Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

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S.A.C. Martin

Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by S.A.C. Martin »

Mickey wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 1:40 pm Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?. I doubt it.
410 examples that worked from 1942 up to the end of steam, replacing many tired and work out locomotives on a variety of lines and doing everything from freight to express and everything inbetween. Sounds like an excellent locomotive. :wink:
I want my Stanier black 5 an engineman's engine. :wink:
Non-standard within its own class with a variety of variants and yes, a very solid design. It, the B1 and the Hall likely good contenders for Britain's best steam locomotive.
Mickey
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Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by Mickey »

I like my GWR & LMS locos more Mr. Martin. :wink:
Original start date of 2010 on the LNER forum and previously posted 4500+ posts.
Mickey
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Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by Mickey »

I may be wrong but the Black 5s appeared to operate all over the London Midland region of B.R. and on all the other B.R. regions as well but the B1s appeared to be mainly confined to the Eastern region & North Eastern region of B.R.

Maybe it's because tons of amateur film exists of Black 5s especially during the last few years of steam ending in August 1968 as opposed to B1s?.
Original start date of 2010 on the LNER forum and previously posted 4500+ posts.
S.A.C. Martin

Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by S.A.C. Martin »

Mickey wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:49 am I may be wrong but the Black 5s appeared to operate all over the London Midland region of B.R. and on all the other B.R. regions as well but the B1s appeared to be mainly confined to the Eastern region & North Eastern region of B.R.
You are - totally - wrong. B1s appeared over virtually all of the ex-LNER routes, including but not limited to virtually the whole of Scotland, up and down the ECML, most of the GER region's mainlines, they alsonran on the ex-GCR lines and more, and were even seen on ex-Midland lines too. B1s were also borrowed to cover the work of the Bulleid Pacifics on the Southern region, with Gresley V2s, for a time, when the Bulleids were withdrawn for crank axle checking and replacement post-Bibby Line.
Maybe it's because tons of amateur film exists of Black 5s especially during the last few years of steam ending in August 1968 as opposed to B1s?.
I would say that's your perspective Mickey - B1s were some of the last steam locomotives running on BR including in departmental stock. The black fives are probably more famous by way of the 20 Guinea Specials - but by 1968 virtually all steam locos were meant to be withdrawn, so whats a year or so?
Mickey
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Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by Mickey »

The dvds that I always watch Mr.Martin are chock full of Black 5s & 8Fs seen around the north west during the early mid 1960s up to the end of B.R. steam on August 11th 1968. The last three steam sheds on B.R. namely Loststock Hall, Rose Grove & Carnforth were full of Black 5s & 8Fs until August 1968. :wink:
Original start date of 2010 on the LNER forum and previously posted 4500+ posts.
S.A.C. Martin

Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by S.A.C. Martin »

So you're watching DVDs on ex-LMS sheds and are seeing ex-LMS locos at them? Shocker! :lol:
rockinjohn
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Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by rockinjohn »

Hi, well Mickey watched what was available &to be truthful I got fed up, sadly on a diet of 5MT&8F along with 9F on ex.LNWR lines/areas, bit like expecting Maunsell /Stirling in the late 40's just wasn't filmed(think about the avg wage/processing costs) made do with WC&MN along with Standards out of Waterloo in '67 like Bo Diddley said (we) "Cant judge a book by looking @ the cover"me I watch the the N2's on the widened lines a lot along with the B1's on the "CBE"in fact right back we're we started from B1's rule.....jj
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NZRedBaron
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Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by NZRedBaron »

So, I'm wondering something about the B1's; I can't find any comprehensive lists about when they entered service; at most, I found when most of the named examples entered service (which incidentally lead me to find that 1040 Roedeer seemingly entered service in April 1946, seven months before any of the other post-war B1's, for some reason).

Does anyone have any information at hand?
rockinjohn
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Re: 9F automatic stokers

Post by rockinjohn »

Hi all one intresting fact of the 9F's were the three(3) Saltley(21A) members 92165/66/67 that were fitted with automatic stokers which would have come in handy for the longer/faster Eastern Region turns if pursued,the 3 were allocated to a very tough long way round Washwood Heath-Carlisle fast fitted freight turn ,that went via the S&C route,it wasn't always easy when the screw feed became jammed & firing was then done thru a far more restricted firehole until the jam was manually cleared by hand or reversal of the screw feed,the job was before the specific design &allocation of the 9F class members,carried out by 21A Black Fives a tough roster with the fireman from exhaustion being helped off the footplate by his mate on arrival on the Northbound on occasions.jj
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thesignalman
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Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by thesignalman »

Ha ha, you've read the same book as I have. I filed mine under fiction.

John
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Re: Was the B1 one of the best UK steam locos?

Post by Hatfield Shed »

NZRedBaron wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:08 am So, I'm wondering something about the B1's; I can't find any comprehensive lists about when they entered service; at most, I found when most of the named examples entered service (which incidentally lead me to find that 1040 Roedeer seemingly entered service in April 1946, seven months before any of the other post-war B1's, for some reason).

Does anyone have any information at hand?
Cannot validate it for accuracy, but the compilation BR Railway Locos 1948-1968 by Hugh Longworth supplies an explanation.

There was an order for 40 placed on Darlington, and these were numbered 1000 to 1039 inclusive, build dates from 1942 to 1947.
There was an order for 100 placed with North British, and these were numbered 1040 to 1139 inclusive, 1040's build date is April 1946.
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