Longest journey operated by a steam tank in BR days

[70014IronDuke]

The Central Wales line had BR 80xxx 2-6-4T allocated for the last couple of steam years 1963-4, until dmus took over. They were allocated to both Shrewsbury and Llanelli, and worked right through, must have been a challenge for coal capacity. There was no intermediate loco depot. The type had not previously been on the WR, they were ex-LT&S locos displaced there by electrification. ...

That is one hell of a run for a standard 4 tank, with so many stops and some heavy gradients. I suspect that took some enginemanship. It should really be a new thread - if you have the timetables and loads, could you start one? I'd love to see the timings compared to whatever was on the line prevoiusly - which was what? Funny, I really don't remember any photos of what worked the line - though ISTR 8Fs on goods, when stuff turned west at Llandeilo towards Carmarthen.

In Ireland the ex-NCC 2-6-4T, built at Derby, became common performers on Belfast to Dublin reliefs and excursions towards the end of steam, working right through and back.

That's another one I didn't know. Would have been difficult to match the tender locos, I'd have thought. Did they use the Queens on that route?

 

[Taunton]

I'd love to see the timings compared to whatever was on the line prevoiusly - which was what?

Previously ir was Black 5s, and BR Standard 73xxx equivalents, on through passenger and 8Fs on goods, though this 1961 film shows a through, though stopping, passenger train surprisingly in the hands of a Jubilee, crossing the usual types along the way.

 

[L&Y Robert]

I used to commute from Burnley (Barracks) to Manchester Victoria via Bury and Clifton Junction. The train was always 3 open saloon coaches (they were new then, all clean and shiny and a bit of a novelty) hauled by a standard 2-6-4 tank engine, and the train started from Colne, so the engine would already have run light from Rose Grove. I don't know how far the Colne-Manchester trip is, but I sometimes wondered about fuel and water, especially as the engine had a severe gradient out of Accrington to cope with (Baxenden bank). The return trip (17-25 out of Victoria I think it was) was always a Black 5, after Salford it ran non-stop to Acctington (not even calling at Bury). Plenty of capability there, then.

 

[markindurham]

Some of the LNER's 4-6-2T locos had quite a large capacity, 5 tons in the case of the A7, and the later L1s carried 4.5.

Bear in mind that the A7s were designed for heavy freight though, and were not fitted with either Westinghouse or vacuum brakes, with one exception, fitted briefly to allow it to be trialled on Newcastle-Rowlands Gill-Blackhill-Consett passenger workings. Their larger coal capacity at the time was probably to allow more flexibility allowing for long periods waiting for paths.

The Scarborough-Whitby-Middlesbrough and Middleton in Teesdale - Durham - Sunderland - South Shields workings were pretty long runs for NE tank locos.