"Under the hood" of a streamlined steamer

I know I'll get flamed but that engine looks infinitely better with her shroud stripped off. I always thought the front end of the A4s looked like a Goodwill dropbox. I much prefer the look of the A-1 or the Britannia Pacifics.

Of course, they all need headlights, a pilot and a bell to look complete.

It's funny, regarding the "looks" of streamlined steam locomotives, as a teenager in the late '50's, felt such locomotives as Penn T1, Milwaukee Hiawatha Hudson, etc. were hideous. A concealment of all that was beautiful about steam locomotives. Now, I like 'em!   First off, there were not too many streamlined steam locomotives, so they have an appeal in their rarity and, well, tastes mature. I think "Sir Nigel" is a beauty!

Put me in as loving the streamlined A4s!  I always loved how the skirting just above the drivers looked like the profile of an airplane wing.

One memory tied to them that sticks in my mind is when we had our hobby shop, someone brought in a 3-rail Hornby Dublo Sir Nigel Gresley A4 to trade for some HO stuff.  It was the only British engine that was in the store for a long time, and my dad never had the heart to sell it.

To this day, in my parents' house, he has that engine displayed in his case of favorite trains (alongside his Lionel M10000 and Flying Yankee).  

I do love seeing the photos of the streamlining off a steam locomotive.  Such a big difference!  The N&W J always looked so different without streamlining!

Streamlined or not, and I like American streamlined engines, I just can't get used to British steam power, from an appearance standpoint.  The lack of a headlight (Never could figure out why the British always wanted to keep their engine crews in the dark!) and the lack of a proper pilot, always looked kind of "funny" to me.  Even when we chased the Flying Scotsman around the State of Wisconsin, and that engine had a headlight and a pilot for it's USA tour, Some things just didn't look "right " to me.

Oh, well; that's just me and my attachment to American steam power, streamlined or "naked".

Paul Fischer

fisch330 posted:

...  The lack of a headlight (Never could figure out why the British always wanted to keep their engine crews in the dark!) and the lack of a proper pilot, always looked kind of "funny" to me ...

Paul Fischer

In Britain the rights of way were generally required to be fenced, so they didn't need "cowcatchers". Level crossings (grade crossings of vehicle roads) had a fence-like crossing-gate arrangement that kept people from wandering onto the right-of-way. Mainlines were virtually always double track with elaborate signalling, so headlights were considered unnecessary. Access to the railway right-of-way was much more restricted.

This part is a guess, but the lack of "cowcatchers" might have facilitated maintenance access considering that many English steam locos had inside cylinders and inside valve gear, especially in the earlier years. Inside cylinders were common because of the smaller loading gauge and many high-level passenger platforms.

Here's the CPR Jubilee 4-4-4 semi-streamliner with and without the cladding. Marx fans will recognize it.

http://smg.photobucket.com/use...media/3000c.jpg.html

http://smg.photobucket.com/use...media/3000c.jpg.html

The British had "lifeguards" for a pilot; the tapered metal bar pointing down just ahead of the pilot truck wheel. Guarding the train more than anything that was hit by them, I guess.