• Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Merchant Navy Class Streamlining

Status
Not open for further replies.

alexl92

Established Member
Joined
12 Oct 2014
Messages
2,293
Did the Bulleid Merchant Navy class have two types of streamlining?

I follow a number of people on social media who have recently bought Hornby’s new model of this class and noticed that whilst some have the same streamlining as the West Country/Battle of Britain Light Pacifics, others have casing which appears to be more streamlined, and in fact looks slightly narrower than the other type.

I’ve had a quick look online and altho I can see photos of both types, I can’t see any explanation

Thanks
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Cowley

Forum Staff
Staff Member
Global Moderator
Joined
15 Apr 2016
Messages
16,901
Location
Devon
Did the Bulleid Merchant Navy class have two types of streamlining?

I follow a number of people on social media who have recently bought Hornby’s new model of this class and noticed that whilst some have the same streamlining as the West Country/Battle of Britain Light Pacifics, others have casing which appears to be more streamlined, and in fact looks slightly narrower than the other type.

I’ve had a quick look online and altho I can see photos of both types, I can’t see any explanation

Thanks

I believe they were modified around the front smokebox and chimney area in BR days due to drifting smoke and steam impairing the drivers view, but they also had the side casing in front of the cylinders taken away to make maintenance easier (a similar situation to the A4s).
 

delt1c

Established Member
Joined
4 Apr 2008
Messages
2,149
I remember reading that it wasnt streamling but “ air smoothed casing”
 

greatvoyager

Established Member
Joined
15 Aug 2019
Messages
2,426
Location
Exeter
I believe the first batch did have differences from subsequent batches, and also used different materials due to restrictions in place during the war.
 

Merle Haggard

Established Member
Joined
20 Oct 2019
Messages
2,770
Location
Northampton
Bulleid's intention was that the Pacifics should be labour saving, and there is a suggestion that the reason he devised the smooth casing was so that the locos. could run through carriage washing plants to be cleaned, saving cleaners, so it may not be strictly correct to call it 'streamlining'. 'Air-smoothed' was another expression.

There was a lot of modifications and one quite noticeable one was the change from a flat fronted cab that closely followed the profile of the casing (with almost zero frontal vision through the tiny window) to a V fronted one with a shorter, more nearly vertical, upper side panel. Together with the changes to the front end, such as the removal of the 'peak', to improve exhaust clearance, some of the striking effect of the original design was lost.
 
Joined
4 Dec 2020
Messages
221
Location
Ashford, Kent
I would recommend having a look at 35011 General Steam Naviagtios website as they are planning to "unrebuild" a rebuilt bulleid pacfiic.

GSN was in the perfect candidate as the middle axel was a blank and the cost apperently is not much more than rebuilding a barry wreck.


There was differences between the first ones and later builds. Cab design where different for sure. Bigger tenders where fitted to the later batches as well (6000 gallon 35021 to 35030)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top