Tank tops.

[adrian]

No not the knitted, sleeveless variety but 4MT tank tops.

I have a query which I'm hoping one of more knowledgeable members can help me with. I'm at the stage of fitting some detailing to the top of the tanks on my MOK 4MT Standard tank. On my chosen prototype 80135 on the rignt hand tank there is what appears to be a second water filler cap half way down the tank roughly in line with the dome.


Originally I thought that this was a post preservation mod but I have since found photo evidence of it being fitted in service.



I have looked through the RCTS book and I can't find any mention of what it might be, I have seen photos of it fitted to half a dozen other 4MT tanks but no clues as to what it might be.

So can anyone shed any light on it's purpose? More importantly does anyone have a better photo or even a drawing of this? The reason being is I don't think this is included in the kit - although there are that many castings I may have missed it. However I suspect I might be scratch building it.

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[taliesin]

Hi Adrian, would it be for water softening treatment? I say this because the standard tenders had a separate hatch for this, cheers Rob

 

[Steph Dale]

Yep, water treatment briquettes as per Bulleid pacifics, etc. A very common feature on the Southern, with its rotten hard water. Is your loco ex BR (S)?

Steph

 

[taliesin]

I believe 80135 was originally allocated to Plaistow, cheers Rob

 

[mickoo]

Yup I'd go with water treatment hatch, there's some detail photos and short discussion in a BRILL mag, I'll try and dig them out, but might take a few days LOL, as Steph mentions, it's a southern thing and in reply to Rob, 80135 may have been allocated to Plaistow but I believe it was built at Ashford? in which case at time of building I doubt a final allocation had been decided before completion, thus, all were fitted with them that 'might' go to the Southern.

 

[taliesin]

Altogether there were 155 4MT tanks built of which 130 were built in Brighton including 80135 which was in a batch earmarked for the Eastern Region. From the info in the RCTS book it appears to have been kitted out from new with the 'briquette tube feeder', some earlier builds received it as a modification, cheers Rob

 

[adrian]

Thanks for that, I had seen references to "Briquette tube feeder" but never linked it to the tanks. I thought it was something to do with the boiler.

Most of the Std 4 tanks were built at Brighton Works - with a couple of batches built at Derby and Doncaster, and not all Brighton built loco's were fitted with them either. The RCTS book has a list of which batch had the extra fittings.

Yes 80135 was originally allocated to Plaistow but was soon moved to Shrewsbury, via Tilbury. Quite a few seem to have got moved to the Cambrian area.

I did manage to find a reference to it in the NRM drawing lists - but unfortunately not one as being shown in the previously scanned drawings.

27 126 E 49261 BR SR Eastleigh 27.12.56 Briquette carrier in LH tank of standard 2-6-4 T 3" = 1' PT

At £20 per drawing I think I'll try to find decent photo - unless anyone knows if anyone produces a casting for it? A slim chance but you never know!

 

[Dog Star]

I did manage to find a reference to it in the NRM drawing lists...

"27 126 E 49261 BR SR Eastleigh 27.12.56 Briquette carrier in LH tank of standard 2-6-4 T 3" = 1' PT"

Hi Adrian,

The two photos in your posts show the filler to be on the RHS of the engine... the drawing title refers to the LH tank.
Do any of your photos show the filler to be on the left hand side?

regards, Graham

 

[Ressaldar]

unless anyone knows if anyone produces a casting for it? A slim chance but you never know!

Hi Adrian,

perhaps Dave Sharp does ones for his 76xxx SR tender - worth an email to him

cheers

Mike

 

[taliesin]

Hi Adrian, hopefully this helps, here is a picture of the tender top from my 1/32 scale Aster 9f, of course there is no guarantee that exactly the same hatch was used on the 4MT tank top,


Tis the hatch to the left of the picture, cheers Rob

 

[mickoo]

Hi Adrian,

The two photos in your posts show the filler to be on the RHS of the engine... the drawing title refers to the LH tank.
Do any of your photos show the filler to be on the left hand side?

regards, Graham

Some were fitted on the LH side, dimly recall the BRILL article showing crew loading briquettes on the left tank. I think there's one on each side but the drivers side is much smaller to improve visibility, or instead of one on both sides they could be one either side only or none.

preserved 80072 and 80136 have firemans side ones




As does the one at SVR (can't recall number), this about the best i got and not a full shot but from the balcony one could photo the item in detail.


80151 appears to have the low level drivers side one

 

[adrian]

Hi Adrian,
The two photos in your posts show the filler to be on the RHS of the engine... the drawing title refers to the LH tank.
Do any of your photos show the filler to be on the left hand side?

Good spot! I haven't seen any caps like this on the LHS but then again there is the regulator housing on the LHS which might mean they are slightly different to the RHS ones!

Just found this photo posted by lnerjp which helps a lot!

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/12095-tank-topjpg/

So looks to be a square base with 4 bolts - virtually flat top plate held with a couple of bolts or wing nuts and a handle in the middle. Not too sure if it was hinged but I don't think so from the photo - but could be wrong.

 

[farnetti]

It's worth looking at the other photos in this series, informative re discussions on WT about this kit.

Ken