MR Spinner

[Hardwicke]

Does anyone know which side the balance weight should lead on a Midland 115 Spinner? Short of going to York and looking at both sides of the real loco...

[hollybeau]

I don't know the answer and a quick look in "An Illustrated Review of Midland Locomotives" Volume 2 (Essery/Jenkinson) doesn't enlighten me either but I am at the point of fitting these to my Spinner (LRM Models kit) and would also be interested in the answer. Does the usual rule for quartering i.e right hand facing forwards is advanced by 90 degrees relative to the left hand side apply or is my usual lack of knowledge of the working of a steam locomotive at play again?

Bryan

[HowardGWR]

Somebody is going to say you can't see both sides at once...oops.

[Hardwicke]

In a Spinner you can see both sides at once. Midland Locomotives vol 1 shows a lot of daylight through the frames but I'm still not sure. Different companies chose different 'leads' so what it right for say LBSCR isn't right for say LSWR or SECR (I remember this from an article in Railway World about Terriers. One was repaired at a different works and had its wheels changed and the lead was swapped.). Midland Railway generally seems to be right hand (looking from the cab forwards) crank pin at the top, left hand crank forwards, although 2 of my 2-4-0's are the other way round (I didn't build one of them)

[Will L]

Goggle images of "Midland Spinner" you'll get an nice image of 673 good enough to answer your question. (left hand weight at about 4:30, right hand weight out of site) But what lead that works out to be I'm not sure, I've never been concerned enough to be sure I understand the term correctly, on the ground that you can't really see both side at once.

But then, I've just proved you can.

Will

[Hardwicke]

I couldn't find any photos on google that showed both wheels. Just an average youtube video at York and flickr with its usual "oh that's fantastic" and factual errors. No it was not preserved in 1923!
I've been invited to Scarborough so I might drop by and have a look.

[Will L]

I couldn't find any photos on google that showed both wheels. ...

Surely this one is good enough? http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/browser.php?m=objects&kv=205779&i=116136.

[HowardGWR]

Lovely photo and typical that the balance weights are hidden up in the splashers (assuming they are present) which is an official photographers' quirk apparently. More interesting possibly Michael (forgive my earlier quip) is how it runs. One hears a lot about electrical pick up on as many wheels as possible but you are naturally restricted here. Have you got it running yet? Regards, Howard