Bulleid Pacifics
 

Hi there.
I've been interested in Railways generally, and Southern /BR (SR) in particular, for more years than I care to remember. I'm also getting back into railway modelling now that Hornby have given us some decent SR locos.
In the late 50's or early 60's when I was a member of the local model railway club among whose members were some BR(SR) staff and connections with management, there was a story going about that a Bulleid Merchant Navy - which in view of the date I assume that it was a rebuilt version - had been used in some speed trials and had attained 118mph before having to be braked.
Does anyone know if this was, in fact, achieved and if so where and when?
Are there any records of highspeed running with any Bulleid Pacifics..
Any info appreciated

Hi 21C, and welcome to the board.

I'm afraid I can't help you with your question, but I do share your interest in the Southern Railway. :)

I have no evidence of a 118mph run but there are plenty of logs showing that Merchant Navies regularly reached speeds in the 90's and into the 100's. Several of the logs are reproduced in Cecil J. Allen's book "British Pacific Locomotives" Now long out of print but you should be able to pick up a copy 2nd hand.

Another book which might help is the excellent Biography of Ron Jarvis, pub. Oakwood, who was responsible for the rebuilding of the Bullied Pacifics and later heavily involved in the design of the HST's

The performance of Tangmere et al in presevation seems to confirm the free running capabilities of Bullied Pacifics.

Hello 21c welcome to the site
Regards
Jim

welcome
 

Hi 21c
Just like to say welcome and have fun
Cheers
Dave:)

The record as far as I know was 106mph by 35003 on June 26 1967 between Winchfield and Fleet with 170 tons.

Unfortunately, or thankfully, I wasnt there!!

Anyway anything over 85 was illegal, and this was with a clapped out loco too.

and the stories are that no-one ever found out the max speed possible on a MN because the locomotives were still accelerating at the point that the driver had to ease off, or lost their nerve.

Hi 21C. i quite believe the speed capabilities of the bulieds. especialy the merchant navy class. plenty of power and free running ability. would dearly love to know the exact maximum speed possible out of a merchant navy. I can assure you that speeds in excess of 100mph used to be a common thing. i personaly witnessed 110 before my driver had to shut off, and that was on a west country class (converted) unless one was ever run flat out on a dynomometer we will never know the truth. lets just say that if ever it were possible to do so I would put my money on a merchant navy against mallard any day, and she would complete her run, Duchess of hamilton proved to be faster than mallard 2 weeks before mallards run and completed the journey without having to be taken off at peterboro. Alas she was not pulling a dynomometer car at the time. however several stop watches present rated her as much faster.

The limiting factor on the speed of the Bullied Pacifics was the fireman's ability to keep the firebox going. As we all know, steam was produced at fantastic rates & a mechanical stoker would have been invaluable. I, personally, have seen 104mph, with 34032 Camelford, through North Tawton & Bow during the bad winter of 1963

I have read that when at the Rugby testing plant in the early 1950s, even with two firemen working flat out, they were unable to determine the upper limit of the Merchant Navy's steaming capacity.