6029 load trial run

[cleanerg6e]

After having done a light load trial run. 6029 did a loaded trial run from Canberra (it's base) to Bungendore and return. Note how at the opening shot the automatic stoker is turned off due to the single line tunnel. Note to the shape of the tunnel very different to British single tunnels. The tunnel is fully lined with bricks.

 

[roddy]

Google "Summit tunnel fire" and see what a brick lined tunnel can take.

[cleanerg6e]

Hi Roddy, yes I did google "Summit tunnel fire" and read what happened. Some of the bricks melted in the intense heat but there was no structural damage to the tunnel.

Here Garretts weren't favoured in single line tunnels due to loading gauge restrictions. As can be seen the loco is of large dimensions and they often fitted single line tunnels like the proverbial "cork in a bottle" or like the tube trains in London. But being steam locos in long single line tunnels crews would notice the air temperature rising. None of our tunnels had ventilation shafts and there's one near to me called the old Glenbrook Tunnel which was notorious for bad ventilation. It leaked so the interior was always damp and it was on a curve the enemy of proper ventilation. If a loco slipped in the tunnel the crews were sometimes overcome by smoke and fumes and were on the cab floor unconscious. Most trains heading up the mountains were banked and if the crew of the banking loco reversed out of the tunnel to save themselves being overcome by smoke and fumes they had to be careful and keep a sharp watch ahead for the train rolling out of the tunnel with no one in control of it. The guard would have screwed the handbrake on in his brake van but the loco crew would either be near to blacking out or they would have blacked out. I think the grade through the tunnel was 1 in 40.