The FELL, crowdfunded, KR models

[Bigmet]

The same outfit that launched the EE GT3 last year, now proposing one of the diesel prototypes; Colonel Fell's multi engine wonder no 10100, like no other main line diesel design for UK service with a 2-D-2 (or 4-8-4 if it were a steamer) configuration, and external styling like a quarry truck. So if you want one RTR in OO or N, it's contact KR models time...

[Bigmet]

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/k ... arly-crest

Yes, that's different alright...

[Richard08]

Just saw a review..... a definite yessey noey. It's the windows, they look like they are stuck in the wrong way round.

[Bufferstop]

Unadopted prototypes seems to be the current "something different" How many spotters ever copped the Fell? How many of those who did had a clue what it was? The method of combining the output of four engines into one drive system smacks of electrofright. At least GT3 had style.

[Bigmet]

If the mechanism gets good performance reports, I'll be looking out for one going cheap. Could 'do things' with that, the driven wheels are a much better diameter for a steam turbine, the reduced vibration and constant draw of a turbine should make the Yarrow-Gresley water tube boiler work more reliably, and with the extra carrying wheel and more volume between frame top and boiler underside, a multi stage turbine with between stage resuperheating can be fitted. (The superheater dump valves will be arranged with brake assist porting, as their most likely deployment will be in an emergency stop when the steam rate is near maximum.)

[Richard08]

I just looked at the Wiki for the Fell. I had assumed 6 engines = barking mad, but actually it was a pretty cool in concept, if a little mind bending - very clever stuff. I wonder how reliable it was - the fact the isn't slated like all the other Modernisation Plan engines and seems to have spent it's life on fast expresses rather then endless 'testing' etc makes me wonder if it wasn't actually quite good (quite...). It's a pity they broke it and cancelled the improved version. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_10100

[Bigmet]

It's the old story,'The world' was going (diesel-) electric (transmission) traction, there's well proven engineering and operating experience to draw on: why risk a novel approach for all its ingenious features? That risk is only acceptable when some very significant advantage is clearly on offer, or 'because it's Swindon'.

[Richard08]

It's the old story,'The world' was going (diesel-) electric (transmission) traction, there's well proven engineering and operating experience to draw on: why risk a novel approach for all its ingenious features? That risk is only acceptable when some very significant advantage is clearly on offer, or 'because it's Swindon'.

That's not really true in the wider world, but does reflect the UK's stick-in-the-mud attitude to change. European railways tried, with varying levels of success, all sorts, with some 'eccentric' designs remaining in revenue use until relatively recently, electric traction being by far the leading choice. I guess that's why we have no locomotive building industry and they do.

[Bigmet]

I expect we could have the kind of discussions that were frequent in my career while inside a fortune 100 multinational; engineering led, cost led, or ineptitude led?

[D605Eagle]

I just looked at the Wiki for the Fell. I had assumed 6 engines = barking mad, but actually it was a pretty cool in concept, if a little mind bending - very clever stuff. I wonder how reliable it was - the fact the isn't slated like all the other Modernisation Plan engines and seems to have spent it's life on fast expresses rather then endless 'testing' etc makes me wonder if it wasn't actually quite good (quite...). It's a pity they broke it and cancelled the improved version. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_10100

Daft as it sounds, one of it's biggest issues was sound. When starting off, because the 4 traction diesel engines were constant torque units, the 2 x 6 cylinder auxiliary engines were running flat out providing maximum boost to the main engines, which although running relatively slow rpm made a hell of a racket. There were many complaints from passengers at stations when it started off. I would SERIOUSLY loved to have heard it running!

[Bigmet]

... the 2 x 6 cylinder auxiliary engines were running flat out providing maximum boost to the main engines, which although running relatively slow rpm made a hell of a racket. There were many complaints from passengers at stations when it started off...

"Whazzat? Sorry I simply can't hear what your trying to tell me."
What sort of data might there be for the relative aural pollutions of the early diesels? The EE deltic engines were no slouches in this game; and while the biggun just pushed out a major racket, it was the type 2 running fast with its 'banshee' supercharger wail that was actually painful to my young ears. (Same applied to the high frequency output of the jet engines in the DH comets, vampires, tridents &c. ; our teachers simply gave up for 3 minutes as they went over, schools right under the final approach to the Hatfield runway.)

I have the impression that this was regarded as the price of progress at that time.

[Bufferstop]

It suffered from one design failure, everything was reliant on one complex mechanical component, the "gearbox". A DE equivalent would probably have had two large engines each with a generator, 2,4 or even 6 traction motors with some capability to configure the power to them, so avoiding a single point of total failure. The 4-8-4 arrangement would have certainly suited a turbine/mechanical drive, but why did they need rods and gear coupling?
I'm looking forward to seeing the recreated 10000. I saw the Twins in action once heading south through Derbyshire when diesels of any sort were still a rarity, they made quite an impression on someone who's regular sightings were Super Ds from Bescot shed.

[D605Eagle]

... the 2 x 6 cylinder auxiliary engines were running flat out providing maximum boost to the main engines, which although running relatively slow rpm made a hell of a racket. There were many complaints from passengers at stations when it started off...

"Whazzat? Sorry I simply can't hear what your trying to tell me."
What sort of data might there be for the relative aural pollutions of the early diesels? The EE deltic engines were no slouches in this game; and while the biggun just pushed out a major racket, it was the type 2 running fast with its 'banshee' supercharger wail that was actually painful to my young ears. (Same applied to the high frequency output of the jet engines in the DH comets, vampires, tridents &c. ; our teachers simply gave up for 3 minutes as they went over, schools right under the final approach to the Hatfield runway.)

I have the impression that this was regarded as the price of progress at that time.

The Baybeeee Deltics sounded amazing!! , being turbocharged as well as supercharged unlike their bigger brethren which just had the superchargers, the scream was like you said more akin to early jet engines. Funnily enough I only ever heard a Baby Deltic in BR service, I never got to hear a Deltic, them being all gone by the time I had the ability to head out east. D5901 used to potter around Derby in the mid 70s pulling all manner of weird and wonderful rolling stock until D5061 replaced it.

[Bufferstop]

I have the impression that this was regarded as the price of progress at that time.

I think it was until the cost of noise inflicted deafness started to bite. After I got my hearing aids (Roadie's disease) I got a number of calls from ambulance chasers who all started with "I understand you have deafness due to heavy machinery", to which my answer was all ways "nah mate, more like heavy metal" - end of call.

[Richard08]

I have the impression that this was regarded as the price of progress at that time.

I think it was until the cost of noise inflicted deafness started to bite.

I think it was the legal shenanigans around Concorde that really brought the noise pollution to the fore, at least to the general public - campaigners had been raising the issue for some years.