The dull weather in York city centre yesterday gave way to sunnier conditions for my second trip of the day into the city centre. This time I was going to the railway station for a steam hauled charter train on its way south from Newcastle to London which was due to pass through York around 6pm.
That route was one of those for which these graceful machines were designed, and it was lovely to see this locomotive back at work after its recent overhaul, which cost around £800,000 and took over six years.
Much of the overhaul took place in the railway museum at York, but was completed elsewhere when the museum needed the workshop space where it was housed for redevelopment.
This locomotive has appeared several times on our project - just search 'sir nigel gresley' for more photos and history of it.
That's a super looking engine - love the shape that lets you see all the wheels. Is that a shape that would have been modified over time in order to be a safer design for people...hide away more of the moving parts? :)
However, regular maintainance and oiling of the motion and bearings was made more difficult with the lower streamlining, and it was removed during the Second World War and never replaced for normal services. Two preserved examples have had the lower streamlining replaced. There was a strong move on all new locomotives built in the 1950s to make things more accessible for maintenance, so all the drive parts were made more exposed - this was before Health and Safety!
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
It is really nice to see these graceful locomotives at work. Hopefully it won't be too long before there is another chance!
Ian
Good question! When first built more of the tops of the wheels were covered, as can be seen on a sister locomotive here - https://365project.org/fishers/365/2023-05-27
However, regular maintainance and oiling of the motion and bearings was made more difficult with the lower streamlining, and it was removed during the Second World War and never replaced for normal services. Two preserved examples have had the lower streamlining replaced. There was a strong move on all new locomotives built in the 1950s to make things more accessible for maintenance, so all the drive parts were made more exposed - this was before Health and Safety!
Ian
Thank you Brian - I love to see steam locomotives at work!
Ian