'Duchess' runs hotbox on way to Mid-Norfolk

摘要

Forty-two miles of tender-first running caused Duchess of Sutherland to run a hotbox on its engine-and-van journey to the Mid-Norfolk Railway. The engine was running between Ely (where it reversed) and Wymondham on June 27 in order to attend the heritage railway's annual steam gala. However, the extensive use of continuously welded rail on Network Rail's Breckland line caused irregular oscillation with there being few rail joints to 'reset' the axleboxes. "I could see the tender swaying from side-to-side, looking for a rail joint to put the axleboxes back in place," locomotive representative Malcolm Baker said. "We won't be doing that again," he added. It meant that one of the tender boxes ran warm, although No. 46233 was still able to take part in the MNR's June 20-21 event before returning to the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust's (PRCLT) Swanwick, Derbyshire base.