7029 Clun Castle Dramatically Dragged to a Halt on Hemerdon. 1Z48 Day 2 11th May 2024
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- The return leg of this two day tour in celebration of the 1904 unofficial breaking of the 100m.p.h. barrier by City of Truro promised so much after her masterful display over the Westcountry banks on Day 1 but alas it was not to be as Clun Castle tackles the 1 in 42 of Hemerdon Bank.
Arriving more than 2 hours early at this iconic location was needed just to park the car and having set up cameras on the bridge in charge of my second "cameraman" I set off down the hill to get a passing shot where I found all available places against the lineside fence occupied by many arriving even earlier! However, having so much time in hand, a pair of secateurs and gardening gloves I set to work cutting a new position through thick brambles, ivy and elder. Three quarters of a hour later I had created a brand new location where I was able to secure the tripod to a fence post which I hope will be used for many more shots in the future.
7029 appears on time but with little warning under a volcano of black clag and copious steam from the safety valves. Somehow, the speed was not as expected and even though she passes in spectacular fashion with crew happily waving, speed continues to drop rapidly and things don't look good. As she comes into view of the second camera a stall looks inevitable and with unbelievable acoustics she grinds to a halt. Having radioed the support diesel a crew member jumps down and disappears between the stock presumably checking brake couplings and it seemed to me that this was a typical result of dragging brakes.
A quick re-location of the main camera amongst the many onlookers gives a good view of the re-start with the sounds of that amazing exhaust accompanied by voices of children and family members enjoying the show.
Under the full power of the diesel with the brakes now fully off, the train rapidly disappears eastwards 30 minutes down but amazingly reaches Bristol 5 minutes early !
great camera work, and a great save by the crew - fantastic restart
Hi and thank you for your kind, interesting and much appreciated feedback. Best regards, Alan
Nice to catch up again after a long while. Telling you about what what I've been doing outside of filming trains. Plus a big thanks for retrieving my camouflaged gear that I accidentally left behind at Hemerdon, would of had to of comeback for it the next day 😄
Hi Ryan, nice to see you too. A good place and occasion to meet! Best regards, Alan
Excellent footage there Alan, off Clun in action on a very warm day. Shame she stalled on Hemerdon Bank.
Hi and thank you for your always welcome comments. Trouble with the Westinghouse pump I would guess. Best regards, Alan
beautiful video
Hello Ravi, sorry for the late reply to your kind and much appreciated feedback. Best regards, Alan
@@Steamclips thanks for your belated reply.
The stall may not have been what the crew or passengers wanted or expected (although the passengers looked happy enough), it made for very dramatic video footage. Well captured, Alan.
Excellent video Alan. Great shame she stopped on this special tour to break the speed record. Well captured. Kind regards C&A
Hi folks. Yes we would have preferred to see the climb anticipated but they seemed to have a problem with the air pump as the same thing nearly happened on the down leg at Dainton. Always nice to hear from you. Best regards, Alan
Superb Alan , sounded great until the stall . Right place for it 👍🎥
Hi Steve, I'm guessing that like yourself we both would have preferred to see a storming climb of the bank instead of such a struggle. I am strongly of the opinion that they need to sort out the steam sharing between the Loco and the Westinghouse pump. It looks like we have a situation where when max regulator is required the brakes gradually creep on and we end up with a vicious circle. But as you say, we were in the right place, with hundreds of others I might add! Always great to get your input. Best regards, Alan
I did some research of my own - including contacting the previous owners of the GUV. Its water capacity is 2 x 2500 litre tanks. 5000 litres or 1100 gallons of water. Additional weight 4.91 tons plus weight of tanks / baffles / mounting points, about 8 tonnes extra weight..
That is one hell of a fire she has there, must be stoked to the limit.
Hi and thank you for your comment. Yes, it was pretty crappy coal so I think they were playing it safe. Regards, Alan
@@Steamclips Speaking of which, where do they get the coal? I mean, where do you buy coal nowadays?
@@Otacatapetl Hi, good question. I know that the P&DR get theirs from Poland. The shame is that if you visit Big Pit in Wales, they have 100 years worth of the best Welsh steam coal still available to be mined and everything in place to extract it! Alan
Most people it's wallet, keys, glasses - not so for Alan, it's more camera, gloves, secateurs, I'll get the Scouts to give you a Trackside Bramble Clearance badge!! Two great captures, second camera deserves some oft forgotten praise👍👍👍 Oh, and can you come round to mine sometime, the grass needs cutting!!! TC, ATVB
Oooh you are awful!! Still working out the call-out charge to get to your lawn!! Margaret appreciates your kind recognition very much. Best wishes, A&M
It was dragging brakes that was the cause of clun castle to suddenly come to a stop at hemerdon
You got it right there Scott. I would say they need to get the Westinghouse pump sorted when they get back to Tyseley. Cheers, Alan
@@Steamclipsyeah indeed Alan
I was lucky enough to have a seat on the tour. We were told that there was a butterfly valve in a slightly open position with evidence of a vegetation strike, on at least one of the rear (Mk2) coaches. This would have caused the brakes to progressively leak on as the speed dropped climbing the bank and the vacuum pump on the loco reduced in effect.
Hi and thank you for your valued input. I was hoping I would get some on-board feedback as I have a question regarding progress through Dainton Tunnel on Friday. A regular spectator at the western mouth of the tunnel informed me that it was a real struggle to get through and included a wheel-slip (very unusual for a Castle pulling nine) making it the slowest passage through he had even seen over many years (he works close by). I would be most interested to learn of your experience. The "butterfly valve" explanation is doing the rounds but I have my suspicions that they might discover an underlying problem at Tyseley. Kind regards, Alan
I can confirm there was a big vegetation strike earlier (branches scraping down the side of the top lights). I commented at the time "And that's why you can't look out of the window anymore!). The brakes definitely started dragging before we came to a stand. Real shame.
Glad we didn't impact the following service (for one it was an advantage that it was a few minutes late). Very professional recovery from the incident < 30 mins by all involved.
@@andrewblack5911 Hi Andrew, what was the situation through Dainton tunnel on Friday?
Lucky, loved seeing it at Newton Abbot, flying through then.
@@Steamclips Hi, sorry didn't spot your question. Performance up Dainton was not great. The people timing onboard clocked it at between 6 and 11 mph at the tunnel. I can't really provide any specific explanation why this was the case. Some former drivers were critical of the driving style (too conservative). Their view was the loading was within typical loads and therefore there should not have been a problem. I also heard comments that the coal didn't help as it has a tendency to crumble to dust under pressure, so they were shovelling dust. But we didn't seem to be short of steam though. I can say there was a significant change in driving style on the return from Bristol -> Paddington. Sorry I can't be specific, it would have been nice to "storm" the banks, but it wasn't to be. Still a great two days though!
Clearly the dragging brake issue as the valves were blowing off at the same time! It would have needed sorting out before it subsequently attempted the Lickey would it not? 🙂
Hi and thank you for your valued input. The "official" explanation is that a butterfly valve partially opened when struck by vegetation but I have my suspicions that there is more to it than that as it had a similar problem on the down leg through Dainton Tunnel. Kind regards, Alan
Why could the banker not keep her going, if it could assist the restart.
Hello Brian and thank you for your question. This was an unassisted train so when the train stalled the support diesel had to travel from Plymouth and attach to the rear in order to release the brakes. Regards, Alan
@@Steamclips Thanks, I just saw the banker as the train passed. Didn't think of that. Cheers Brian
Good old 47 to the rescue !😊
Good old 47 vacuum pump ! Thanks for your valued input. Kind regards, Alan
@@Steamclips You are welcome!
Why was there no Class 47 at the rear?
Hello Ken and thank you for your question. 1Z48 is a re-run of unassisted celebratory tours since 1964: the first of which celebrated 60 years since the 100 mph achieved by City of Truro. Regards, Alan
I really hope the man in the hat at 5:50 is on the right side of the fence - the camouflage gear makes me wonder. I hope I'm wrong, as this sort of thing continues to blight our hobby.
Thank you for your question. I can assure you that all photographers were on the correct side of the fence. Kind regards, Alan
@@Steamclips Great - and thanks for the quick reply!
It only just made it through Dainton tunnel on Friday.
We thought it was going to stall in the tunnel but it wheel slipped its way out.
It was probably the slowest loco we have seen here.
Were you on the train, to be able to give a considered summary like this?
Hi Rob, what you say does not surprise me as it looks like the Westinghouse air pump is being starved of steam at maximum regulator, the brakes creep on, more regulator, brakes come on more, hence the slow pace and wheel slip. Cheers, Alan
No stall what so ever.
Having read your detailed notes Alan I feel like the possibility of 'stock issues' would to me be a very likely contributing factor. No shortage of steam power or traction, I'm not knowledgable enough to know how air/vacuum systems work together on updated steam engines however everything has to be in 'good working order' it goes without saying. I'm thinking 'air-break issue'? With the assistant support diesel supplying 'good air' (& a little push no doubt) things quickly got underway .. 😅 .. 😉 .. 👍 Thanks for sharing, atvb t..
Glad our great minds think alike Terry. It looks like it's a steam sharing problem between cylinders and Westinghouse air pump as the brakes seem to come on when maximum regulator and cut-off is needed. Best wishes, Alan
That train is vaccum braked and not air braked. Air brake issues of no relevance. He crosshead driven vaccum pump obviously looses efficiency with reducing speed. This may have caused brake drag although the ejector will overcome this There was said to have been a passcom knocked open by a passing bit of vegetation.
@@Chris64EX4 Hi and thank you for your information, I must admit that I thought the Pullman coaches were air braked. Regards, Alan
Your welcome. I am having a colleague working a train from Plymouth to Exeter check Plymouth - Hemerdon for possible vegetation issues. I didn’t notice any last time I went that way however.
@@Steamclips do we know what the BR / GWR era maximum unassisted loads for a Castle Class locomotive over Hemerdon actually was? I gather the GUV at the front of the set carries an additional 5000 litres of water which presumably adds to the weight.
😅Can't get good old South Wales steam coal any more...
True Jonathon but it was not lack of steam, in fact there was way more steam than required ironically because of the poor coal which led to over-firing. Thank you for your valued input. Kind regards, Alan
@@Steamclips I saw a note concerning brakes - vacuum vs air. No doubt that air brakes are very much more effective than vacuum. But GWR vacuum operated at 25in of mercury, and this has now been 'downgraded' to 21in. Is 7029 fitted with air braking equipment? If so, was 1Z48 using vacuum or air?
@@SteamclipsSorry! Just seen the reply concerning the Westinghouse demand for steam.