GWR Cathedral Class - 8000 Gloucester Cathedral

[Lysander]

Hi,
just found your post, I thought you might like these photos of St Pauls Cathedral
And also the Countess on her way to the lining out shop.

Thanks for showing Derek. I'm intrigued by your Countess, could you post more about it?

Tony

[roadie stu]

Around a decade or two later one of the preserved King classes on a steam special should have been running on one of the main lines in the Reading area or between Reading and London Pad? and was diverted into a loop to allow another service to pass. Unknown to the traincrew and the signalman the loop didn't have sufficient height with an overbridge and it took the Kings safety valve clean off. I was working on the railway at the time, so we heard the goings on. Not sure which King it was. (King George V was off the rails by then needing work on her boiler).

The Locomotive in question was 6024 King Edward I, the track had been reballasted slightly higher than normal, and as the safety valve bonnet is the highest point of the king, it collides with Bishop's Bridge, the quick actions of the crew to drop the fire saved the day,

At the next overhaul the chimney, safety valves and cab roof were all lowered to prevent any chance of a repeat accident.

Regards

Stuart

[Mountain]

Around a decade or two later one of the preserved King classes on a steam special should have been running on one of the main lines in the Reading area or between Reading and London Pad? and was diverted into a loop to allow another service to pass. Unknown to the traincrew and the signalman the loop didn't have sufficient height with an overbridge and it took the Kings safety valve clean off. I was working on the railway at the time, so we heard the goings on. Not sure which King it was. (King George V was off the rails by then needing work on her boiler).

The Locomotive in question was 6024 King Edward I, the track had been reballasted slightly higher than normal, and as the safety valve bonnet is the highest point of the king, it collides with Bishop's Bridge, the quick actions of the crew to drop the fire saved the day,

At the next overhaul the chimney, safety valves and cab roof were all lowered to prevent any chance of a repeat accident.

Regards

Stuart

One would have thought they would alter the height of the track just incase other locos and stock may hit it? I know Kings had some of the largest dimentions (Height and width at the cyliners if I recall) which gave them a double red when it came to route restrictions.
I may have mentioned that when King George V headed towards Carmarthen on the steam specials (Prior to that no King had ever come west of Swansea) they were concerned with the platforms at Pembrey & Burry Port station so a test was arranged prior to the official event. On this test run they were supposed to ease very slowly past the platform and the roadbridge to ensure they had enough clearance. A few local people including the man who told me this had got to hear about this so came down with their camera to take a photo or two of the loco. They stood on the platform along with the gentleman who ran the ticket office and saw the loco approacuing in the distaince.
As the loco came closer, someone said "Isn't it coming a bit fast?"
With that the loco thundered past at linespeed, if not more! It did not hit anything, but several people lept right over the wall behind the down platform that day!