Re: Victoria...it begins!

["Rod" <berlina@bigpond.com>]

MarkBau1 wrote in message <19990313141959.14416.00000205@ng115.aol.com>...
><<<<<<What axle loads do you think the C class were, Far greater than 25
actual
>tonnes>>>>>>
>
>This is all a matter of conjecture. It is alleged that the C's weighed 131
ton
>with an empty fuel tank. (Loco weights are supposed to be quoted when full
of
>sand and fuel)  At 131 tons you get 21 tons but god knows how much the fuel
>weighed extra. When the C's were weighed at Newport the results were
guarded
>closer than the US Presidents "nuke em" code!
>
C502 was first on the SG, and my Driver and I took her out of North Dynon
just after dusk. Prior to departing
the Electronic Weigh Bridge Operator arrived and warned us that he was to
weigh us, as Contrans had a suspected "heavy one" on board [you know.....4
tonnes of Kellogs sitting on 60 tonnes of steel!]
When he got back to his bridge he casually asked the Train Controller what
the Loco was and by this time we were approaching the bridge at the 4 mph
allowed, when  he rushes out, screaming and waiving frantically for us to
stop. We set back with shunters help, lost about 2 hours, went around the
table [not even allowed to use the bypass rails!] and never did find out
what a C class weighed [never told the driver, I had asked the operator to
let me know what she weighed, and probably caused the guy to realise that
something was amiss] Never saw the bridge used again, although we put trains
over it at random before that
Rod