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Solihull Station
Robert Ferris has transcribed the following article on the
tests undertaken on the bridges located between Olton and Solihull. This
article is repeated on the Olton page.
Bridge Tests on the Birmingham Main Line (from ‘The
Railway Magazine’ June 1934 – J.D.H.)
On Sunday, March 25, a remarkable spectacle was afforded by
the testing of steel underline bridges, on the recently completed quadrupling
on the Olton – Lapworth section of the G.W.R. main line to Birmingham and
the North. Four “King” class locomotives were used. Nos 6001, 6014,
6017 and 6005; the first two were coupled together without load, while the
latter two double headed a train consisting of a third-class brake and a
saloon, together weighting 45 tons. In testing a bridge carrying two tracks
(one up and one down in normal working) the two pairs of locomotives first
coasted across abreast at a speed of 2 m.p.h., or less, while the vertical
deflections of the girders were measured. This was repeated twice , after which
the locomotives ran back ¾ mile from the bridge, and stopped in line.
All four then proceeded to accelerate in the up direction towards the bridge,
with wide-open regulator and cut-off very late in the stroke.
The pairs of locomotives were drawn dead level as they
approached the bridge, the exhausts rising quite 30 ft in the brilliant
sunshine above each of the four chimneys, to the accompaniment of a deafening
roar. The normal test conditions were 500 tons weight and 60 m.p.h.; in actual
fact the four locomotives and tenders weighted 542 tons full, and in various
runs speeds of 59 to 62 m.p.h. were attained, giving an acceleration from 0 to
62 m.p.h., which averaged almost exactly 1-foot-per-sec, - a phenomenal figure
for steam locomotives. Even with so trifling a load. After passing the bridge
the engines were stopped and returned to their starting point for a second run,
the bridge deflections being measured each time. No 6001 alone was fitted with
a working speedometer, of the type recently adopted.
The effect of the small load behind one pair of engines was
a striking feature of the runs; some 20 yards in the first 200 yards of each
run were lost by this pair, but they could, on the other hand, be brought to a
stand in 150 yards less distance than could the unloaded pair, with the coach
brakes operating in addition to those on the engines. Twelve runs in all were
made at speed over the six double-track bridges tested on this date; on the
same day Nos. 6001 and 6005 were used for two further tests of single-track
bridges carrying the own relief lines only, the four tests runs being again
made in the up direction. Railway enthusiasts from considerable distances, and
other spectators also, might have been attracted had the fact been made public
that these tests were to take place; as it was, the spectators who witnessed
this sight of a lifetime numbered fewer than a score. For photographs of these
Bridge Tests see: 'gwro1578', 'gwrs1566' and 'gwrs1567'.
Select an image below to view the larger version with
accompanying text:
We apologise to passengers for any inconveniece resulting
from engineering works
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