Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era – 1927 – ‘Royal Scots’ – LMS

Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era

1927 – ‘Royal Scots’

LMS

No.6100 in 1947 before rebuilding

By 1926 the need for a large express engine for the West Coast route was becoming a pressing problem, and Sir Henry Fowler had already prepared plans both for a 3-cylinder compound 4-6-0 and a 4-cylinder compound Pacific. Unfortunately these highly promising designs were vetoed by the Operating Department, and as new engines were needed in a hurry recourse was had to a 3-cylinder simple 4-6-0. Accordingly the well-known ‘Royal Scot’ class appeared, the first fifty, Nos.6100-49 all coming out in 1927, followed by Nos.6150-69 in 1930. A further experimental engine, No.6399 ‘Fury’, was also built in 1930, with a compound super pressure boiler, a German design known as the Schmidt-Henshel type, a complicated affair with varying pressures, the maximum being no less than 900 lb. per square inch. Unfortunately the boiler burst on trial and the engine was rebuilt with a taper boiler in 1935, becoming N.6170 ‘British Legion’. Eventually all of the ‘Royal Scots’, which had originally been constructed with parallel boilers, were rebuilt in a similar manner, the complete class now running as BR 46100-70.

In 1933 No.6152 exchanged name and number with No.6100, and as the ‘Royal Scot’ was sent to the USA for exhibition at Chicago. The numbers were not changed back on its return, and No.46100 is therefore the same engine, although since rebuilt with taper boiler, as went to America. This precedent was not later followed in the case of the Pacific ‘Coronation’. Under rebuilding, the ‘Royal Scot’ carried the transatlantic bell on its front end, which had been presented in commemoration of its trip to the USA.
Nos.6125-49 originally bore names commemorating early LNWR locomotives, with brass plaques bearing an etched outline design of the engine in question, but in 1935-6 these were replaced by regimental names.
All were still in service in 1959.
As built – Driving wheels – 6’ 9”, Cylinders (3) – 18”x 26”, Pressure – 250 lb., Tractive effort – 33150 lb., Weight – 84 tons 9 cwt, LMS classification – 6P, BR classification – 6P
As rebuilt with taper boiler – Driving wheels – 6’ 9”, Cylinders (3) – 18”x 26”, Pressure – 250 lb., Tractive effort – 33150 lb., Weight – 83 tons, LMS classification – 6P, BR classification – 7P

Miscellaneous Railways – Chicago’s Tunnels

Miscellaneous Railways

Chicago’s Tunnels

1904 – ‘A typical Street Intersection’

Forgotten underground: Incredible pictures of Chicago‘s abandoned, labyrinth tunnels once used to transport coal, ventilate movie theaters and hide phone cables

• The Illinois Telephone and Telegraph Company built the expansive tunnel network around 1900 to hold cables
• When they went bankrupt, the Illinois Tunnel Company took over and used the tunnels to move merchandise and coal
• 62 miles of tunnels criss-crossed underneath the city
• The tunnels were six feet wide and 7.5 feet high with one-foot thick concrete walls, powered by overhead trolley wires
• Several theaters bought tunnel air to keep audiences cool

Chicago is famous for its soaring skyline, but hidden from view is a 62-mile grid of abandoned freight tunnels once considered an engineering masterwork.

Although the impressive grid connects all major railroad freight houses and many commercial establishments in downtown Chicago, few people ever saw this system from construction in 1899 to its abandonment in 1959.

It wasn’t until a contractor kicked a hole into the side of the one of the bores during the 1992 floods that the doomed passageways became big news.

Out of business: Almost a century after construction, the doomed Chicago tunnels had helped facilitate the Chicago Flood of 1992, despite chief engineer George W. Jackson’s original intention that measures to prevent flooding be maintained

Chicago: The Illinois Telephone and Telegraph built the first 26 miles of this concrete tunnel by 1905. But the Illinois Tunnel Company which took over, building another 60 miles, went bankrupt in 1909 and construction stopped

Multi-purpose: In 1912, the Chicago Tunnel Company started using the track to move merchandise, coal and ash before abandoning the unprofitable tunnels in 1959

Under the watchful eye of chief engineer George W. Jackson, the company built the first 26 miles of tunnel to hold telegraph and telephone cables.

In 1905, the Illinois Tunnel Company took over construction, expanding the network to 60 miles before it went bankrupt in 1909.

The network, widely considered cursed, was taken over by the Chicago Tunnel Company which sold the communication installations and cables but continued to use the track to move merchandise, coal and ash in 1912. The group was finally forced to abandon the unprofitable tunnels in 1959.