The famous Barry scrapyard in Wales, 1968. The S15 (former Southern Railway) 4-6-0 in the foreground would see an early departure from the yard about four years later and would run again on the Nene Valley and North Yorkshire Moors Railways.

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?d ... 0841+c.jpg

Question: Most of the engines in the scrapyard did not have rods attached. Had these been scrapped already, requiring new rods to be made, or were they saved and stored elsewhere?

One of the last engines to leave was this former LMS "Crab" 2-6-0, finally purchased by a private owner in 1983. Seen here in 1975. How's it doing today?

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?d ... bBarry.jpg

And this former Southern Railway U class 2-6-0 was the second engine to leave Barry, just six months after this photo in 1968. It was soon restored to operation and ran on the Kent & East Sussex briefly, then moved to the Bluebell Ry. What is its status today?

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?d ... MBarry.jpg

The question I have pondered for a long time is why were these locomotives held so long? Most scrapyards I know of make their money by buying in bulk at a low price cutting things up sorting the metals & selling to the different places. Of course I know the price of scrap ebbs & floes like any other commodity. Don't get me wrong, glad they were saved but I have always wondered about that................................Wooly

In an article in the old Railway & Locomotive Preservation, Mr. Woodham commented that he found steam locomotives difficult to cut up compared with old freight wagons and passenger carriages. He cut up a few when scrap prices were high, or when he did not have enough carriages to sustain his work force. Plus when enough railway enthusiasts started reserving enough of his collection, he realized he was going to get his money without having to spend the labor to cut them up.

I wondered if the rods were easy to remove and make of better
metal and therefore got whipped off and sold quickly. Also
could they rust up and lock the wheels. That of the driver
cut off to move the engine made me think of that.

I thought it was standard practice when moving steam locomotives in "hospital" or scrap trains to take the side rods off and either tie them to the running board, or throw them in the tender.

That is where I assume they still were while they were in Woodhams; though I don't see them anywhere in any of the pictures.

Last word on LMS Hughes-Fowler "Crab" 2-6-0 no. 42859 is it is still stored at Binbrook Airfield, Binbrook, Lincolnshire. Ex Southern Class U 2-6-0, no. 31618 is still at the Bluebell Railway, I believe in operational condition. The picture I have in my database was taken by Neil Edwards in 1982, and it looks great.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

The standard practice(as to removing motion and rods) on British Railways seemed to be it was done to remove possible "restrictions" or problems, when the steam locomotives were moved from there last terminal to the scrapyard. As in most cases, locomotives were moved in "groups" of anywhere between three ( I have seen up to 16 locomotives) to whatever, being moved together, on mostly very busy rail lines, so any mechancal problems, (ie: broken rods etc) would hold up other traffic. These locomotives were moved in either a train by themselves, or tagged on to a way freight. It was interesting to see, at the arrival the yard, pending, a final trip to the scrapyard, some locomotives, which had been recently retired, were still simmering!

Rods Tenders and Sidetanks are the most frequently missing items from an ex-Barry locomotive. Other appliances, such as injectors were missing in many cases. Most of the former Barry locomotives that I'm familiar with had to have all new motion made, although I am sure that there are exceptions.

Of interest, the "Barry 10" the final 10 locomotives that were at Barry are the focus of a proposed museum. I know a few groups proposed using the locomotives as major component donors to build replicas of long-scrapped classes of locomotives, but I am unsure if any of those plans have gone further than the talking stage.

http://www.dukeofgloucester.co.uk/

Southern locomotives limited, based at the Swagange Railway has also done some amazing restorations.

http://www.southern-locomotives.co.uk/

In regard to historic railway preservation, we may have a lot to learn from our British Cousins.

[quote="bobyar2001"]The famous Barry scrapyard in Wales, 1968. The S15 (former Southern Railway) 4-6-0 in the foreground would see an early departure from the yard about four years later and would run again on the Nene Valley and North Yorkshire Moors Railways.

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?d ... 0841+c.jpg

Bob,

841 was originally restored at the East Anglian Railway Museum, Cappel & Wakes Colne. It made at least one main line run after restoration, I think it was supposed to run to Manningtree(?), but the run was not successful for reasons I can't remember. The owning group owns the frames of 825 and as these are better than 841's the boiler of 841 is now on the frames of 825.

more details http://www.nymr.demon.co.uk/steam/steam_1.htm#No_30841

G

Towing locomotives any distance with rods on is not advisable because of the pumping of air through the cylinders - I have seen it done with a loco destined for a park - The train it was in was run at up to 50 MPH and the cylinders were emittting clouds of blue smoke from the hot oil within 10 miles.

Making the cylinders so hot obviously takes energy and the drag of half a dozen dead locomotives would be quite considerable - another reason to remove rods.

Finally - stories of the last days of steam in the UK tell of rods and motion being cut to prevent further use.

Rods are not light - they were probably left where they dropped and cleared away later. Putting them in bunkers or on running boards would have required serious craneage.

I do believe there were some instances where a loco hauled a train of others into a scrapyard - and never returned!