Great Western Coffee Shop

Class 57 Pendennis Castle looking magnificent as it trundled down the seafront at Dawlish today - was doing about 20mph and looking a bit lonely with out a sleeper set to haul.
Later it came back up through Newton Abbot presumeably after a visit to Laira.

Reason for mentioning it's trip is that when it went 'down' Dawlish seafront it was on the 'up' line which is reversible for adverse weather conditions but today was quite balmy - bit odd.

Being used for driver training according to reports on wnxx

Many thanks - there were two in the cab.

i seen pics elsewhere of pendennis castle in torquay or paignton light engine in the last couple of days. cant remember for the life of me where i seen it though!

And there was i thinking that Pendennis Castle was near Falmouth  ::)

Yes it still is, can just about see from my window!

Don't worry, it looked a lot better with 1A91 hanging on the back this afternoon from Plymouth to Exeter.
 ;D

57604 has been in use this week for driver training. Three HSS  (ex West) drivers (including yours truly) being trained and one HSS driver being refreshed on class 57. The loco diverted to Plymouth today to assist 1A91 which had problems with one power car. 57604 returns to London tonight on 1A40.

I understand there are going to be some trains booked to run 'wrong road' Dawlish Warren - Teignmouth from the December Timetable. Not quite sure what the rationale was yesterday but it provided some useful refreshing for the 57ists on the way to Plymouth with 57604 on the light engine run. 25mph speed through the crossovers at each end.

For the benefit of the confused, this is Pendennis Castle:

(http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/95/037aj.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/233/037aj.jpg/)

CfN  ;D

No! This is Pendennis Castle:

(http://www.google.co.uk/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/220104701_a741cea519.jpg&sa=X&ei=NKSYTp7pCoKO8gOSkvXMBQ&ved=0CAsQ8wc4WA&usg=AFQjCNFzRdgvokfGtxSA6afM9i0RG2YMrQ)

 ;D

(http://serve.mysmiley.net/fighting/fighting0074.gif) (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-love-smileys.php)

 ;) :D ;D

Slightly different (and to my mind rather more splendid) shade of green nowadays. ;D

Agreed. Nice images to be found online, but none where I was sure of the copyright situation.

Gallery here of Pendennis Castle in her current livery (including a shot of 57604 from this week's route learning):

http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/imaging.centre/stock/viewloco.php?sid=57604

Oh dear, Marsden never seems to get it quite right, the drivers were learning class 57/6 locomotives not learning the road. Part of this involves running 'light locomotive' as the braking technique is different running minus trailing load.

A hell of a lot quicker stopping i'd imagine!

Actually completely the opposite as coaches have a higher percentage of brake force (ie the total force applied by the brake cylinders to the blocks) in relation to their overall weight. Locomotives are typically limited to 50% brake force in relation to their overall weight. Any more than this puts more heat into the tyres and wheels than they can withstand, you get spalled treads and shifted tyres.

That is correct, it takes longer to stop a light Loco, than a loco & train.
Unless it's Unfitted but that type of working is in the History books.

The Big advantage Rail has over other modes of transport (ships excepted) is that due to the Very Low rolling resistance of Steel on Steel, starting can be a problem.
Applying too much power on starting and wheel slip occurs, yes it can even happen on Dry Rails.

But the reverse is also true, Braking & Stopping a train is an ART that drivers learn, apply to much Brake force and Wheels Lock, and Sliding wheels have No (or Very Very little)  Brake force at all.
It's a Fact that a Sliding Train can Pick up Speed going Down Hill, even on a shallow gradiant.

SO spare a thought for Train Drivers these next few weeks as they try to get going and have to use all their wit's to stop during the annual leaf fall season. It's not a joke some crushed leafs turn into a substance like GLASS.

In Steam Days, a Wonderful advantage of the Steam Loco was the STEAM Brake, which was Far more powerful than the Vacuum Brake, applying steam on the Reverse side of the Cylinder, causing the forward motion to compress said steam, it was a constantly changing Brakeforce, (on very stroke of the piston)  so wheel lock was very rare, very much the same as pumping car brakes on Icey roads.

Diesels Locos from the 1950's up to the Early 1970's didn't have this Brake  available so to increase the length of Unfitted or Part fitted freight trains BR introduced the BRAKE tender, a Heavy low wagon with powerful brakes.
Oddly these Brake Tenders could run infront or behind the Loco, any pictures of said Brake tenders anyone.

deleted

Could someone enlighten me as to which service is 1A91 :P

1400 Penz - Padd

Why? He didn't have to hitch 57604 on, the 57 training school did all that! ;)

Plenty on the www http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/images/donations/Bernard%20Coomber/Calder%20Valley/English%20electric%20type%204%20(now%20class%2040)%20with%20brake%20tender%20passes%20under%20Sands%20Lane%20road%20bridge%20Mirfield%20with%20empty%20coal%20wagons%20fo.jpg