A couple more "Oddball" loco's.

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous & Oddities' started by Keith M, Apr 3, 2018.

  1. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    I can't remember which thread I posted on recently with the 'Streamlined SR "Schools" Class loco pic, and last Saturday at the York show, Paul (York) and I were discussing various 'Oddball' loco's and I mentioned that I had a few more in various books, including a pic of an SR "Lord Nelson" with 3 chimneys! So if you though that only ocean liners had more than one, here's proof otherwise! This wasn't a form of design exercise, just an attempt during the Second World War to disperse smoke and steam more quickly to avoid being spotted by German planes. IMG_1191.jpg
     
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  2. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    This was an attempt to direct smoke and steam away from the drivers view, (unsuccessfully) using the same loco as a testbed. As can be seen, it took the form of a 'deflector' around the chimney itself. IMG_1192.jpg
     
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  3. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    There are a good number of other "Oddball" loco's with pics in the "X-Trains" book I've recently bought, for copyright reasons I'd better not post any, but anyone with an interest in 'different' loco's might find the £6.50 cost worthwhile, I know I have!
    Nowadays, we're all used to seeing 'Hybrid' cars, and we've had diesel hydraulics, diesel electrics, electro-diesels etc, but I'd never heard of the "Kitson-Still Steam-Diesel hybrid loco, tested on the LNER in 1933/4. The engine came (like Gresleys "Hush-Hush" loco boiler) from marine origins, with 8 cylinders in 2 horizontal banks, one side of the pistons operated by steam, the other by diesel. Steam was generated by an oil fired boiler and used to set the loco in motion, diesel taking over once the loco had reached around 5MPH although steam could also be used as a 'booster' when needed, top speed being around 55MPH. Exhaust heat from the diesel engine was used to partially heat the steam, improving thermal efficiency from around the usual 7% to about 40%. The loco was tested on goods trains between York and Hull, and used only about 20% of fuel compared to a conventional steam loco, but as diesel technology was improving and total power was still relatively low, the necessary further investment was not forthcoming and the Kitson company ended up calling in the receivers.
    There are many other prototypes detailed including the "Fell" 6 engined diesel, Deltic, SR 10201/2/3, LMS 'Paget', Staniers 'Turbomotive', 'Fury', Bulleids 'Leader', the 'Crosti's, steam turbine loco's.......a great read if your interest lies here, (and I have No connection with author, publisher or anyone involved in this publication!)
    Keith.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2018
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  4. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Toto is into loco's with cranes attached - I'm sure he has at least two kits in the que
     
  5. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Just the one loco with crane attached. The other crane is attached to a bogie wagon. They are great for private owner industries. Can't remember the loco type. I'll need to look in the kit section to get that. Hold it ....... A Ramsbottom. ( a Gladiator kit ) It shall feature on Luib Bridge.

    I may just look up your book Keith. You've got me curious now. :avatar:

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  6. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Have you any pictures of the Kitson steam / diesel loco Keith? Interesting it was used on the York Hull route, that would be the line through Pocklington, Market Weighton and Beverley.
     
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  7. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Not the same loco, Keith: top one is 783, the lower one is 763, and both are "King Arthur" N15 class. Lord Nelsons were numbered from 850 upwards. The photo of 763 is a much earlier one than that of 783, which has acquired Bulleid livery with 'sunshine' shaded lettering, although the buffer beam has the earlier MAunsell style lettering.

    None of that detracts from the fascination they attract.

    The smoke deflection experiments extended to other possible solutions besides that on 763, but culminated in the style shown on 783, which was fitted to all of the 'Arthurs' from approximately 1928 onwards.
     
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  8. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    There is a pic of the Kitson loco in York roundhouse in the book Paul, but for copyright reasons, I daren't post it on the forum. The "X-Trains" book is available from Hattons for £6.50 +P&P. It's a 'Morton Media' publication and I'd imagine most railway booksellers would also stock it besides Hattons.
    Keith.
     
  9. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Jeff.
    You're quite right, they are indeed "King Arthur" Class loco's, (I misread it!) but the book insists that both pics are of No 783 "Sir Gillemere", each pic credited to different photographers, the second pic showing the loco leaving the Oxford GWR shed. Out of interest, the book is "Leader and Southern Experimental Steam" by Kevin Robertson, ISBN 0 86299 743 7, one of the books I have featuring Bulleid's "Leader", and one I can recommend if, like myself, you have an interest in the oddball/different/unusual locomotives.
    Keith.
     
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  10. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    You may well be correct on the second one also being 783. I had another look at it and it could be the shadow of the drifting smoke that mislead me.

    I have a book on the N15s, Locomotives in Detail 4: Maunsell 4-6-0 King Arthur Class: Maunsell 4-6-0 King Arthur Class by Peter Swift that goes into the class and its variations in some detail, including some of the experiments conducted, although I can't actually reach the book at the moment, until I have a tidy up of the junk I dumped in front of the bookshelves in preparation for my meeting a few weeks ago!.

    Your book sounds very interesting: I have quite a few other very useful books by the same author.
     
  11. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Here you go Paul, as long as the image is not used for gain, but for education purposes it should be ok to share.

    kitson1.jpg

    There are more photos of it on Google images.

    Cheer's, Pete.
     
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  12. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Goodness me that's quite a shocker... you wouldn't want to scratch build that and then dcc sound fit it... imagine getting the files for a diesel steamer :avatar:. Anyway thanks Pete for posting it up.:thumbs:
     

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