Lionsmeet 2008 was held at Butterley Park Miniature Railway on Saturday, 26-Jul-2008. The railway is within the Midland Railway Centre site in Derbyshire. It was hot for most of the day, with only brief showers.
We were, as usual, made very welcome by the host club and it was a most successful gathering. The format followed the usual pattern, as outlined in the poster for the event reproduced above.
An official report on the proceedings will be published in the Old Locomotive Committee's official organ 'Lionsheart' in due course but, in the meantime, these notes may furnish limited information.
The writer was, once again, 'volunteered' to be the official observer of the dynamometer car readings and enforcer of the competition rules. Alan Bibby proposed the title 'Dynamometrist' for this role, but I rather prefer 'Dynamometrix'. This year, we had seven contestants on six 5-inch 'Lion' models. By convention, the previous year's winner runs first; the order of the remaining contestants is determined by drawing lots.
Jon Swindlehurst: Jon elected to haul three bogie coaches in addition to the obligatory dynamometer car (once again, kindly loaned for the occasion by Guildford Club, through the good offices of David Neish). In addition to the Driver and Dynamometrix, he decided to take four adults and two young people as load. In 10 minutes, he ran 6,410 feet, producing a Work Done figure of 52,500 ft/lbs.
Richard (Southport Club): Richard took the same three bogie coaches and five adults (plus Driver and Dynamometrix) as load. This was the first outing of the locomotive for some time following boiler repairs, but Richard's Work Done was within 5% of Jon's figure. In 10 minutes, he ran 5,620 feet, producing a work done figure of 50,480 ft/lbs.
Martin Reeve (from the Host Club): Martin agreed to substitute a 4-wheel driving trolley for the leading bogie coach (to provide a more effective train brake), giving a load of 2.5 bogie coaches and five adults (plus Driver and Dynamometrix) as load. In 10 minutes, Martin ran 4,530 feet, producing a work done figure of 41,200 ft/lbs.
David Neish: David ran with the same 2.5 bogie coaches and a load of 3 adults and a young man (plus Driver and Dynamometrix). The young man was David's grandson, Douglas, giving three generations of the Neish family in attendance. In 10 minutes, David ran 5,460 feet, producing a work done figure of 46,100 ft/lbs.
Andrew Neish: Andrew then took over his father's engine (permitted by the rules provided no other competitor objects). He added a coach to give 3.5 bogie coaches and a load of 4 adults and Douglas (plus Driver and Dynamometrix). In 10 minutes, Andrew ran 5,500 feet, producing a work done figure of 49,000 ft/lbs.
John Mills: As John started his practice run, the bumping and boring between locomotive and train indicated that all was not well. Observing the locomotive from the side, there seemed to be a serious valve timing problem. John returned to the steaming bays to see if repairs could quickly be effected (again, permitted by the rules provided no other competitor objects). Sadly, as we all rather feared, repairs would require some disassembly and John retired from the competition.
Bill Stubbs: Bill took just 1.5 bogie coaches and an initial load of 1 adult (plus Driver and Dynamometrix). However, suffering some adhesion problems, Bill 'dropped' the adult and carried out his competition run with Driver and Dynamometrix. The locomotive became 'winded' a couple of times, each time necessitating a pause for a 'blow-up'. In 10 minutes, Bill ran a distance of 2,520 feet, producing a work done figure of 8,200 ft/lbs.
Alan Bibby verified and announced the results then Alan from Butterley Park formally returned the Winner's Cup to Jon Swindlehurst, who will thus be required to polish the Cup for a further year! And so, another most enjoyable event came to a close, thanks to the efforts of Alan Bibby and the excellent arrangements made by all the members from Butterley Park.
