Atomic Systems

Though at 2 miles, the Lickey is relatively short...

I wonder how it will perform with a Class 66 pushing from the rear.

IIRC, when WR gained responsiblity for the Lickey Incline, they were banking it with 2 panniers, not 1.

I've got a book with a photo of three (very grimy) Hymeks pushing at the back up Lickey! Doesn't say what was at the front, or how heavy the train was, or anything like that though.

Isn't or wasn't there a hymek for this game at sone point.

Hi, there is a Hymek available from steam - search class 35.

stuart666 wrote:IIRC, when WR gained responsiblity for the Lickey Incline, they were banking it with 2 panniers, not 1.

There was a mix of GW Panniers, LMS Jintys and, strangely, BR 9Fs in use simultaneously in the mid-1960s. Depending on the weight of the train being assisted, it wasn't unusual for a train to have 3 bankers.

Worth noting - the GW 57xx class was classified as a 3F locomotive, and my (limited) experience firing on a preserved railway was that they are extremely powerful locos at low speed. Much more so than a Jinty, which was also a 3F, but rather underboilered.

7760 and 9600 recently took 8 coaches up the Lickey on a charter in spectacular style. Suggest looking on YouTube for footage - there's at least one sequence from the train in the dark. Gives an idea of the locos ability to pull.

In banking terms, four Jinties could be used (according to photographs) at a time on occasions - an alternative on heavy freights to, perhaps, Big Bertha (the Beyer-Garratt) that was there for many years. The latter was the reason for the later allocation of a 9F to banking duties.

The pannier tanks at Bromsgrove were, as far as I know, all of the heavier 94xx type which came there when the line (which had been Midland Railway/LMS/BR(LMR) until around 1960. In addition to these being classified 4F, I suspect these had better adhesion with their greater weight and were more suitable for banking.

In terms of Train Simulator the 57xx and Jinty should be similar in ability, being of roughly equivalent power and weight but they certainly are not in practice. As has been said, the 57xx needs to be driven gently to not run out of puff on work other than shunting. I find it difficult to sustain genuine schedules even with just one or two coaches and I wouldn't want to try it on a substantial trip working. It seems to eat more steam than can be produced, whether on manual or automatic firing settings. On branch passenger work, I find the 14xx 0-4-2T (class 1P) livelier.

John

Pretty much what I've found...

I'm trying to use prototypical stock and the Pannier was the mainstay, along with the 2251 and 2MT.

6 miles of 1:38 from a standing start does not include scope for gentle driving...
And the fact that Panniers were the main traction suggests that the model physics are way out. From my research the real life load limit was 10 loaded vans / wagons - the DTG Pannier can't get 10 up to double figures

I'll probably need to use some blue disc locos as well as the permitted yellow

To those having trouble with the Pannier have you remembered that the dampers start off closed with this engine which will reduce steam production quite a bit. I've tested the Pannier taking 12 wagons from Falmouth to Truro and it's performance seems fine with it doing just over 20mph up a 1 in 50ish gradient.

Dampers open, fire built up & blowers on at the station at the foot of the climb, with the safety valve lifting...

Anyway, seems like there is a new / remastered Pannier on the way anyway. Hopefully this one will go up hill