NER Dynamometer Car

[MikeTrice]

With a number of forum members ordering (and hopefully building) the recent special issue of the D&S kit I thought it would be useful to those builders and any other interested parties to start a topic relating to aspects of the prototype vehicle that will be relevant such as:

When was it changed from NER crimson lake to grained teak?
Was it lined?
What colour was the roof?
When were various detail changes made?
How did it differ in service from how it is currently restored?

As I start this, I realise that it is going to take a long time to type everything in, so I will add a number of short posts instead and at some point try and put together a timeline. I don't have all the answers by any stretch of the imagination so do not be put off from commenting.

So to kick off, there are some images of the Dynamometer Car in "LNER Reflections" featuring the DC (sorry bored typing it i full already) numbered 3591N coupled to C7 Atlantic 706. Unfortunately the image is undated. The DC in this instance does appear to retain full lining (although this could be an optical illusion) and I suspect the vehicle is still in Crimson Lake. Interestingly no such trial of that locomotive is listed in the DC Log Book so my suspicion is that these images have been posed as publicity shots rather than beingtaken from a proper trial. Video of the same engine can be found some 3 minutes in the "The Drake's Progress Part 1" which can be found on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NJXeb8rYko

On the subject of the DC log the first recorded use of the vehicle is on 6th March 1906 on R Class 2109 classified as "East Coast Preliminary runs with the new Dynamometer Car"
Its last recorded run was 12th October 1951 with Hunslet 500HP Diesel.

A few observations for the time being:
Protection grills were fitted over the end windows. These are present on the preserved vehicle and were fitted on Mallard's run. These were fitted to the vehicle from its NER days and were removeable. As fitted the were hinged (with removable pins as when joining and aligning model railway baseboards together) with the hinges to the centre of the vehicle, but the mounting frames were reversed when the corrifor connections were added so they now hinge from the outside edge of the vehicle. There is also a protective grill protecting the curved side curved window and the preserved vehicle features additional grill protecting the guard ducket windows. The guard ducket grills do not appear to have been fitted for Mallard's run. The toilet window should be obscured glass NOT clear as preserved.

The main windows have blinds presumably to provide better visibility of the instruments during use. In the Barkston Triangle photo prior to Mallard's run, the blind to the left of the toilet window is in the lowered position.

The roof vent arrangement is as preserved, not as suggested on the Isinglass drawing.

When the vehicle was preserved instructions were issued to York to carry out some changes to the vehicle which included reinstating the LNER lettering. No mention is made of repainting or regraining so I assume only the waist panels were regrained before the lettering was applied. The spacing of the lettering "Dynamometer Car" is not in the correct locations and the spacing between the letters is not as even as I might have expected however the overall style of lettering does appear correct.

At the time of the run there is no evidence of the measuring wheel being white.

Now being nagged to do some decorating so will have to leave this post until a later time.

Preserved vehicle showing protective grills:

[MikeTrice]

Following a test run on 22th March 1928 on loco 4473 the Dynamometer Car was sent to York on 3rd April 1928 for overhaul. During this time the NER bogies were replaced with Gresley bogies and corridor connections fitted. The work was completed by 25th Aug 1928 and the first test run took place on 27th Aug 1928 on loco 2206.

If I am correct in my assumption that until that date the DC was still in NER livery this would be a good opportunity for it to be repainted in imitation teak. LNER policy at that point in time would be for corridor coaches to be lined so it would not be unreasonable to assume the livery from Aug 1928 was lined imitation teak. The vehicle would probably have also been renumbered to 23591 during the same period.

Darlington drawing 15246D dated 19th Dec 1934 specifies a ladder intended to be fitted to the right hand side (viewed looking at the end) of the engine end presumably to provide safer access to the engine plug that is shown on the drawing as being located high up next to the corridor connection. Whether this was produced and fitted is not known as the 1938 photo is of the wrong side of the DC.

The preserved DC has the engine plug relocated just above the buffers so the ladder if fitted would no longer be required.

[MikeTrice]

Mallard's speed run on 3rd July 1938 was the last outing for the Dynamometer Car until it was brought out of storage for a test run on locos 484 and 1766 on 30th May 1946. This was listed as practice for the staff and also to test car instruments. It is reasonable to assume that prior to its post war duties the opportunity was taken to put it through the works to be renumbered as 902502 and in line with LNER policy at the time to be devoid of lining.

The photo of the DC on the interchange trials with Merchant Navy 35017 taken on either 25th or 27th May 1948 shows the vehicle in imitation teak with no lining and numbered 902502.

There is an official photograph of the DC in BR ownership, still in unlined imitation teak but with BR style numbers E902502 and the word "DYNAMOMETER" where the "LNER" is positioned on the preserved vehicle. There is no ladder present on the engine end in this image and the train plug is in its lower position above the buffer as in the preserved vehicle.

[MikeTrice]

In the latter half of 1963 work was scheduled by the Curator of Historical Relics at Clapham with York and Darlington works.

York Carriage and Wagon Works were engaged in cosmetically reinstating the DC to its 1946 LNER condition (with number 902502) and the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Department, Darlington engaged in restoring the measuring equipment and caption it for public display.

Reinstating the LNER branding would have involved removing the BR lettering and, probably, repainting the imitation teak on the waist panels. On the preserved vehicle these can be seen as being a slightly different shade. The "DYNAMOMETER CAR" lettering was hand painted (which it probably was in LNER days) however the "LNER" and "902502" are original transfers.

The slightly lighter shade of imitation teak for the waist panel can be seen here:

When originally applied the transfers would have featured gold leaf centres however the transfers have currently been overpainted, crudely, with a pale cream paint. It is unclear whether gold leaf is in evidence under the cream or whether York chose to not use it on cost grounds.

[MikeTrice]

With much thanks to "mick b" of this parish for permission to use his photo I can illustrate differences between the "as preserved" lettering spacing and the 1938 spacing.

As preserved:

The 1938 spacing altered digitally:

[Dave]

Brilliant Mike.

I will post some pics I took, it will be later as I'm being dragged out shopping.

[MikeTrice]

We could do with some good interior shots if anyone can get some without reflections.

[mick b]

Sadly failed with my attempts as you know Mike .

[MikeTrice]

Sadly failed with my attempts as you know Mike .

Not your fault. Very difficult photographing through the glass.

[2512silverfox]

Mike

Two photos which may be of assistance.

The first show a lined livery; presumably ersatz teak. This was sent to me by John Edgson some years ago so I am not sure of its provenance.

The second is an interior view taken fairly recently. Not altogether clear but better than most.

Nick

[billdonald]

We could do with some good interior shots if anyone can get some without reflections.

An excellent series of interesting posts Mike. Very much appreciated.

To avoid reflections from polished surfaces or glass, the camera needs to have a polarising filter attached to the to the front of the lens. This means you are restricted in practical terms to a decent SLR camera. Mobile phones, small hand-held cameras or tablet devices don't have the facility for external optical filters. To use a polarising filter you need to be able to see the image through the lens and then rotate the ring on the filter to see the effect of the glare being eliminated and set it accordingly. As usual they aren't cheap, but for highly polished road or rail vehicles on a sunny day, or under bright indoor lighting, a polarising filter is very useful. With care and skill, you can also eliminate the flare effect of flash photography on such subjects too.

Bill Donald
Dublin, Ireland.

[MikeTrice]

Mike

Two photos which may be of assistance.

The first show a lined livery; presumably ersatz teak. This was sent to me by John Edgson some years ago so I am not sure of its provenance.

The second is an interior view taken fairly recently. Not altogether clear but better than most.

Nick

Thanks for posting these Nick. The first is one of a series of images taken by Max Hoather on the Barkston triangle prior to Mallard's speed record attempt and is the main source of my observations of the Dynamometer Car on 3rd July 1938.

So the $6M question is was it lined or not? Answers on a postcard to .......

[MikeTrice]

John Edgson observes that the NER style duckets were fitted at some point between 26th Sept 1936 and 3rd July 1938. There were a number of breaks between tests when this might have occurred (I am guessing the DC would have been unavailable for work during these modifications, the question being how long would the modifications have taken).

Significant gaps in usage between those dates occurred:
27th Sept 1936 - 22nd Oct 1936
24th Oct 1936 - 3rd Dec 1936
18th Dec 1936 - 4th Jan 1937
9th Jan 1937 - 12th Apr 1937
23rd Apr 1937 - 14th Mar 1938
7th Apr 1937 - 2nd July 1938

It would not surprise me to learn the duckets were added specifically for Mallard's speed run as at this point they did not fit grill protectors to the duckets but felt they were necessary in later years.

[2512silverfox]

Mike

I feel sure that the mouldings are lined above the waist in the usual LNER manner for PG stock. No lining below the waist. It is difficult to tell, but I think the finish is ersatz teak not NER Crimson, although the finish is quite dark.

I will have a search through my other photos tomorrow.

Nick

[Dave]

Here are some photo's I've taken, Mike I think you have all of these but let me know if you don't.