Chemical analysis ‘reveals’ a unique B17 tender survivor
THE builders of new LNER B17 4-6-0 No. 61673 Spirit of Sandringham have found that one of the tenders acquired for the locomotive is a unique survivor.
In the early days of the project, two B17 tenders stored on the North Norfolk Railway were acquired, one a Ger-type tender that had been used as a snowplough and the other an LNER pattern tender.
At first, the B17s were teamed up with GER tenders taken from other locomotives and so were, in fact, older than the B17 they were matched with. However, the LNER did not have enough spare tenders at the time and so 10 new tenders were ordered from Vickers Armstrong to make up the deficit.
During a routine visit by the B17 Steam Locomotive Trust to the Mid-norfolk Railway where the tenders are stored in order to lubricate the bearings, a simple ultrasound test was undertaken on the axles of both, to see if there were any cracks. It was noticed that one axle had an inscription which reads ‘LNER 1928 Vickers Armstrong 2802’. Furthermore, inside the axlebox covers is engraved ‘B17’.
A sample of the steel from the axle in the form of shavings was taken for chemical analysis. The result of this analysis showed traces of nickel and chromium in the steel. This type of steel was introduced in 1928, proving that the tender was not made earlier.
It was therefore established that the trust has one of the batch of only 10 tenders made for B17s, and it was probably paired with No. 2802 Walsingham, the first engine recorded into service.
For future main line use, this tender is not as suitable as the LNER one which has a larger capacity, so the trust want to restore it as a static exhibit and have now appealed for any organisation willing to offer it display space to get in touch. “This is a unique piece of history and should be seen by a wider public,” said a spokesman.
Meanwhile, at the Llangollen Railway, the trust is developing its approved static B17 mainframe into a rolling chassis. The completed designs for the rolling chassis components and assemblies have been submitted for approval before procurement, so that manufacturing can begin.
One major component is the crank axle which has to be made from a nickel/chrome steel just like that of the ‘rediscovered’ tender and which is not used widely today. However, an increasing problem is sourcing materials, as there is a world shortage, as the industry has reverted to using grades of carbon steel.
The trust wants to hear from any other group or organisation facing a similar dilemma and which might help to persuade steel manufacturers to produce a batch of the correct material.
➜ If any group can help with the tender or steel situation, they are invited to email b17enquiries@ gmail.com or telephone 07527 670436, write to B17 SLT, c/o 171 Clifton Road, Shefford, Bedfordshire SG17 5AG or visit the website at www.b17steamloco.com