RAILBASTARD

Hmmm. Interesting that 1219 is going to VH. Well Broadmeadow has been deliberately left very empty in the last few years, so this explanation might be the one. I'm hearing that there are some very upset RTM members with regards to the number of steam locos departing Thrillmere lately.

Nathan thats bloody great news that the fuckwits are pissed off they deserve nothing less than to have the whole joint shut down due to there boys clubs treatment of their exhibits over the last 20 years...just look how filthy all the exhibits are on the boiler tops and inside the cabs and carriages...how fucking hard is it to give things a clean eh mate.

Two questions:
Is a 'fat-squirter' what we call a toxic waste burner?
What's that wee saddletank with a 4 on the bunker in the first picture cobraking linked to? Looks like a little beast.

Notch yeah mate a fat squrter is a oil burning loco i have no idea what the little saddle tank is.

Notch info on number 4.

NSW PRIVATE RAILWAY STEAM LOCOMOTIVES - J & A BROWN 4

J. & A. Brown 0-6-0 Saddle Tank Goods Steam Locomotive No 4 (20N)

1. Exhibit History

This highly significant locomotive was one of the first locomotives which operated on the private colliery railway of J. & A. Brown known as the Richmond Vale Railway, between Hexham and Browns' collieries at Minmi (from the mid-19th Century), and Pelaw Main and Richmond Main (from the early 20th Century).

It was purchased by the Rail Transport Museum in August 1973 from Coal & Allied Industries Ltd, the successor to J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Collieries Ltd (JABAS) who were in turn the successor to the famous firm of J. & A. Brown.

No. 4 is an 0 6 0 saddle-tank locomotive with two inside cylinders of 16" bore and 24" stroke, 4'0" wheels and a boiler pressure of 120 lb psi, using saturated steam, giving a tractive effort of 12,290 lb.

Weighing 35 tons in service condition, it has hand-operated brakes using wooden brake blocks, a minimal cab with two circular porthole windows in the front and rear spectacle plates, a tall "stovepipe" chimney and tall dome, with the road numbers painted prominently in white on the front sandboxes beside the smoke box.

It has hook draw gear and side buffers, the front buffer beam being of timber. It was variously, and apparently affectionately, known as "The Buck" or "Old Buck," said to be a name given to it in construction service between 1870 and 1872.

The locomotive was originally built in 1870 for railway construction contractor J. B. Watt, by Messrs. Kitson and Company of Leeds, England, as Kitsons' works number 1620. Up till 1872, it was used on construction of various sections of the Great Northern Railway, firstly in the hands of Mr Watt, and subsequently Messrs. John Alger and Son, who were contractors for the Parkville - Murrurundi section.

However Browns did not acquire it until 1891, as it was sold first to the NSW Government Railway Department in June 1872, when it was given the road number 20N, being on the then isolated Northern Division.

In NSW Railways service, it was used for short-distance coal haulage in the Newcastle area, including between Hexham and Newcastle Harbour. The story goes that John and Stephen Brown saw it working, were suitably impressed, and tried to buy it from the Railways Dept., initially without success.

They therefore obtained an identical locomotive new from Kitsons in 1878 (works number 2236), to which they assigned road number 3. This locomotive too is still in existence, having been purchased by the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum.

In 1889, following the linking of the Northern Division with the rest of the system when the Hawkesbury River Bridge was completed, the locomotive was incorporated into the main NSW Railways locomotive numbering system.

There are some suggestions that it was first re-numbered as No. 404, then as No. 403; if it did carry the number 404, it was not for long, and it was certainly numbered 403 when it was condemned in 1890 after running 438,543 miles in Government service.

Browns then bought it on 27 May 1891, promptly re-numbering it as No. 4, whereupon it was used on their Hexham - Minmi coal railway.

In 1902 No. 4 was modified, probably in association with a heavy overhaul, being fitted with a slightly different style of saddle tank which dispensed with the reverse curves on top, but held more water. At the same time the well-tank, formerly located beneath the cab floor, was removed. Browns' No. 3 was similarly modified at around the same time. Apparently the only difference between the two was that No. 4 had balance weights on the wheels.

It appears from photographic evidence that the cab was rebuilt in the early 1960's to provide slightly more protection for the crew.

In its later years with Browns (by then part of the Coal & Allied empire), No. 4 was confined mainly to shunting at Hexham exchange sidings and loading staiths. It was finally withdrawn on 19 May 1967.

Coal & Allied called for tenders for its sale on 6 June 1973, and it was purchased by the Rail Transport Museum in August 1973

2. Collection History

Along with many other locomotives and other rolling stock, No. 4 was hauled to Thirlmere in 1975, where it has been ever since. It is not currently on display. Having been condemned in Coal & Allied service in 1967 on account of the condition of the boiler, the locomotive is not in trafficable condition. It has been given a cosmetic clean up and restoration over the 2004-2005 period.

3. Statement of Significance

JABAS No. 4 is an extremely rare example of a locomotive used first for railway construction work from 1870, then coal haulage in NSW Government service, and ultimately on one of the most significant private colliery railways in Australia from the late 19th Century.

It is historically significant as the only surviving locomotive of the Great Northern Railway, where it was numbered 20N of that system while in Government service hauling coal in the Newcastle area.

It is one of only two of its type, and one of four surviving Kitson-built locomotives to work on J. & A. Browns' historic Richmond Vale Railway. (These other survivors are somewhat younger, and had no association with railway construction or Government service.)

It is socially significant due to its long association with private colliery railways (the RVR) in the Newcastle region, and additionally because of its use as a railway construction contractor's engine in the formative days of the building of the NSW railways.







CLOSE WINDOW

I'm sure they'd appreciate the help if you're offering...

Yep when i see photo proof of you cleaning a exhibit or two down there then i will join to help cant get much fairer than that eh...i have done work helping preserve our rail heritage have you???

Admin Old-fashioned Look:

For FUCK'S sake...

Yes, this is Getting Up People, but this shit is becoming an ongoing feud, and those aren't tolerated here.

Bwana, can it with the needling, especially as you know Cobraking is on a rather fragile warning.

Cobraking, you need to remember that warning. I said you'd be out for two weeks if you fucked up, and a couple of times since I could have declared a fuck-up and acted on it*. You've really gotta take 'notch's advice about not rising to the bait. It not only will save you a fortnight's holiday, but it'll look much more suave on your part.

- TLD


*If I keep letting you go and letting you go, then **I** will look like a twat, so consider this to be about as thin as the wedge gets, right here and now.

As well as a photo of it when still at 'exham

Thanks muchly to you both. Alcolholic beverages are owed to the pair of you.

You cunts beat me to it. Lovely little machine No. 4, apparently Brown begged and begged for it from NSWGR, but in the end finally had a copy built (No. 3) and got 20N (No. 4) fairly cheaply.

And another tour bites the dust the ...great Sydney steam weekend is now canned....Railcorp being blamed for this...yeah right.

Hmmm. Well, I'd be keeping a close eye on the Triple-header. Have heard some interesting chatter about it...

Nathan was the word AMEXED mentioned

Funny you should say that...

Three scenarios:
- Double header with diesel
- Single with two diesels
- AMEX!

From the rumblings round the traps. The two mainline locos at the RTM are currently sick little engines, the Pig particularly not on fantastic nick. Plus some other, well, 'issues'.