A Big Engine at MoSI

(Click on pictures for larger images)

 Standard Britannia class pacific 70013 'Oliver Cromwell' is at MoSI (Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester) this week, resting between rail tours. We don't often get big engines coming onto the MoSI site, the last being new-build A1 'Tornado' on the Royal train a couple of years ago. It can only be done because we have a main line connection, though that is threatened by the proposed Ordsall Chord, a short section of line to enable trains to travel from Deansgate to Salford Central.

Being a MoSI rail volunteer, I was able to don an orange hi-viz vest and walk track side for a close view of this magnificent locomotive; including sitting in the driving seat!

'Oliver Cromwell' by the 1830 warehouse

Old, middle-aged, and new; the original 1830 Manchester terminus of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, Oliver Cromwell, and the Beetham Tower
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The driver's seat. The vertical wheel in front of the seat is the reverser (for selecting valve cut off), the long vertical lever hanging down is the regulator (to admit steam to the cylinders), the steam, vacuum, and air brakes are to the right of that, and the modern panel with the coloured buttons is the TPWS (Train Protection & Warning System), a requirement for all main line locomotives today.

The view out of the driver's side

A view inside the firebox. The fire had been left in, presumably to allow the boiler to cool down more slowly. A bit of work here for the fireman next time she's lit up, though. All this lot will have to be cleared out first.

The driver's view straight ahead
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  Speedometer to the left, AWS in the middle, boiler pressure top right (250psi max), vacuum brake train pipe and vacuum chamber gauge lower right

Cylinder and crosshead detail

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