Deltics Alive And Well In Plymouth

[whole diary]

[Karl]

Morning

Well, coming back from a little jaunt to the
"Swanage Railway" whilst awaiting my connection
back to Cornwall, I spotted something that I
thought I would never see again.  Something I
thought had gone up to that big engine shed in
the sky, was infact alive and well in Plymouth!

Spotted basking in the sun on various platform's
proudly sporting their pre TOPS^▸ (Total Operations Processing System) numbers in a
rather too dark version of BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Blue were 9010
"The Kings Own Scottish Borderers" - Edinburgh
Haymarket, 9011 "The Royal Northumberland
Fusiliers" - Gateshead, 9012 "Crepello" - Finsbury
Park and 9014 "The Duke Of Wellington's Regiment" -
Gateshead.  I couldn't believe it, FOUR DELTICS
IN ONE DAY!!!!!  Well I think these machines need to
have some transfer names and crests made up to
be re-applied! LOL^▸ ('laughing out loud').

http://www.napierchronicals.co.uk/19_10-8-81.htm

A pic for the uneducated on Deltics and only working
on one of its two power units!  Emagine the exhust
if both were working.  If anyone finds a sound
track on the web of one of these magnificent
machines, be prepared to have your speakers blown
out as 9013/55013 did to my TV^▸ (Thames Valley)!  The closset a man
made machine will get to a living crechure.

Well of create some serious ZZZZZ's.

Regards

Karl.

[Karl]

Correct link:

http://www.napierchronicles.co.uk/19_10-8-81.htm

Regaards

Karl.

[corshamjim]

Thank you for reminding me - don't know much about engines myself but I remember our Tech Drawing teacher at school (in the early '80s) enthusing about the design of the deltic engine.

It prompted me to do some googling - the animation at http://www.wis.co.uk/justin/deltic-engine.html is worth a look to see how all those pistons work together.  Having never heard a deltic myself, I can't say whether the soundtrack does it justice or not.

[Karl]

Afternoon Jim and All

First, just in case anyone was wondering about
my statement 'Deltics being at plymouth', I was
talking about the water browser's that seemed to
have adopted a Deltic number scheme!  Gave you
all a few days to see if you could work it out,
especially for those who use or pass there
fequently.

Looked at the link Jim sent which is very good,
but it could elaborate a bit more on the railway
versions of Napier power unit.

There were two versions of this power unit used,
the prototype Deltic (DP1), and the production run
having two Napier 18-25 'B' power units (much
different to the 'A' type used by the Royal Navy).
There were over 300 differences between DP1 and
the production run, the biggest ones being DP1 had
hollow axles as opposed to solid ones and the
production had a 4 half chain clearence, where as
DP1 had a probmatic 6 chains.  In fact DP1 bogie
steps took half the coaping stones of Manors
Station (Newcastle), and also at Darlington.

DP1 "Deltic" link:

http://www.d7606.fotopic.net/p9639941.html

Other Deltic Links:

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Tomlinson.htm

http://www.napiercronicles.co.uk/power_unit_1.html

Deltic Spcs:

Engines: 2X 18cly Napier 18-25 at 1.650bhp at 1,500rpm.
Weight: 100 tons.
Maximum Tractive Effort 50,000Ib.
Total Bhp: 3,300.
Transmission: six English Electric EE750 25G axle hung
nose-suspended traction motors.
Driving Wheel Diameter 3'7"

The second type of Napier power unit was in the
Baby Deltics which had one Napier T9-T29 power
unit.  These locos proved to be unsucessful, however
rummor has it the Railway Technical Centre at Derby
(which had one for test purposes), managed to iron out
all the problems and was a very popular loco.  The baby
deltics had a sound of there own, which it has been
reconed to sound simular to the 1950-60's Foden 2 stroke
engine used particually in the concreate mixer of this
truck, but many times louder!

Baby Deltic Link:

http://therailwaycentre.com/pages%20loco/Illus_23.html

There was also a plan for a super deltic loco as
well with a T18-27 18 cyl engine rated at 4,400bhp.
The plan was to produce a c20 design, with one of
these units and also, a loco that looked quite
simular to a c50, with two of these power units. but
Neither came into production, due to BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))'s mistrust
of high reving power units.  I have heard a story that
Railway Technical Centre were looking to fit a Napier
unit into the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) as well at one point.

Regards

Karl.

[Karl]

Done it again with th links!  Refer to above
message for links.

Deltic power unit:

http://www.napierchronicles.co.uk/power_unit_1.htm

Baby Deltic:

http://www.therailwaycentre.com/pages%20Loco/Recognition%20loco/Illus_23.html

Regards

Karl.

[Karl]

Morning

Sorry for bringing a sightly older topic alive
again, but thought some of you may be interested
in knowing that one of these legendary machines is
paying a rare visit to the South West this Saturday.
A lot of railwayman who don't usually take an interest
always seem to come out in mass to see these machines,
soft spot??  If anyone wants to go out and see real
traction at work, real exhuast pollution and noise
then:

55022 "Royal Scots Grey"

Birmingham New Street 05:26
Bristol Temple Meads 08:15/18
Exeter St Davids 09:29
Newton Abbot 09:52
Totnes 10:08
Plymouth 10:37/52 - 18:07/12
Liskeard 11:20 - 17:42
Bodmin Parkway 11:32/34 - 17:27/29
Par 11:43 - 17:18
Truro 12:07/09 - 16:52/54
Camborne 12:25 - 16:38
Penzance 12:43 - 16:15

Sorry I only collated return times as far as
Plymouth, but I can dig the rest out for anyone
who wants them.

For those who don't about Deltics, this picture
is the best I have found to sum them up:

http://www.napierchronicles.co.uk/19_10_81.htm

Regards

Karl.

[devon_metro]

It runs that early?

Damn, didn't realise.

[devon_metro]

Made a lovely sight passing Dawlish Warren today.