Steam Loco design questions

["Ben O'Regan" <ben@NOSPAMFORemiratespark.com.au>]

Derick Wuen <cullend@webone.com.au> wrote in message
news:38302c18.0@iridium.webone.com.au...
> My initial response was on the short side of curt. Here is a more reasoned
> response.
<SNIP, excellent information, though!>
>
> So to Young and Co. His big success was the C38. We know he wanted a
> Garratt, but the design and execution of the C38 was brilliant given the
> administrative constraints.
>
> For the purposes of this discussion, the outstanding feature was
achievement
> of route availability and power requirements, which required small
cylinders
> on the one hand, and low track forces, on the other, through high boiler
> pressure and innovative balancing and dampening of rotating and
> reciprocating forces... more power with less hammer blow than the
venerated
> C36, and much the same route availability.
>

What's hammer blow?

And while I'm at it, what is the purpose of the dish-like mouldings at the
outer end of the buffer beams on 38 & 60 class (possibly also the 59s as
well, can't remember off the top of my head right now). Was it something to
do with the buffer beams being cast?

I've looked through what reference sources I have and can't seem to find it
on any other class, especially the older ones (pre war time).