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rlkitterman — LNER Green Arrow
#britain #durham #england #greenarrow #nrm #prairie #steamengine #train #v2 #lner #shildon #britishrailways #railroadmuseum #nationalrailwaymuseum #steamlocomotive #sirnigelgresley #green_arrow #londonandnortheasternrailway
Published: 2016-01-17 15:15:34 +0000 UTC; Views: 8769; Favourites: 281; Downloads: 85
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Description
On the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), Sir Nigel Gresley's most famous steam locomotives were the A1/A3 and streamlined A4 Pacific (4-6-2) engines, which regularly set speed records on the East Coast Main Line. His most useful designs, though, might have been the high-speed mixed-traffic V2 Prairie (2-6-2) engines introduced in 1936. Almost 200 locomotives were built by Doncaster and Darlington to compete with the new trucking industry for intercity express goods traffic and double for Pacifics and 10-Wheelers on passenger trains. The V2 Prairies performed almost as well as the Pacifics, with a tractive effort of 34,000 pounds and a top speed of 101.5 miles per hour, which proved invaluable to the Allied cause during World War II when 26-coach passenger trains and 700-ton military freight trains were among the V2 Prairies' duties. The only survivor, class leader No. 4771 Green Arrow, is in the custody of the National Railway Museum and (as of summer 2015) on display at the Locomotion Museum in Shildon. When I visited the museum, Green Arrow parked next to a British Railways APT driving motor car, Great Northern Railway Stirling Single No. 1, and U.S. Army Transportation Corps S-160 Consolidation No. 2253.Related content
Comments: 60
Shame not more of these were saved from scrap but the Eastern Region didn't fair very well when it comes to preserved stuff.
Lovely shot of this. Rare to see such space alongside the locomotive as the last time I went to Shildon it was crammed with stuff
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Why are British Steam Locomotives so friggin' cool?! XD
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Green Lantern. *snicker *snicker
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Not since the monobloc cylinder casting developed a crack in 2008, which means a whole new casting would have to be built.
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I hope the NRM can get Green Arrow repaired some day soon!
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Anyone can say what they will about the LNER but why would you think these engines were the most useful designs? No offense?
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Because they were able to pull both freight and passenger trains at a time when the railways were in heavy use and essential to victory in WWII, and were able to match the performance of larger and heavier locomotives.
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Okay but Sir Nigel Gresley only designed new engines when required and what were these required for?
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For the V2, the original concept was an "express mixed traffic" engine.
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An express Mixed Traffic engine? You mean like what Bulleid tried to do with the Merchant Navies and Battle of Britain/West County Classes?
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Yes, though the V2 was more balanced as a mixed-traffic engine than the Bulleid Pacifics, which were classified as mixed-traffic engines to get around restrictions on passenger engine production during WWII.
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I'm surprised those were even built yet the Merchant Navies ended up on Passenger duties while the Light Pacifics ended up on tasks that were far below their abilities
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The light Pacifics handled mostly express trains. There were occasions when they were put onto freight duty but their wheel diameters were better suited for high speed rather than slogging away with freight.
The V2s had an excellent balance with regards to their wheel size, three cylinders for smooth acceleration and a free steaming boiler. They helped to revolutionise express freight traffic on the Eastern Region. Also express freight could be timetabled easier than slow goods and mineral trains.
During the war they were able to haul trains many thought they would be incapable of doing.
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That makes a lot of sense.
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Thanks! I'm glad to see the museum displayed this engine so well.
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This engine is truly impressive!
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Oh this is impressive.
I did not know they could pull as much as 26 carriages. I underestimated them.
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That was during World War II, when locomotives were overworked and trains heavily loaded, but the V2 Prairies could definitely pull 26-coach trains! Not sure how well Green Arrow would do trying to repeat that....
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Yes but, I thought with close to that, even 20 carriages, they would just spin wheels and go nowhere without a second locomotive.
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Depends on how the coaches are coupled and how much sand the driver uses; if you loosen up the couplings you can pull them like freight cars.
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You'd not be able to slacken the couplings off if they were buckeyed together. I believe that there was a small tank engine at the end of the train that had brought the first portion into the platform. The second portion was attached as quickly as possible as it was fouling many of the other lines into the station. The train, if I remember rightly, was then split at Peterborough. I can't remember if that was because the two halves were going to different destinations or whether it was because they had a loco waiting for the second portion and it then followed the first.
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Thanks for explaining!
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That's alright. Some of the A4s hauled 17-20 coaches put of Kings Cross on the odd occasion. The other problem with that 26 coach train was the loco was already in Gasworks tunnel.
And with the Fireman having been building a big fire up but also trying to not let the safety valves lift in a confined space too, add to that they also couldn't see the guard giving them the right away. Not to mention signalling problems either....
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Oh, I see. I saw them loosen the couplings up, like "freight" in a Thomas the tank episode when Edward broken a connecting rod but, I was weary if it was based on real events or just thought up for the storyline, as no one would question it.
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It may have been one of the things the Reverend based on something he saw the railways doing; a lot of the original Railway Series was closely based on actual events.
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Oh yes indeed. As I grow up, I learn how much he stuck to real railway stuff, and how much the modern stuff, is ..er.. I do not know how to describe it... Spongy Suspension!!
That is the best I can say.
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I'd say the "post-Awdry" series is a pure fantasy cartoon.
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It's certainly a handsome locomotive, and quite powerful machines. If only Green Arrow were in running order.
[And didn't have have all 3 cylinders on the same chunk of metal]
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If only...it could pull a train just as well as any 4-6-0 or Pacific can!
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Thanks! I hope I can see it again some day.
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cool cool i hope you do anytime
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Maybe this summer...I applied for a study abroad program in the UK!
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I first learned about Green Arrow from reading the Railway Series, and I thought then, and still do, that it's a beautiful engine. Sad it's a lone survivor, but at least we still have it around. Great photograph of the engine, I hope this one returns to steam one day.
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I hope so too! I think fixing the monobloc cylinders would be the biggest challenge.
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Preserved not just because it was the first built but because it has the monobloc cylinders as well. Those which had the cylinders cast desperately had outside steam pipes.
Beauty of an engine, missed by many and now static display.
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So that's why it looks a bit different!
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Yes. Many that went through overhauls that had monoblocs sometimes received recast cylinders and had the steam pipes fitted. Many ran in the original shape until the end, like Green Arrow.
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