Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice older book in great condition. Pages in good condition. No notes or highlighting. Some marking on cover. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> All British steam locomotives had “plate” frames where the main frames are each constructed of one piece vertical steel plates usually just over lin thick. These frames are lighter but less flexible than bar frames and more suited for well laid and ballasted track but had two disadvantages firstly axle boxes which until the develop- ment of modern electric arc welding techniques could not be positioned in line with the centre of the frame and secondly they were more liable to crack as a result of metal fatigue. Bar frames on the other hand were stronger if heavier and permitted the axle boxes to be placed in line with the frame centre. They were also more suitable for badly laid track though by the same token the extra weight tended to make bad track worse. Another disadvantage was that it was not possible to have a narrow firebox between the frames although for good steaming on poor fuel a wide firebox is better. Compared to the Riddles “Austerities” the American 2-8-0s had several features at that time standard on most big American steam locos such as self cleaning smoke- boxes rocking grates and hopper ashpans that were to influence H. G. Ivatt and his last L.M.S. designs and through them the whole range of B.R. standard locomotives. The degree of this influence forms the subject of a later chapter. The story of the building of the American 2-8-0s is a fascinating one; being prob ably the only case where “locomotives by committee” were a complete success. The design premise was specified by the British Ministry of Supply as it was for the Austerities thereafter the Americans were left very much to their own devices. R. A. Riddles director of the M.O.S. has confirmed that the American built engines bad to conform to a composite loading gauge of the main companies to avoid any route restrictions.