Re: 150 years of rail in Aust. - Flying Scotsman

["Derick Wuen" <cullend@webone.com.au>]

Rob McKiernan wrote in message ...
>Guys,
>I visited the York NRM last November and on display were the Rocket replica
>and the original rocket. It is somewhat modified in that the cylinders are
>no longer angled in their stroke but much more horizontal in attitude.
IIRC,
>it was modified late in its life by a colliery who were using it.
>Cheers Rob


Thanks for that.

The L&M had 4 "phases" of 0-2-2 Rocket types.

Phase 1 , Rocket at Rainhill trials 1829

Phase 2 production, Meteor, Dart, Comet  1830 (lower cylinders, better
tenders)

Phase 3 Phoenix, North Star. 1830 smokeboxes

Phase 4 Northumbrian, Majestic 1830 much heavier

I think the "Rocket remains" was an upgrade from phase 1 to phase 3
standards by L&M, not subsequent owners. Smokebox had obvious maintenance
advantages; horizontal cylinders improved ride.

Someone said somewhere that Rocket in original form "rode like a hunter" (by
which they meant jumping horse). Horizontal cylinders decreased unsprung
weight, but "boxer" action of outside cylinder 0-2-2 layout could not be
solved within design envelope. Hence 2-2-0 inside cylinder Planet, which
followed Northumbrian on L&M in 1830.... a very different set of trade-offs.