Engine yard in the UK May 22, 1961. Steam in the US and Canada was 99 percent gone by this time, but in Britain it was still going strong. This factor probably allows for the greater numbers of steam preservationists over there, some of whom spent their younger years working on steam for BR. Wonder how many of these engines still exist?

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?o ... ig4rem.jpg

Or how about these two on the down Mid-Day Scot on August 7, 1958? A 4-4-0 leading a major passenger train!

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?o ... ig4rem.jpg

>[quote="bobyar2001"]Engine yard in the UK May 22, 1961. Steam in >the US and Canada was 99 percent gone by this time, but in Britain it >was still going strong. This factor probably allows for the greater >numbers of steam preservationists over there, some of whom spent >their younger years working on steam for BR. Wonder how many of >these engines still exist?

Neither of the two in the foreground exist but there are three (I think) examples of each class in existance..

>Or how about these two on the down Mid-Day Scot on August 7, 1958? >A 4-4-0 leading a major passenger train!


The Pacific would have to push the 4-4-0 (2P class) as this type were not noted for speed......

G

A Princess Coronation/Duchess and and inside coupled 4-4-0! Weird, and cool.

Joshua

Actually (and Gavin, correct me if necessary), a small helper with a big Pacific wasn't all that uncommon.

On the Somerset & Dorset line from Bath to the coast, LMS 4-4-0s were regularly assigned to help the Southern 4-6-2 assigned to certain trains.

I seem to recall seeing photos of some Mutt 'n' Jeff pairings with a "Britannia" down in the West Country, too.

JAC

My commment was meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek....

All I can say about the pictured double header is that the authorities must have been pretty desperate to use a 2P when there was probably better power available. A more likely explanation, given that the pacifics could usually manage the loads alone, was that the 2P was being returned whence it came PDQ and by sticking it on the front of an express it didn't use up a path.

The Somerset & Dorset was something else, steep gradients and sharp curves, where most trains needed double heading until the 9F's came along. Bullied Pacifics are fast but very light on their feet with the additional complication of carrying a smaller load of coal than locomotives designed for longer runs (what's the point of hauling 10 tons of coal when 5 tons will get the job done?) as there were no water troughs on the Southern tenders carried larger amounts of water instead.

As for the ex GWR areas - they didn't like the BR standards (except for Cardiff Canton crews) but also seemed to have some strange practices when it came to assisting engines..... I don't know the rules and as I grew up watching Bullied pacifics I've never felt the need to learn.

All I do know about GW loco's is that from the point of view of someone who has to prepare one there are better ways of doing things than Swindon ever did!

G