Bulleid "Leader" Class 0-6-6-0T
Testing and Development
| The first major problem arose in November 1949 when Riddles realised that the fireman's job would be untenable and that to make it acceptable would involve major changes at high cost, so he ordered that work on the second to fifth engines should be stopped. Then in December, with the locomotive nowhere near ready for traffic, he arranged for Bulleid to stay at BR for another three months before departing for Ireland. |
| 36001 inside Brighton works during February 1949.
photograph: Mike Morant collection. |
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| Finally, in March 1950, the engine was ready and Bulleid wrote to Missenden (now at Marylebone) and Riddles on 8th March saying that he was "quite satisfied the engine can be made a useful and valuable locomotive". However, two days later Jarvis at Brighton reported that the engine had many shortcomings, notably it would be too heavy for many of its proposed routes, the enclosure and lubrication of the engines, axleboxes and springs was very unsatisfactory, that its increased steam chest volumes and port areas, and the reduced clearance volumes, would have a minimal effect on Thermal Efficiency and that the firebricks used to replace firebox water-legs were not successful. He went on to say that the disappointing progress was more to do with the detail design than the broad conception. He said that self-aligning axle bearings were essential, that the fireman's confined space dangerous in the event of a blow-back, that the valve gear was unsatisfactory on three counts and that the wheels should have been smaller. |
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"Leader" 36001 outside Brighton works. The paint scheme was an
attractive grey with red and white lining out.
This photograph of the "Leader" was posted to the alt.binaries.pictures.rail newsgroup and is believed to be in the public domain. If anyone knows otherwise then please contact us. |
| In the light of this damning report it was quite surprising
that Riddles still supported the concept and wanted the trials to continue,
unlike his colleagues. He was, however, looking at the wider picture as,
having just announced the twelve "standard" designs of steam engine
to be built by British Railways that, due to a lack of cash, were all based on
the best of existing practice, he could see a steam future for any success that
might emerge. Despite spiralling costs for the prototype (estimated in
September 1948 as £100,000 against expenditure to January 1950 of
£176,000) the engine was being prepared for dynamometer car trials, and
that if these showed significant advantages consideration would be given to
continuing to build the remaining engines. This would have to address the
weight problem which, at 24½ tons was 5½ tons over the weight
estimates given to the Civil Engineer, plus a side-to-side variation of 10
tons. The Railway Executive endorsed his decision and "Leader" was
off for dyanamometer trials.
The trials proved interesting and incorporated such highs for those involved as exhilarating high speed runs or lows such as sitting and watching for malfunction of the valve rods. Six draughtsmen were nearly suffocated due to a freak vacuum created in Crowborough tunnel and at one time the loco carried 18 people on the footplate at the same time. The loco also attracted many visitors, including M. Chapelon who was very interested in the sleeve valves and the four syphon arrangement. |
| Another outing with a test train, this time photographed at Oxted.
This photograph of the "Leader" was posted to the alt.binaries.pictures.rail newsgroup and is believed to be in the public domain. If anyone knows otherwise then please contact us. |
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| As the trials progressed various modifications were carried out, such as more clearance to axlebox pedastals, ballast added on one side to correct trim, the firebox lining thickened, the clearance in the liners doubled, the back ring removed from the sleeve valves and the oscillating gear removed from the valve gear. Poor steaming caused by the reduction in grate area following the increase in firebricks was remedied by reducing the size of the blast pipe nozzels, but this led to excessive fire-throwing. To correct this a brick arch was added, but this caused flames to lick around the firehole door, worsening the fireman's position. The rocker grate originally fitted was removed and replaced by a drop grate. To alleviate over-travel of the valves maximum cut-off was reduced to 65%, but this led to poor starting. Furthermore, there were a number of other problems that were on the "to do" list, such as the motion pins corroding in the oil bath, the main cause of which was leaving the engine standing with water in the sump, the brake release time was too long, circlips tended to break and allow motion pins to fall out and oil was being wasted due to the unsatisfctory drive to the circulating pump. |
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"Leader" 36001 coupled to the Doncaster dynamometer car.
This photograph of the "Leader" was posted to the alt.binaries.pictures.rail newsgroup and is believed to be in the public domain. If anyone knows otherwise then please contact us. |
| The result of all this was that a poor report following the dynamometer trials was issued in December 1950, with the decision to scrap the whole project being taken in March 1951 when more electrification and diesels were in prospect. Capricious to the end, 36001 "Leader" made a last trip on 2nd November 1950, after the dynamometer car had been returned to Darlington, during which it took a 480 ton train, accelerated it to its permitted maximum of 50mph and held the section times whilst showing what could have been! |
| With her cylinders open to the elements, 36001 looks a
rather sad sight.
This photograph of the "Leader" was posted to the alt.binaries.pictures.rail newsgroup and is believed to be in the public domain. If anyone knows otherwise then please contact us. |
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| The abandonment of the "Leader" programme was not, however, the end of the double bogie experiment as Bulleid managed to persuade his new bosses in Ireland to allow him to build a turf burning version at Inchicore. Building on the knowledge gained at Brighton this was far more successful than the "Leader", but was never developed beyond the prototype. That, however, is a story for other pages. |
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Following the abandonment of the programme the members of the
class were stored at various places around the central section, e.g. Brighton,
New Cross Gate and Bognor, before being broken up. Here the part-built remains
of Nº36003 were photographed at Bognor shed on 27th May 1950
Photograph by Les Darbyshire |
| Bibliography: Bulleid of the Southern, H A V Bulleid, Ian Allan 1977, ISBN 071100689X | |
With the exception of the first and last ones, which are
copyright,
the photographs on this page are understood to be in the public domain
This page was amended 16 Ocober 2008
