6229 Duchess of Hamilton to be re-streamlined

BR7MT · Post by **BR7MT** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 7:16 pm

Now before you all say 'that was years ago' and that 'VSOE pulled out of the deal,' this is a new plan!

Basically Â£70,000 will provide cosmetic streamlining for 46229 to appear as it would have in the 30's/early 40's before the streamline casing was removed.

This will allow it to be displayed next to Mallard in the Great Hall of the NRM so that the public get both sides of the story of high speed running in the UK during the 1930's.

An added bonus is that it can also be modified with further work in the future for when the locomotive is overhauled for further mainline work!

Full details are in the latest issue of Steam Railway magasine.

regards

Dan

bravedan · Post by **bravedan** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:00 pm

Poor old Stanier............hope he can't find out......................

UKTRAINSIM · Post by **UKTRAINSIM** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:24 pm

Well thats.....interseting news. But I can't find anything in the article about possible furthur mainline work with this facelift.

Post by **martinhodgson** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:32 pm

I'd rather leave it un-streamlined!

Is it ever going to run on the main line again or is it permanently on display now?

BR7MT · Post by **BR7MT** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:33 pm

Second paragraph of the SR article.

regards

Dan

arabiandisco · Post by **arabiandisco** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:56 pm

Sounds like a decent plan to me. Pictures are all well and good, but you don't really appreciate it until you see it "in the flesh" as it were. Seeing Swanage (poor thing) and Bittern's casing every week does give you an appreciation that you don't get from looking at Bodmin or Canpac.

Wish someone would un-rebuild a Merchant Navy, though that would be a bit more complex than just sticking the air-smoothed casing back on.

JonathonAG · Post by **JonathonAG** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:58 pm

Would be nice to see, I have only seen 1 streamlined engine running on the main line and that was an A4 on a special from Fife to Edinburgh [ I am only 13 so I haven't lived in the steam ages] so it would be a great photo oppurtunity

bravedan · Post by **bravedan** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:16 pm

On the basis that there are other non-streamliner Duchess locos available, it's not a bad idea, BUT they'd better do it in it's correct red and gold.............as it was never in the more dramatic but less typically LMS blue and silver..........

Dave

thenudehamster · Post by **thenudehamster** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:29 pm

JonathonAG wrote:Would be nice to see, I have only seen 1 streamlined engine running on the main line and that was an A4 on a special from Fife to Edinburgh [ I am only 13 so I haven't lived in the steam ages] so it would be a great photo oppurtunity

Even the A4 you saw would have been 'de-streamlined' as far as was practical; the A4 design did not allow for complete de-streamlining as they were designed as streamliners from the get go, not simply cased as an after effect like the LMS ones. I believe it was Edward Thompson in wartime years who had the casings partially removed on some A4s for improved maintenance, and BR did the rest.

BR7MT · Post by **BR7MT** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:42 pm

Pretty sure it was all the A4's that had the side skirts removed.

I definately think designing the streamlining into the design produced a better looking engine than the LMS method of 'bolting it on.'

However, as you say, it does not allow for a change in maintenance conditions so that streamlining can be totally removed.

regards

Dan

chrisj94 · Post by **chrisj94** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:02 pm

Will she be restored to steamble condition again?
Thats all i want to se happen!
Thanks
All the best
Chris

thenudehamster · Post by **thenudehamster** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 3:21 am

BR7MT wrote:Pretty sure it was all the A4's that had the side skirts removed.

They did. I'm just not certain if they were all done in LNER days or if some survived undoctored until BR days.

hillsborokinema · Post by **hillsborokinema** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:46 am

The A4 side skirts were all removed during the war years for ease of maintenance. Personally, I think this made them look even better as they did look rather weighed down with the full skirting, but just a personal opinion.
James

spartacus · Post by **spartacus** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 2:27 pm

With the streamlined A4 on the mainline; Mallard has run in preservation in the past with full streamlining, skirts included.

Also, as Duchess of Hamilton has swapped identities with Coronation at least once, it would probably be prototypical to paint it blue, just with Coronation plates!

markw · Post by **markw** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 2:35 pm

6229 ran in red and gold as 6220 in America, the train it hauled was painted to match, so 6229 never ran in blue and silver even when pretending to be Coronation.