Cornwall: The Basics

Unusually Large Driving Wheels: Part 1.
Built in 1847 by Francis, the son of Rail Pioneer Richard Trevithick, the Cornwall was the standard gauge response to the Brunelian monsters of the broad gauge. Although not succesful in her first form, John Ramsbottom transformed her into a handsome, and useful six-wheeler. When she was finally withdrawn from service in 1927 she was then the oldest locomotive at work on the National Network.

[@ukaszwalczak1154]

I love how Cornwall's essenitally a GIANT compared to Crewe works "Pet".

[@XanthinZarda]

That's quite the commitment to fixing a mistake, but what a beautiful result at the end of it.

[@ajaxengineco]

Lovely looking locomotive. The LNWR lined black suits almost anything in my opinion. Surprised she could do 60, but I wouldn't want to be aboard the footplate at that speed!

[@Thekris0927]

Undoubtedly the most beautiful single-wheeler in preservation, in my humble opinion.

[@matteomarmiroli1713]

You are absolutely right

[@welsh_Witch]

Fancy seeing you here Kris I must say i agree a stunning Single wheeler and deserves all her love

[@AlexWeiss94]

I love your profile picture, Victorian Lad! My second favorite locomotive is the CR 812 Class!

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

Are there many single-wheelers in preservation?

[@johnjephcote7636]

Caledonian 123; the Johnson 'spinners' of the Midland Railway?

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

I love this engine, especially its very bizarre 4-2-2 rendition. I find it funny how "normal" they made the engine look later on, such a handsome tall single wheeler.

[@NoaZeevi]

It’s actually a 2-2-2-2, as the front wheels aren’t a bogie truck.

[@tooleyheadbang4239]

@@NoaZeevi It isn't. 2-2-2-2 would be a Webb-style non-coupled loco with (left to right) 2 leading wheels, 2 driving wheels, another two driving wheels and two trailling wheels. The first and last digits in the Whyte notation are always the number of non-driven wheels, irrespective of their mounting arrangement.

[@mikebrown3772]

Were the cylinders lowered to a horizontal position when rebuilt as a 4-2-2? It's amazing the lengths the protagonists in the gauge war went to after the trials of 1845 in anticipation of further tests the following year, which never happened. The broad gauge "Great Western" was ordered and built in just 13 weeks, construction carrying on day and night, while Cornwall's low centre of gravity was no doubt partly the result of the previous years trials being brought to an abrupt conclusion by one of the narrow gauge locos turning over.

[@muir8009]

curiously when the Pennsylvania railroad was undergoing electrification in the early twentieth century they actually went with a high centre of gravity, having found that low gravity locos would basically spread the gauge, and hammer the outer rails because of the massive weight augment down low. I'm wondering the early locos being considerably lighter may have been affected by the more familiar weight distribution difficulties. the pennsy electrics were already starting to be in the 100's of tons category.

[@1258-Eckhart]

Ramsbottom completely reengineered Trevithick's engine - I'm not sure it can be considered a "rebuild". Trevithick's pièce de résistance was that underslung boiler, which Ramsbottom sensibly did away with. It became a sort of Problem class with outside frames and it gained that handsome and very Victorian LNWR cab.

[@caradog1081]

Trevithick’s underslung boiler design was basically a “ what the fuck?” Moment

[@peterluptak6860]

I am impressed that this very unusual design even work. But after rebuild looks pretty elegant. Intresting video.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thank you very much!

[@turkeytrac1]

I like her lines after the rebuild, great video

[@steamgent4592]

Beautiful loco and thankfully preserved. But I can't wait for the new build LNWR Prince George!

[@bigblue6917]

I must admit to having something of a fondness for the single wheelers.

[@MasterOfTheLemons]

Just discovered your channel and I'm loving it! I've learned so much, particularly the early days of steam. I never used to like earlier engines, but you've made me appreciate them more! Keep up the great work!

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Welcome aboard!

[@foofydroopy]

one of my absolute favourites and I adore the LNWR, we're very lucky to have this still around among Hardwicke, 1054 and some others. by the way she currently resides on loan at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre of Quainton Road in a re-erected railway station building. you even can go onto her footplate too, that if a nice volunteer there kindly lets you on, as I have been on this beaut a few times. I've also cabbed 1054 lol. the rest of the centre's great too, go visit it and her when you can

[@jordaneriksson5417]

So do I

[@misterflibble6601]

Love these experiments in design that led to such unique locomotives

[@avv397]

When HS2 opens from London to Birmingham it would be great to see both Cornwall and Hardwicke placed on semi-permanent display - one at each terminus - adding a bit of historical gravitas to the wonderful, shiny, high-speed future.

[@Combes_]

Or we could make replicas and not have to move them!

[@yemmel9761]

Once again another great video!

[@steamandsmoke97]

Another Excellent Video Anthony! A happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year to you!

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

Thank you. You too :-)

[@furripupau]

The view from the footplate must have been very strange. And the water glass down about knee-height, I'm sure was very easy to read. The boiler looks to have almost no steam space, judging by the height of the crown sheet in relation to the top of the boiler barrel.

[@GoCreateHobbyMachineShop]

Fascinating history of a beautiful loco. It's so interesting to learn the evolution and early ideas of loco design. Thanks for another great video.

[@johnd8892]

Remember being allowed to get up on the footplate at the Severn valley in 1980 on my Rainhill focused UK visit. I could feel a real sense of history being close to one of the few 1850s era preserved UK locos. Not sure why it was there. Only time on the trip I had camera problems.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

It was there on loan being investigated for a possible return to steam for Rocket 150.... but never was. Thankfully.

[@eliotreader8220]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory I understand that while he was inspecting the condison of the boiler the boiler inspector put his hammer through the boiler barrel by accident not knowing how thin the metal had become over the years that the engine was being used?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

@@eliotreader8220 the traditional method of testing boiler plate integrity is to strike it with a hammer, and listen to the noise it makes. In this instance the boiler was quite literally worn out. It had last steamed in 1930 so forty years before and it may have been life expired back then.

[@eliotreader8220]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory as a steam locomotive historian of sorts what are the positive chances of the working recreations of the two broad gauge engines Firefly and Iron Duke that are based at Didcot railway centre being returned to steam again?. two years ago Me and my Dad visited the Great Western railway trust's base and I heard a not so positive response to this question which was given by someone who possibly did not know much about steam engines when his son asked a similar question.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

@@eliotreader8220 I don't know. As ever it comes down to a) money, b) enthusiasm c) the will..... Always the money tho'.

[@mikeschillinger4427]

I spent quite a bit of down time on the footplate of that loco when it was in storage in Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway during the late 70's and early 80's. Fascinating machine, but difficult to work on and very tight quarters even for a teenage boy to move around in.

[@matteomarmiroli1713]

She should be restored to working order You can't look at such a beautiful engine stuck in a museum. But well, she would need quite the overhaul and a new boiler, and it's not exactly that cheap

[@johnjephcote7636]

In earlier times, no one bothered to check under the boiler. There was a spectacular explosion just north of Tamworth where the boiler plates had worn so thin, it must have been like an eggshell actually breathing in and out.

[@ajaxengineco]

@@johnjephcote7636 didn't she have her boiler pressure somewhat unwisely raised a few months prior? I need to have a look at my copy of Red for Danger.

[@lopwr1212]

Emily really knows her stuff

[@Isochest]

Sad in a way Broad Gauge did not prevail. I know Broad Gauge is a better ride like the 5' 6" in Portugal.

[@michaelkolano8686]

I wonder if for the first iteration, having yet even larger driving wheels, so that their axle sits completely above the boiler would have relieved some of the problems.

[@daniellewis1789]

Let's get some 10' drivers for another foot of clearance under the axle...

[@johnd8892]

For those interested in Cramptons mentioned in this at 2:15 , (hopefully all viewing this), I think this rareish colour film should be of interest : kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZ2mnYSghZeYpdkm11s Set up at a point to avoid the slowish modern intro, but the whole film is available. I would suggest this filmed re-enactment would be in the running for the highest quality coverage of a rare running of a very old locomotive. Hope you all find it interesting.

[@foowashere]

Thank you for the link; beautiful and very interesting!

[@jordandorsett3106]

It must have been a nightmare

[@CheeseAndRiceMoony]

Nice video.

[@FQP-7024]

Such a weird and beautiful locomotive, a damn shame she wast restored for the rocket 150 celebration tho

[@captainufo4587]

"The boiler was designed to burn coke". The designer too, I reckon, judging by her original look.

[@johnjephcote7636]

What an innovation...the brick arch was!

[@robertmiller5258]

I wish someone would model broad gauge looks track and wagons.

[@mikeschillinger4427]

Hornby have a couple of OO models of single wheelers, Bluebell being one if them.

[@johnjephcote7636]

Oh yes! The Rover class and some convertible carriages....and bridge rails on baulks as well. If I won the lottery, I'd buy up a branch line, roll my own rails and lay it to BG standards. What a location for filming! (perhaps some decent brakes though...)

[@lakotathierauf3882]

I really like these videos, however I’m not a big single wheeler guy, I sure do hope you get to other engines soon. Keep up the good work.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

I appreciate that! The theme for the rest of the month will follow on from Cornwall will stupidly large driving wheels and then get back to looking at older engines from the 1810s, 20s and 30s.

[@Alecsdakid_16]

It's similar to the Stirling singles

[@tooleyheadbang4239]

It is NOW. Perhaps it's time to consider building one to the ORIGINAL specifications?

[@robnewman6101]

Wow.

[@lautanbintangempatlima8350]

Can you do rover class loco

[@johnjephcote7636]

Oh. please...!

[@SquishyZoran]

I’m curious but what was that tiny locomotive @1:58?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

That is "Nipper" The Crewe Works 18 inch gauge shunter. It has the smallest driving wheels on the LNWR so was posed for publicity purposes with the locomotive with the largest driving wheels :)

[@SquishyZoran]

@@AnthonyDawsonHistory I love it and it’s fantastic picture. The crazy dreamer of me would love to build a modern Nipper but replace the rail wheels with road ones

[@johnjephcote7636]

What puzzled me was that the CG was so low. Later on, the CG was dangerously high as on the L&Y 'High Flyers'. Also, I don't know the method of LNW firing as Cornwall did not have a BG (broad gauge) firebox (taken from the GW for the Ivatt atlantics)...and I am only familar with the Midland method of firing.

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

One thing we don't know for locomotives pre-1865 is the method of firing because they all burned coke. The replicas of "Rocket" and "Planet" were tried on modern coke and failed to make steam, suggesting the firing method for coke is different from coal - very likely as coke needs a far thicker fire bed and doesn't need a blower - or that modern coke is very different from what it was 200 years ago. We do know that "Planet" burns Welsh Steam Coal very well, and that Welsh coal is in many respects the equal of coke in being very high carbon and a similar calorific content. However, it differs greatly in how it burns and performs on the grate - Welsh Coal has a tendenct to "cauliflower" ie open up and expand and break into pieces whereas coke doesnt.

[@Train_Tok_Man]

I got a video suggestion. Any chance you could try the John Bull?

[@HiltonBenchley]

919,526 didn't come out quite right.

[@eliotreader8220]

despite being built to burn coke it sounds like she had no trouble burning coal?

[@AnthonyDawsonHistory]

The original boiler was a coke burner. The replacement boiler is a coal burner.

[@primrosevale1995]

Talk about a low-rider.