bluepeter1994.avi

60532 blue peter wheel slip Durham October 1994

not my video, mearly one that i found and thought it should be shared. copyright goes out to the owner of this video.

• Category

  Travel & Events

[Craig Oliphant]

I should have posted these in reverse order, read from bottom up.

[Craig Oliphant]

It has been known for the coupling rods of loco’s to detach in such circumstances and act as pole vaults tipping the loco on its side, thank god this didn’t happen on this high embankment.

[Craig Oliphant]

A couple of friends were aboard, and they had come to a halt in sight of one of their houses, it was over 3 hours later when they got home. The rails bore dips in them where the driving wheels had eaten into the surface such was the fury. Just a few seconds, to cause so much damage. The most spectacular site I have ever seen, but a crying shame, and no doubt being on the footplate must have been awful.

[Craig Oliphant]

Suddenly sirens sounded and a fire engine appeared alongside the loco on Redhills. A resident had phoned them fearing the loco was about to explode, understandable as the sight was awesome enough from a distance let alone outside your window, it must have been terrifying. We soon followed to find the valve gear had disintegrated, I have photo’s but they are poor due to the low light (must scan them).

[Craig Oliphant]

soon sheets of sparks spraying back beyond the tender, smoke reaching up to what seemed to be 150-200ft above the stricken loco. The red hot rims of the drivers on the opposite side of the loco were visible between the rings of fire of the near side wheels. The roaring sound filled the air, then nothing. Someone nearby said “I wonder if he’ll have another go” but Blue Peter was going nowhere.

[Craig Oliphant]

Adding to this it was autumn with all the attendant difficulties of the season, and wet rails. As I said she started well, on crossing the 2nd arch (the one with a noticeable dip in it) she slipped slightly, but it was soon arrested.

Off she went to the far end of the viaduct and all hell let loose, smoke and steam headed skywards and soon the wheels began to glow getting red hot,

[Craig Oliphant]

I saw Blue Peter destroy itself from the vantage of the turret in Wharton Park above the station. She started off well, we were all concerned as the A2's were always banked south out of Durham (so I'm told) and this was the first time a steam engine had stopped at Durham heading south in preservation.

[eoin730]

its fun when it happens with hornby locos,but when its the real deal machines it must be horrible for the owners

[MrCreid1990]

oh god no! much worse. the crew overfilled the boiler and when the driver opened up the reg water was forced into the injector which forced it open, the driver tried to wind back the reversor but broke his arm after it spun out of control under the pressure. she pretty much destroyed herself after the cyclinder heads blew off/exploded , all internal motion was either bent or buckled!

[Nigel16032009]

So how did it stop? Run out of steam? Or did the crew manage to shut the regulator?