Isaac Dixon
- Thread starter spikey faz
- Start date
Osgood
Western Thunderer
Suggested in one source as built 1868 by Black Hawthorn, above photo taken in 1924.
But in another as a product of Neath Abbey Ironworks, starting off life with a rounded tank:
www.rmweb.co.uk
But in another as a product of Neath Abbey Ironworks, starting off life with a rounded tank:
Neilson Tank Engines Boxy and Not Boxy
www.rmweb.co.uk
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Osgood
Western Thunderer
In which case it might have originally looked vaguely like this specimen (that has many components unlike the pic above e.g. slidebars):
A fascinating collection of drawings survives from Neath Abbey Ironworks:
www.walesonline.co.uk
A fascinating collection of drawings survives from Neath Abbey Ironworks:
Historic Neath Abbey archives to be preserved online
They are regarded as important as the Domesday Book and Winston Churchill's papers - a rare collection from a Welsh ironworks is now to be conserved
www.walesonline.co.uk
Osgood
Western Thunderer
Just reading through the long and interesting thread on RMW, came across this further info on ANT which offers a Boulton connection:
'Ant used to be "Queen of the Forest" owned by Boulton which he bought from the Delamere forest which it worked there in 1862, regauged and sold in 1872 to Kirkleathan iron co. near Middlesborough, he bought it again in 1876 renaming her "Ant", and regauging to 2' 8" and hired to D.Owen of Swansea, again in 1978 to 2' 11" for Butterworth & Brooks of Manchester'.
PhilH
Western Thunderer
"The Chronicles of Boulton's Siding" has drawings of QUEEN OF THE FOREST on page 241 and ANT on page 242. Comparing the latter drawing with the photo of ANT shows a lot of differences and maybe there was a certain amount of "artistic licence" in the drawings in the book.
One feature common to ANT and ISAAC DIXON is the blower pipe running over the top of the tank to the chimney with the jet presumably in the chimney rather than in the smokebox.
Butterworth & Brooks had the Hutch Bank Quarry just to the west of Haslingden and a much longer line over the moors between Haslingden and Rochdale. ANT is believed to have worked at both and the gauge is given as 2'-11½" or 3'-0".
One feature common to ANT and ISAAC DIXON is the blower pipe running over the top of the tank to the chimney with the jet presumably in the chimney rather than in the smokebox.
Butterworth & Brooks had the Hutch Bank Quarry just to the west of Haslingden and a much longer line over the moors between Haslingden and Rochdale. ANT is believed to have worked at both and the gauge is given as 2'-11½" or 3'-0".
Osgood
Western Thunderer
Both Boulton's Siding drawings show round tanks to generally the same pattern as the Neath Abbey engine No 8 above.
The drawing of QUEEN OF THE FOREST shows two sets of Salter safety valves - on firebox top and on dome in centre of tank!
Who knows if the tank might have been replaced by Boulton before final sale - the drawing of ANT is stated to represent the engine after thorough repair in 1876, and it was then hired prior to sale in 1878.
For an old engine like this a further major rebuild between then and 1924 seems inevitable.
And the square tank appears to be a Boulton staple - so ISAAC fits well in.
The drawing of QUEEN OF THE FOREST shows two sets of Salter safety valves - on firebox top and on dome in centre of tank!
Who knows if the tank might have been replaced by Boulton before final sale - the drawing of ANT is stated to represent the engine after thorough repair in 1876, and it was then hired prior to sale in 1878.
For an old engine like this a further major rebuild between then and 1924 seems inevitable.
And the square tank appears to be a Boulton staple - so ISAAC fits well in.
Overseer
Western Thunderer
Are we sure the photo of Ant shows Boulton's Ant? The proportions and wheel size don't look the same to me. The drawing of Boulton's Ant show a round top tank like Queen of the Forest. The photo on page 266, Figure 90, shows Queen of the Forest in the background looking much like the drawing. Two separate safety valves were common in earlier times, one was out of the drivers reach to 'prevent' the safety valve being held down by the driver.