The Bournemouth Gnome
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The Bournemouth Gnome
If we are going to have a page for Bournemouth Steam Loco Depot, we have to have a thread about the Bournemouth Gnome!
My only run with him was behind ex works 34017 on an up two hour express. Crawled up Roundwood bank in the low 40's. With safety valves lifting more than they were not if I remember right. Struggled to get much over 60 mph after that. Lost vast amounts of time. Reason he gave at Waterloo was, "wrong class of engine".
Just imagine what it would have been like if he had been given a Standard 5 on the up Belle!
Boy Gaffney, (Nine Elms), had that once, and did quite well with it. Close to 45 mph on Roundwood before speed fell off at the top: using full and 45%! Severe check at Worting, then got above 70 mph at Winchfield. Followed by more checks at Brookwood, Woking and Vauxhall. Not that late into Waterloo.
My only run with him was behind ex works 34017 on an up two hour express. Crawled up Roundwood bank in the low 40's. With safety valves lifting more than they were not if I remember right. Struggled to get much over 60 mph after that. Lost vast amounts of time. Reason he gave at Waterloo was, "wrong class of engine".
Just imagine what it would have been like if he had been given a Standard 5 on the up Belle!
Boy Gaffney, (Nine Elms), had that once, and did quite well with it. Close to 45 mph on Roundwood before speed fell off at the top: using full and 45%! Severe check at Worting, then got above 70 mph at Winchfield. Followed by more checks at Brookwood, Woking and Vauxhall. Not that late into Waterloo.
Bryan Benn- Posts : 42
Join date : 2009-05-19
Re: The Bournemouth Gnome
Bryan Benn wrote:If we are going to have a page for Bournemouth Steam Loco Depot, we have to have a thread about the Bournemouth Gnome!
My only run with him was behind ex works 34017 on an up two hour express. Crawled up Roundwood bank in the low 40's. With safety valves lifting more than they were not if I remember right. Struggled to get much over 60 mph after that. Lost vast amounts of time. Reason he gave at Waterloo was, "wrong class of engine".
Just imagine what it would have been like if he had been given a Standard 5 on the up Belle!
Boy Gaffney, (Nine Elms), had that once, and did quite well with it. Close to 45 mph on Roundwood before speed fell off at the top: using full and 45%! Severe check at Worting, then got above 70 mph at Winchfield. Followed by more checks at Brookwood, Woking and Vauxhall. Not that late into Waterloo.
Wrong class of loco? Hmmm.. Personally if he had gone for the standard as you had said , maybe that would had been an excuse too.. Obviously a difficult loco and lord knows I have had one in particular as you know Bryan.. But I always have more fun and enjoy the work of a Bulleid - I wouldn't want to start a debate about 34016 Bodmin (He sister) But a Brilliant loco... Great to fire to! Maybe some and not one can tell some more about this beautiful engine?
Personally as you know Bryan I am Bulleid through and through..
Re: The Bournemouth Gnome
No, not a difficult loco!
A driver who had a most appalling reputation for losing time. I only encountered him once as I suspect the loco shed didn't roster him onto the main line much.
When I first mentioned to the email group that the max on my run was 63mph, there was a general round of disbelief that he could have gone so fast!
There was a story was that he was "forcibly" retired when electrification came as there was no way he would ever have run up to 90 mph with the new units!
A driver who had a most appalling reputation for losing time. I only encountered him once as I suspect the loco shed didn't roster him onto the main line much.
When I first mentioned to the email group that the max on my run was 63mph, there was a general round of disbelief that he could have gone so fast!
There was a story was that he was "forcibly" retired when electrification came as there was no way he would ever have run up to 90 mph with the new units!
Bryan Benn- Posts : 42
Join date : 2009-05-19
Re: The Bournemouth Gnome
In my opinion Bryan. The Bournemouth Motive Power Inspector, would have rode with the said Driver ( whom remains annonomous), and made his judgement if he was consistently losing time. Back in those days, the Guard issued loss time tickets, which the Driver had to answer.
I suspect that the Driver concerned, was of retirement age, after the electrification programme
I suspect that the Driver concerned, was of retirement age, after the electrification programme
34017 Ilfracombe- Cleaner
- Posts : 251
Join date : 2009-05-19
Age : 78
Re: The Bournemouth Gnome
Safety Valves lifting are beacause she was over-fired to - So do you know why she was difficult Bryan?
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