(23)LMSNo7124butrenumberedasBR12037andyettohavethepre-nationalisationownershipdecalsremoved.NodatebutlikelyatCreweasthiswasits homedepotuntil1954.Thechalkmarkindicates‘RadiatorEmpty’soperhapsservicing/maintenanceistakingplace.Minordamagetothefrontstep handrailand,darewesay,typicalgrimelivery.Shuntersdieselorsteamwerecertainlynotaprioritywhenitcametocleaning.InBRdaysafterspellsat CreweandthenWillesden,No12034spent11yearsatChesterfromwhereitwaswithdrawninOctober1968.
Left(32):No10000ona‘mediumwork’ freightperhaps?Moreaccuratelya ‘ClassDExpressfreight’.Although certainlycapable,thedieselwas hamperedinexactlythesamewayas steamonthistypeofworking;notall thewagonsofthetrainbeingbraked. Notnecessarilyinthisinstance,butit wasalltooeasyforthedieseldriverto unintentionallyexceedthepreferred speedforthistypeoftrainwhichmight resultinahotaxleboxonafollowing wagon.Thereareseveralreasonswhy No10000mightbeonthisturn;atest ortrial,partoftheregulardiagramin theAutumn/Wintermonths(seelater comment),ameanstomovetheengine from‘A’to‘B’andearnrevenueatthe sametime,ortheenginewassuffering adefectrenderingit(temporarily) unsuitableforpassengerworking.
Left(33)ControldeskofNo10000.Themaincontrollerhadeightnotches withtherecommendationthatpositions3,6and8weretheoptimumfor obtainingthemostpowerfromtheengine–theenginewouldrunat 620rpminnotches3to6inclusive.(Thefiringorderofthe‘V’shaped16 cylinderenginewas1F,8B,5F,4B,7F,2B,3F,6B,8F,1B,4F,5B,2F,7B,6F, 3B.)Onecriticismoftheenginewasthatthevacuumexhausterwasnot consideredparticularlyefficientbysomedrivers;arapidbrakeapplication meaningtheexhausterwouldnotoperatequicklyenoughtoblowoffthe brakesresultinginstoppingshortoftheintendedpoint.Forthisreason driverswouldlearntomakeseveralshortbrakeapplicationswhen slowing.
Opposite(34andinset35):Refuellingwasobviouslydifferentto,andalot easier,thanforsteam.Againanearlyimageandfornootherreasonthat thebogiesareyettoreceivetheircoatingofworkadaygrime.Nolocation isgivensomentionshouldbemadethatrefuellingwassometimesbythe simplemethodofconnectingapipefromanearbyrailwagon.As necessary,waterwouldalsohavetobetakenforthetrainheatboiler.
(43):Inthe‘Fellcountry’.ItmustbesaidtheLMSengineswereverymuchatestbedforthefutureanditwouldcertainlynotbefairtosaytheirperformance orreliabilitywerefaultless.Oneproblemthatemergedveryearlyonwasoilleakagefromthecylinderheadandcrankcasecoverandwhichcertainlydidnot helptowardsmaintenancewhentheengineroomcouldbeaplacecoveredinoil.Notfornoreasonweretheearlydieselsrenownedfordepositingoilall overthesystem–butthenagaintheSouthernengineswerelittle,ifany,better.
