Here's something for the railway fans!

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 17 Feb, 2010 9:23 pm

You can see why they call them Growlers, the driver winds it up big time lol P.s i 'm knocking together a people shot, and 40 bashers seminar photo gallery from the late 70's, early 80's.There was no health and safety in those days, stood on the tracks in front of the engine, the drivers and second men would get out of the cab and pose with the lads for the picture too.There's some well dodgy haircuts and fashion herehttp://www.flickr.com/groups/cfas/discuss/72157623300176767/

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Wed 17 Feb, 2010 10:35 pm

Am I right in believing that the HST has a Thorneycroft Diesel - designed for marine use originally?I wonder what the engine was in the loco that set off the car alarms.I used to work at the Cat dealer and they had a dynamometer shop to test the Cat diesels. Sometimes for 24 hours - which caused complaints from the adjacent housing estate. I'm not sure how the biggest Cat engines would compare with those in the locos. The V12 D398 (6.25" bore*) was used in oil rig support vessels and on the oil rigs themselves (this was in the sixties) The D397 V12 (5.75" bore*) was used in large rope excavators of the type that could be found on (say) Templenewsam OCCS.*The Americans were very late into the metric system

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 12:52 am

Trojan wrote: Am I right in believing that the HST has a Thorneycroft Diesel - designed for marine use originally?I wonder what the engine was in the loco that set off the car alarms.I used to work at the Cat dealer and they had a dynamometer shop to test the Cat diesels. Sometimes for 24 hours - which caused complaints from the adjacent housing estate. I'm not sure how the biggest Cat engines would compare with those in the locos. The V12 D398 (6.25" bore*) was used in oil rig support vessels and on the oil rigs themselves (this was in the sixties) The D397 V12 (5.75" bore*) was used in large rope excavators of the type that could be found on (say) Templenewsam OCCS.*The Americans were very late into the metric system If I remember correctly and I'am no loco buff the HST originallyhad Paxman Ventura engines(one at each end !)They did have problems and were replaced by something which I can't remember.The Deltic engines were of marine origin.2 x 1750 hp = 3300 per loco.Does Merrilees or somethinglike it sound right ?

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 1:03 am

Just had a quick search - Napier,ceainly marine based.Deltic - Rolls royce of the rails.Early on a morning we used to watch the first trains from Leedsheading out towards Ardsley from the top floor of the Aire stoffices,we could not hear them but you could follow the exhauststreaming for miles until it warmed up.Unique sound - unique loco,why did they onlybuild 22 ?They finished their working life on the Newcastle -Liverpooltrans pennine route,climbing must have been a noveltyafter all that flat east coast main line work.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 1:45 am

They only built 22 because that was enough for the E.C.M.L expresses they were built for. They only did the Kings Cross-York, Newcastle or Edinburgh trains. I'm not sure of the exact amount, you can find it out on the net easy enough.But (i think) they needed 18?? in service on any one day to cover there diagrammes. They were built with a high availability to remain in service, 44 Deltic engines were therefore made, that meant a Deltic could enter Doncaster works, and have an overhauled engine fitted and running the same day. During the late 70's a serious shortage of spares led to half the fleet out of service in Donny works.The were approaching 20 years old by this time, there was never going to be any expensive works overhauls for them once the HST 125's started to encroach in 1978.The Deltics started to receive minimal work attention from then on.Many Deltics ran on one engine. 55001 'St Paddy' and 55020 'Nimbus' were the first to get withdrawn in 1980.The Deltic names were either Army Regiments, or famous racehorses.The Deltic scrapline at Doncaster was a sad sight in 1981.http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookephoto ... 942912/Not all got cut up in that scrap line, six escaped into preservation

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 9:25 am

Speaking as a frequent passenger (in those days) and "fringe" railway enthusiast I must say that I thought the Deltics and the ECML service to London were a wonderful triumph. Like many other folks, I was quite unaware until the sad withdrawal programme that only twenty two Deltics were built. For no logical reason at all my favourite was "Alycidon" which by coincidence seemed to there for me on a large proportion of my journeys to and from London.By the way, when I said "fringe" railway enthusiast I didn't mean to imply minimal interest - simply only twenty four hours in the day and road transport has always been my chief passion - I do have as much interest as time allows in all aspects of railway operation.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 10:25 am

BLAKEY wrote: Speaking as a frequent passenger (in those days) and "fringe" railway enthusiast I must say that I thought the Deltics and the ECML service to London were a wonderful triumph. Like many other folks, I was quite unaware until the sad withdrawal programme that only twenty two Deltics were built. For no logical reason at all my favourite was "Alycidon" which by coincidence seemed to there for me on a large proportion of my journeys to and from London.By the way, when I said "fringe" railway enthusiast I didn't mean to imply minimal interest - simply only twenty four hours in the day and road transport has always been my chief passion - I do have as much interest as time allows in all aspects of railway operation. You should read the story of Thomas the Tank Engine and Bertie the Bus I used to read it to my kids when they were little.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 11:05 am

[quotenick="TrojanYou should read the story of Thomas the Tank Engine and Bertie the Bus I used to read it to my kids when they were little. I do enjoy and admire Thomas the Tank Engine (wonderful animations) and when "Underground Ernie"was on TV nothing, but nothing, would make me miss an episode. As I'm only 73 I've plenty of time to grow up yet, so no worries on that score !!

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 11:10 am

BLAKEY wrote: [quotenick="TrojanYou should read the story of Thomas the Tank Engine and Bertie the Bus I used to read it to my kids when they were little. I do enjoy and admire Thomas the Tank Engine (wonderful animations) and when "Underground Ernie"was on TV nothing, but nothing, would make me miss an episode. As I'm only 73 I've plenty of time to grow up yet, so no worries on that score !!

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 18 Feb, 2010 11:27 am

To be honest with you Blakey, there's more guys out there who are interested in some form of traction or other. Men are always big boys at heart i guess, we've learnt that the big trains, buses, trucks and cars are a better toy than the things we pushed along as kids.The Hornby, Dinky and Corgi traction were good in those days, now we can have the real thing, we can drive and go on these things, they thrash and make noise.Top gear is no different, Jeremy Clarkson is some form of Car Anorak really, He'd never admit to it for his credibility, but he is lol