Bagnall 0-6-0ST Victor/Vulcan

The W. G. Bagnall Victor/Vulcan 0-6-0ST is a type of industrial steam locomotive manufactured by W. G. Bagnall in 1951 that ran in the United Kingdom from 1951 to 1973 in industrial service. Two (2994 & 2996) are preserved.

Design

2996 Victor

Three locomotives were ordered by the Steel Company of Wales (SCOW) for their Abbey, Margam and Port Talbot works during 1950 to replace the elderly locomotives that were running at that time and also they were needed to compare against diesel locomotives because the elderly steam locos didn't give a modern and fair view on steam locomotives. They were testing to see which was more economical and also which was better on the duties.

A distinctive feature of these engines was their use of external valve gear. Using external cylinders, valve gear and Walschaerts valve gear rather than Stephenson link were all features of the same post-war trends that also appeared in the BR Standard classes,^{[note 1]} but they were largely alien to traditional industrial saddle tanks.^{[note 2]}

They had a whole range of features such as piston valves, roller-type big-end and side-rod bearings, manganese steel axle-box and horn plate liners, hopper ashpans, self-cleaning smokeboxes, rocking grates and Lambets wet sanding. Steel fireboxes were used as well as "Owens" patent poppet valve and balanced regulator valves. As was usual for short-journey locomotives they were not fitted with superheating, as short journeys allow little time for the superheater elements to reach working temperature.

The cylinders were 18-by-24-inch (460 mm × 610 mm), together with 4 ft 3 in (1.3 m) drivers. These dimensions were comparable to the Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST, widely used for similar purposes, but the Bagnalll was the more powerful overall, with 25,250 lbf (112.32 kN) of tractive effort.

Construction

The three locomotives were ordered in 1950 and completed in 1951 with the Bagnall works numbers 2994–2996, which are the numbers the survivors are commonly known by today.

Steel Company of Wales

The locomotives were given the running numbers 401 (Works no 2994), 402 (Works no 2995 and 403 (Works no 2996). The locomotives ran at the Port Talbot site where they locomotives received the names Victor, Vulcan and Valiant, a reference to the RAF V bombers then entering service. The three locos performed above and beyond the requirements of their original design specification however the decision was made in favour of diesel power and in 1957 all three were replaced by diesels. 2996 was sold, with sister 2994, to the Austin Motor Company Ltd. (later to become British Leyland) for use at their Longbridge plant in Birmingham. 2995 was sold to a scrap and plant dealer in South Wales who later sold it on to the National Coal Board for use at one of their collieries in South Wales.

National Coal Board - 2995

2995 was not required by Austin and was sold to a scrap and plant dealer in South Wales from whom it was purchased by the National Coal Board for use at one of their collieries in South Wales until problems developed with its steel firebox. Steel fireboxes are less tolerant of poor maintenance and it is likely that the loco did not receive boiler washouts as regularly as should have been the case. Serious consideration was given to replacing the boiler with one from a GWR pannier but this idea was not pursued and the loco was subsequently scrapped on site in 1967.

Austin Motor Company Ltd. - 2994/2996

After an approach by the Austin Motor Company Ltd. (later to become British Leyland) who were aware of the new diesels being purchased by SCoW 2994 and 2996 were sold to Austin for use at their Longbridge plant in Birmingham where they ran successfully until withdrawal in 1972.^[1] It was the longest the two locomotives ran in industrial service as they only ran for six years under their previous owners though the work at Longbridge was nothing like as arduous.

Preservation

2994 and 2996 were purchased from Longbridge in 1973 for use on the West Somerset Railway. initially stored at Taunton Victor was first used there in December 1975 on a special train and along with GWR pannier 6412 worked service trains once the West Somerset re-opened in 1976. 2994 was brought into service the following year. They were never intended, nor suited, for operation over such a long line but in the right hands could put up some remarkable performances. However their rough riding, a consequence of their short wheelbase and long overhangs, earnt them the nickname "Camel class". 2994, out of service and by now with its roller bearings in poor condition was sold in 1986 and is currently at the Stephenson Railway Museum under overhaul, now named Thomas Burt MP. As train lengths grew on the WSR and more suitable motive power became available 2996 was sold in 1989 moving initially to the Strathspey Railway. After subsequent spells on both the Battlefield Line and the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) it has been under overhaul as well at the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, but is due to enter service shortly.^[2]

Fleet list

Notes

See also

• Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST, a comparable locomotive from Hunslet
• W. G. Bagnall
• Bagnall fireless locomotives (preserved)
• Bagnall 0-4-0ST "Alfred" and "Judy"
• Bagnall 0-4-0ST No. 19

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bagnall 0-6-0ST Victor.

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