Re: Very smoky XPT

["Damian Clement" <damian@vwtype3.freeserve.co.uk>]

The Class 43 HST's in the UK do chuck out a lot of "clag" as us "poms" call
it. I think it's at it's worst when first started up. The Class 55 Deltics,
which used 2 x Napier DelticT18-25 1650hp power units, which were also
designed for use in a Naval environment, produce lots of thick white clag
which looks absolutely hell when departing stations under full thrash.  The
Deltics ended their days on BR on 2/1/1982 but 6 were preserved,
55002/9/15/16/19/22. In 1997 55022/D9000 was given certification to run on
the mainline again after 15 years use on preserved railways only, and in
1998 was used every week on Virgin Trains summer saturday Intercity service
from Birmingham New Street to Ramsgate and return. Virgin had such cronic
motive power shortages this year they have regurlarly had to use preserved
traction to haul service trains, as well as freight only traction.

Another locomotive, the Class 56, a 3250hp freight loco with a Ruston PAXMAN
16RK3CT power unit also produces lots of thick white clag at times,
epsecially the first 30 units which were assembled by Electroputere at
Craiova, Romania. I don't know whether these power units were designed for
use in a Naval environment.