LNER Decapod

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61650GTFC
NER J27 0-6-0
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:59 pm
Location: GRIMSBY
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Post by 61650GTFC »

If anyone is interested in a model Decapod South Eastern Finecast do a 4mm scale kit. There was an article in Railway Modeller a few years ago on its history and the kit. I do not seem to still have it in my collection though.
Andrew Craig-Bennett
LNER N2 0-6-2T
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:05 pm
Location: Woodbridge, suffolk

Post by Andrew Craig-Bennett »

There is a splendid photograph of James Holden standing in front of the Decapod in the "Wikipedia" entry for the locomotive:

Image

James Holden certainly looks the part, and he shows just what a massive brute the "Decapod" was!

The profusion of safety valves is evident!

The first British locomotive with three high pressure cylinders, it also (leaving nothing to chance!) had automatic sanding gear, which was operated by opening the regulator! The grate area was more than that of the Gresley Pacifics.

I suppose this ought really to be a photograph of Frederick Vernon Russell, Holden's Chief Draughtsman, (who seems to be credited with having actually designed almost every locomotive on the GER!) but actually I suspect that Holden and Russell co-operated happily.

The inside cylinder, which was horizontal like the outside cylinders, drove the second axle by way of a connecting rod which looped round the first exle. Holden and Russell jointly patented this, in Britain and in the USA, which suggests to me that they got on well.

All the photos I have seen seem to show the engine in "photographic grey" and I wonder if it was ever Royal Blue?
PaulG
NER J27 0-6-0
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:18 am
Location: Sheringham, Norfolk
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Post by PaulG »

We have published a lot of information about Decapod in the GERS Journal and a number of photos of the loco under construction are available, albeit we have never found a left hand view of the loco as built. Has anyone seen such a photo?

The loco was never intended for service, it was built to demonstrate a steam loco could acheive an acceleration of 330 tons to 30mph in 30sec, as that of the proposed rival electric railway. It neaded two fireman working flat out in the tests just to keep the boiler up to pressure!

To carry out the tests the carriages were loaded with pig iron, but dispite several attempts, achieving 30mph in 30sec was only acheived by apparently secretly removing the load!

It is very strange that papers of the time called it a success and the rival company didn't challange the results.

However, the loco was a success in defeating the tram Parlimentary Bill.

The trial on Sunday June 28 1903 included 12 other GER engines, each loco making four trips. Thats a total of 52 tests, which must have made a long day for the staff.

The other interesting point is that although Stratford acheived some very advanced engineering concepts in the design of the loco, very little was used in subsequent loco design.

Very little about the actual events surrounding the tests etc survive. It appears that the loco was designed and built for one purpose. It acheived the necessary result and was dumped at the back of the Works, files destroyed and life went on as though nothing had happened!

Very little of Decapod was reused in the 0-8-0 tender loco.

Further reading:
Great Eastern Railway Society Journal No 114 April 2003.
Railway World August 1964.

Regards

Paul
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