In 1955, ten of the BR standard
class 9Fs (92020-92029) being constructed were fitted with Franco- Crosti boilers
in an experiment which promised a 10% improvement in performance
Here are some photos of
92023 on test at the Rugby Locomotive Testing Station and later at
Kilmarnock during its road testing period and at Hurlford shed.
This locomotive shed was
just south of the village, in the 'v' of Hurlford Junction, about 2 miles
from Kilmarnock. The locomotive had probably run from Carlisle over the GSWR
route but it is difficult to see whether this was a very demanding route for
such a locomotive but it was reported at the time as hauling 14 coaches
northbound on the GSW route beyond Dumfries
Road testing of the Austerity locomotives was also undertaken on the line between Carlisle and Hurlford
in 1953 and the test train was then based at Durranhill MPD at Carlisle. See
Bulletin
No:7.
The standard Class 9F
locomotives were highly regarded and considered to be the most thermally
efficient steam locomotives ever to operate in Britain. In 1955 ten of them were
built with Franco-Crosti boilers, but the modification only improved them a
little, and was not considered to be worth the effort, given that the end of steam
in the UK was already in sight.
They were subsequently re-built as conventional
locomotives, the pre-heater sections were therefore removed leaving a single
main boiler barrel smaller in diameter than those of the standard Class 9
locomotives, making them most distinctive.
Click on the image for a bigger picture - photos are as credited
