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Is there a solution to the 9F mainline ban?

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Cowley

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What was the last outing of a 9F on the mainline? Would be curious to know the date / what tour it was etc.
Not sure, but it would probably have been 92220 Evening Star sometime around 1986-88 time.
 
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Cowley

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After a bit of research using the fantastic resources of Six Bells Junction I found this:

https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/880807_1.htm

On 7th August 1988 it ran from York to Hull via Scarborough.
Ah well done.
I’ve remembered now that it was listed in the Platform 5 books back then as still being mainline registered in 1988.

Re Black Prince though - I don’t recall that working railtours?
I think it may have moved under its own power from wherever it was purchased by David Shepherd to Longmoor, and it obviously worked at Merehead a few times, but was that all?
 
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Malcmal

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Ah well done.
I’ve remembered now that it was listed in the Platform 5 books back then as still being mainline registered in 1988.

Re Black Prince though - I don’t recall that working railtours?
I think it may have moved under its own power from wherever it was purchased by David Shepherd to Longmoor, and it obviously worked at Merehead a few times, but was that all?

92203 did work tours on the main line up to 1975 but I don't see anything after that.
 

chrisp86

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Both 92203 and 92212 have run at Merehead (and also an s160).
I was lead to believe that 92212 was overhauled to 'mainline standard' under her first overhaul at the MHR but could not get approval due to the flangeless centre driver issue.

Chris
Didn't a 9F haul a stone train in/around/near Merehead quarry in the mid 90s? I'm sure I have a dim and distant memory of reading an article and seeing photos in Steam Railway or similar.
Or it might have been in an older mag donated to me by one of the guys at the steam railway I volunteered at.
 

colchesterken

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As they do not do heavy work anymore would it be possible to grind say 1/2" off the flangless Tyre so it is above the check rails
If need be a new Tyre could be fitted in the future
 

trebor79

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As they do not do heavy work anymore would it be possible to grind say 1/2" off the flangless Tyre so it is above the check rails
If need be a new Tyre could be fitted in the future
I think all that would do would be to cause the centre driver axle to drop half an inch. Remember the motion has to allow for independent vertical movement on each axle. Having some of the wheels with a significantly shorter diameter would cause problems with excessive wear on axle box guides and possibly damage to the motion too - there will be a sideways force component when axles aren't perfectly virtually aligned, due to connecting rods no longer being horizontal). Usually these loads are transient but there would be a significant permanent load in top of the transients. Furthermore, the natural movement when underway may then cause the differential to exceed some maximum and cause rapid failure of a crank pin or other component.
Short answer "no".
 

Mogz

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I believe 92203 visited Shotwick sidings (South Wirral) in 1997 (technically main line?) but that there was indeed a derailment of some sort at the event.

Does anyone know any more about this?
 

Townsend Hook

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If enough money was thrown at this idea could a solution be found? Probably. Is it worth it? Probably not. You’d end up with a loco which is, realistically, limited to 45mph or so (as main line registered 8Fs are) with a list of route restrictions as long as your arm.
 

blackfive460

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92220 also ran to York on 28th August '88 (there is a photo of it on-line) and it was photographed at Selby.

I think you'll find that was 29th August 1988.
That was the 9Fs final main line run. Despite its boiler ticket having expired earlier in the year it gained an extension for one last run.
The route was York - Selby - Anlaby Curve - Bridlington - Scarborough - York - Leeds - Harrogate - York.
 

HSP 2

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IIRC the 9Fs had three different wheel profiles, the notations are my own as my books are away at the moment. Front and rear drivers, P1 full size and thickness flange, second and fourth drivers P2 full depth but reduced thickness flanges, centre driver P3 no flange and a modified wheel tread profile, rather than the normal coned profile it was more like a slight curve. I also think that the centre driver tread was the same thickness as a normal driver was to the back of the flange.
If that is the case I can understand why modern pway engineers are not keen on having 9Fs running on the main lines. Also the only time that I have noticed the raised check rails are on points opposite the common crossing, they may have them on tight curves but I have not noticed any.
I'll try and dig out my books on 9Fs that has the wheel profiles in it.
 

Alan Warren

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A memory of Evening Star on the main line. At Leeds on 29 October 1977 (my photo)Eve star.jpg
 
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