|
Post by silverfox on Jan 15, 2019 13:25:54 GMT
Have been going through my videos from waaaay back 1999 onwards and have got the same phenomena on 60800 various GW locos Some southern pacifics, some of which are more spectacular that the one in question. If and when i get the transferred from Digital 8 to PC i will try and put them up
|
|
steam4ian
Elder Statesman
One good turn deserves another
Posts: 2,069
|
Post by steam4ian on Jan 18, 2019 1:29:31 GMT
One proven cause of blow backs is the fusible plug letting go. Such plugs do fail from time to time even when there is a good level of water over the crown sheet due I guess to thermal fatiguing.
I one memorable recent event in South Australia a life was lost due to fusible plug failure. In this instance the whole plug bushing blew out of the crown sheet. Instead of the somewhat controlled discharge from the fusible plug bullet sized hole the entire contents of the boiler was discharged through a hole about 2" diameter. The loco was fired by a combination of coal and oil with the air intake from the oil burners coming from the cab. The cab was "modern" enclosed type with diaphragm connection to the tender so the only way the flames could escape was via the cab windows and the cab doors which were half doors of the barn door type. The man who was fatally burned was standing in the doorway, he was a well regarded railway photographer. The driver and fireman were both burnt badly enough to require hospitalisation with prolonged recovery.
As far as I am aware the reason for the failure was that the bush/crown sheet joint had shown signs of weeping. Flogging the bush tighter had only temporarily solved the problem and the joint wept again. You can see the sequence of events, repeated flogging of the bushes' thread fatigued it leading to its ultimate failure. A similar situation was developing on another railway but a vigilant driver picked it up before there could be another event.
I suppose the lesson is that boiler a steam leaks are not fixed by a bigger hammer or tighter flogging.
|
|
|
Post by suctionhose on Jan 18, 2019 10:08:05 GMT
there's another story from a semi reliable source about a gigantic American articulated that arrived back the depot to be taken over by the shed staff.
The fireman, deaf from his shift on the engine, was asked if he had any trouble keeping the water up?
No, not really...
Any trouble with keeping the steam up?
No, not really...
Did you know one of the six fusable plugs is blown?
Really? I hadn't noticed...
|
|
|
Post by delaplume on Jan 18, 2019 10:48:42 GMT
Quote}---"with the air intake from the oil burners coming from the cab. The cab was "modern" enclosed type with diaphragm connection to the tender so the only way the flames could escape was via the cab windows and the cab doors".........This sounds like the early steam ships "Closed Stokehold" scenario mentioned earlier....
|
|