CHIMNEY CONUNDRUM

The chimney in SR476 ‘Incredible Survivor’ is reputedly from ‘800’ 2-4-0 No. 48 (ex-815A) which, as the article states, by 1910 had been given a Deeley smokebox, door and chimney. In all of the drawings I have seen of a Deeley chimney, the barrel and top is shown as a single casting,

whereas what is commonly referred to as the Johnson onepiece chimney actually comprised two parts: a main body casting and a separate top piece. The latter was retained by countersunk screws, screwed into a number of tapped radially disposed lugs formed in the main casting. Two of these lugs can be seen in the first photo together with one of the screw heads. Furthermore, the chimney appears tapered and not parallel, which implies it is even older, being a Johnson chimney and not a Deeley component. The final piece of supporting evidence I submit is that I remember being told by two former presidents of the Midland Railway Society, David Tee and Jack Braithewaite, that they saw a chimney at Appleby station and identified it as a Johnson. I find it unlikely there are two discarded locomotive chimneys at the same location, so it seems the riddle has not been explained!

Adrian Tester,

by email