But, in 2019, with hired-in '54XX' Pannier 6430 remaining on site until a photographic charter at the beginning of March, it was decided to additionally run trains around the School Half-term Holiday in February. 6430 was to operate four round trips on Saturday/Sunday 16/17th February, Wednesday 20th February and Saturday/Sunday 23/24th February. In addition, the Diesel Multiple Unit ran four round trips on Tuesday 19th February and Thursday 21st February.
Pannier Tank 6430: Brass cabside number plate.
I was happy to volunteer as a driver during this experiment. 'Pannier' 6430, built in 1937, had arrived during 2018 in time to participate in the October Steam Gala (the first of my two reports on the Steam Gala is here). At the end of 2018, sister engine 6412, built in 1934, joined 6430 and both locomotives had operated the Battlefield Line 'Santa Specials'. I'd had a couple of days driving 6412 and there's a brief report on the 'Santa' trains here. On 1st January 2019, before 6412 left the site, 6412 and 6430 'top and tailed' a 4-coach service commemorating the last train between Monmouth and Chepstow sixty years earlier. There's a post on that re-enactment here. So, the Half-term Holiday trains were my opportunity to drive 6430 before she left Shackerstone for a visit to the Severn Valley Railway.
Last Train Monmouth-Chepstow Re-enactment: 6430 leaving Shackerstone with the second top-and-tailed train of the day.
The Great Western 'Panniers'
My post outlining the extensive Great Western 'Panniers' fleet is here. The most numerous were the '57XX' class (whose numbering spilled over into 6700, 8750, 9700, 7700 and 9600 series) I'd previously worked on five 'Panniers' from that group (5764, 5786, 7752, 7760, 9600) and also on one of Hawksworth's '94XX'class (9466) but I'd not had a chance to try the '54XX' class until the 2018 'Santas', when I drove 6412 and then, during the Half-term Holiday, I drove 6430.
The 54XX/64XX/74XX Panniers
"5400" (Railway Publishing Co. Ltd. 1938)
Click for larger view
In 1932, Collett built 25 of the '54XX' class as replacements for a number of elderly 'Panniers' which had been auto-fitted for passenger working. Whilst the '57XX' introduced by Collett in 1929 had 4 foot 7.5 inch diameter wheels, the first batch of '52XX' had 5 foot 2 inch diameter wheels, presumably to improve their top speed on passenger trains. Whereas the 'do-anything' '57XX' had lever reversers (more convenient when frequently changing direction during shunting but heavy when 'linking up' with steam on), screw reversers were fitted on the '54XX'. In addition, whilst the '57XX' had a flat grate (normally fired 'saucer-shape'), the '54XX' had a sloping grate (responding to a thicker fire at the back). A welcome change was the use of underhung laminated springs on the trailing coupled axle, rather than the dual coil springs projecting into the cab of the '57XX' which made the footplate rather confined.
These engines were quite well-received but a following batch of 40 (the '64XX') had smaller 4 foot 7.5 inch diameter wheels, apparently to improve hill-climbing on steeply-graded lines in South Wales. They were also auto-fitted.
A final batch of 50 locomotives (the '74XX') were not auto-fitted but provided with 180 p.s.i. boilers.
The following views show the Link Motion between the frames on 6430 and the screw reverser in the cab of sister engine 6412.
Pannier Tank 6430: View from left side showing (L-R) Right Crank near front dead centre, four Eccentrics and Left Crank (90 degrees 'behind' right crank). The green painted pipe at the top is the Balance Pipe linking the two Pannier Water Tanks.
Pannier Tank 6430: Link motion, view looking left from right side with curved Expansion Links in the foreground with Eccentric Rods extending to left and black-painted Vacuum Pump bolted to inside of left frame in background.
6412, showing Screw Reverser
Initially, I was only rostered on Wednesday 20th February but, at the last minute, I was also drafted in as driver on the first day of operations, Saturday 16th February when Jamie W. was Fireman and Steve W. was Cleaner. We had an enjoyable day carrying out four round trips to Shenton. The same timetable was repeated on my second 'turn', when Ritchie M. was firing. Both days were very enjoyable, with pleasant weather and, I thought, very reasonable passenger numbers.
I was pleased to add two of the '64XX' class to my list of locomotives worked on. These are capable, versatile engines.
Related posts on other websites
There's further information on the '54XX' class and the sub-classes in Wikipedia here and in the Great Western Archive pages Introduction and Details of Allocation here.
Related posts on this website
G.W.R. 0-6-0PT 'Pannier' tank locomotives
Water, water, everywhere
Santa Specials at the Battlefield Line 2018
Last Train Monmouth-Chepstow Re-enactment.
All my Battlefield Line posts.
My photograph albums
Where necessary, clicking on an image above will display an 'uncropped' view or, alternately, pictures may be selected, viewed or downloaded, in various sizes, from the albums listed:-
6412 GWR Pannier Tank.
6430 GWR Pannier Tank.
All my Battlefield Line pictures.
