Whistle Cord Breakage

[Greg Wetzel]

If a whistle cord was pulled too hard and broke, with one end being yanked out of its holding place, would the whistle be stuck on? Or would the whistle stop blowing moments after the whistle cord breaks?

 

[Pigeon]

As soon as the cord broke the whistle valve would close.

Having said that whistle valves did occasionally stick open just in normal operation, ie. due to some fault/drit in the valve but without necessarily being abused.

 

[Greg Wetzel]

As soon as the cord broke the whistle valve would close.

Having said that whistle valves did occasionally stick open just in normal operation, ie. due to some fault/drit in the valve but without necessarily being abused.

Thank you. This information is very helpful.

 

[Rescars]

As soon as the cord broke the whistle valve would close.

Having said that whistle valves did occasionally stick open just in normal operation, ie. due to some fault/drit in the valve but without necessarily being abused.

D L Smith records that the whistles on Peter Drummond's GSWR locos were prone to sticking open, and speculates that trying to resolve a stuck whistle lay behind the cause of the fatal derailment at Pinwherry in 1928.

 

[Justin Smith]

Having said that whistle valves did occasionally stick open just in normal operation, ie. due to some fault/drit in the valve but without necessarily being abused.

I remember that happening to Gordon in a Thomas book !

 

[ChiefPlanner]

One of the excellent C&W examiners at Ipswich related to me a stuck whistle on a Norwich bound train many years ago , as it exited the tunnel.

THe only solution was to climb up and belt it with a club hammer , which sheared the whistle off , which flew off some distance - leaving a jet of steam , but peace was restored. Obviously the loco was failed - and replaced with whatever they had on hand.

I should have asked what class it was ? - he did say that being so close to this errant whistle did affect his balance considerably , let alone his eardrums (temporarily) - he did another 20+ years service.

 

[billh]

Many years ago I was on a Driver Experience Day with Nunney Castle at the East Lancs Railway. At one point the "instructor" told me to blow the whistle. I did as he bid and snapped the chain! I can confirm that the whistle did not continue to sound. Fortunately the chain was duplicated with one over on the fireman's side,so the loco wasn't failed in service.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Suppose it makes a change from a stuck steam drain cock! Stanier valves were a weak point in his otherwise magnificent designs.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Suppose it makes a change from a stuck steam drain cock! Stanier valves were a weak point in his otherwise magnificent designs.

Well that sounds like either Thijs van Leer or Florian Schneider playing the flute!!!

 

[Pigeon]

Someone ought to show that to Ian Anderson

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

LOL to both replies

Similarly with steam safety valves, the Stanier locos didn’t do their crews any favours with the sudden colossal explosion of noise when the pressure limit was reached. GWR locos are much more civilised, they give you warning in advance. (Probably the only scenario where GWR trumps LMS for crew comfort.)

I once witnessed a pigeon being literally vaporised by 48773’s safety valves at Bewdley