I am building a 5" Gresley rebuild of a Super Claud specifically No 62613 as the last survivor in 1960. After a very long time the tender is nearly finished and now I am contemplating the engine itself.

The Martin Evans design is a guide but I would prefer to make the driving wheels the full 7ft scale size and also put the valves under the cylinders as per original where they might be more accessible. I note that the Evans Princess of Wales has this arrangement and I wonder if this would in principle transfer to the Claud?

I'd be interested in any comments.

John B

Edited By John Billard 1 on 04/03/2017 20:08:33

Many thanks Julian. Since I commenced in 2000 I have collected most books including the RCTS ones. Because of a paucity of information on the Evans drawings for the tender I resorted to works drawings and and measuring up the full size; the NRM via Great Eastern Railway Society has been an invaluable help.

The official GA shows direct drive to the valves via an inclined face. It would be useful to have information on the PoW redesign but I have time yet. Though I say that, I will have to speed up on the engine – I want to be young enough to help lift it when complete!

Kind regards

John B

Dear Julian

Thanks again.

The Clauds went through a complicated series of rebuilds, what we would now call upgrades. The final stage indeed was the fitting of piston valves to a number of the class. While it is reported that these were excellent engines they perhaps had become too powerful for their frames and were not among the last survivors. So 62613, one of the great misses of preservation, had slide valves to the end.

Kind regards

John B