to help you along, the class was comprised of less than ten locomotives.
The dual attribution actually refers to the two designers to whom the design of the class is sometimes attributed; Ivatt and Gresley (ABC combined volume 1950) On re-reading the LNER Encyclopedia it would seem more accurate to attribute the design solely to Ivatt.
Nice looking engines, anyone on here ever see one?
Yes, the RCTS Locomotives of the LNER describes them (the J2s) as being ordered during Ivatt's tenure, but actually produced after he retired. Only the one batch was built, because Gresley introduced his K1 to perform the same duties.
I've been pondering these with not much success, Morgan; the only conclusion I have reached is that this is one of the classes which was demoted by Thompson when he intruduced his standard designs. The 'opposite was more successful' did make me wonder about the B1/C4 460/442 design, but I couldn't reconcile this with the other clues off the top of my head.
You are spot on with your first assumption. The class number was demoted by Thompson in the late 1940's. You are also almost there on the opposition clue. However, as I've said to John B, the class didn't carry names and neither did the opposite.
Thank you Morgan; that has given me some food for thought. Off the top of my head and in the hope it may help at least John (and others who may read this): Thompson 'demoted' the remaining A1s (but they had names), the B1 and the L1.
Now the L1 was GCR class 1B; Robinson's right hand man was of course Friday; I'm not sure about the 'struck fear into Edwardian Londoners', though.
Well done Jonathan you've got it. The answer is the Robinson 1B 2-6-4T (LNER L1 later demoted by Thompson to L3). Opposite of the very successful 9N (A5) 4-6-2T.
The Zeppelin struck fear into Edwardian Londoners which was also one of the nicknames for the 1B (along with Crab and, I suspect, others from Loco crews which are probably not repeatable).
Before anybody cries foul and states that the Edwardian period did not cover the First World War I wasn't sure myself so checked it out. Wikipedia said that it is sometimes extended to include the period up to the end of the war in 1918. Apologies if it confused anyone I'll try harder next time.
