Water Tenders. Modified?

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jon price
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Water Tenders. Modified?

Postby jon price » Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:30 pm

I'm looking at a photo of a surplus tender in use as a "water tender" by the WD. I know railway companies often used superannuated tenders as various kinds of liquid store. The question I have concerns the coal bit. Obviously the water tank can be used to contain water, but leaving the coal bit open seems to be a bit odd if the function of the tender is for extra water. Were the coal doors ever welded or plated over to make an open tank for water where the coal used to be? Was the whole body ever plated over to make a single tank? Were there other modifications ever made to increase the amount of liquid contained?
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hughesp87
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Re: Water Tenders. Modified?

Postby hughesp87 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 4:02 pm

Jon,

My experience of these relates to the Webb, McConnell and Canada Works tenders used to convey water supplies to the isolated houses and industries along the Cromford & High Peak Railway right up to 1967.

All the evidence there suggests that there were no changes made to the coal space to create additional water capacity. The attached photo (with apologies for the quality) appears to verify this, as does the article and drawings in an old HMRS Journal article on these tenders by Harry Jack and Dr J R Hollick.

MNT167.jpg


Regards,

Geraint
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Geraint Hughes
Cromford & High Peak in P4
Danish Railways in P87

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pete_mcfarlane
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Re: Water Tenders. Modified?

Postby pete_mcfarlane » Wed Apr 22, 2020 4:12 pm

Here's another photo of C&HP water tenders which confirms this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/PHOTO-TENDERS- ... 2618263768

(or is it the same tender?...)

They also seem to have had some water carrying wagons built using tank bodies on old 4 wheel tender chassis of mid 19th century vintage. This is a much more extensive conversion.

https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/index ... _id=142156

hughesp87
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:25 pm

Re: Water Tenders. Modified?

Postby hughesp87 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 4:42 pm

Pete,

That's a McConnell 4-wheel tender. 6-wheel tenders were also used, with the centre axle removed to allow them to negotiate sharp curves and changes of gradient on the inclines.

Regards,

Geraint
Geraint Hughes
Cromford & High Peak in P4
Danish Railways in P87

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jon price
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Re: Water Tenders. Modified?

Postby jon price » Wed Apr 22, 2020 4:54 pm

Thanks, useful info.
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bécasse
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Re: Water Tenders. Modified?

Postby bécasse » Wed Apr 22, 2020 7:08 pm

Water is heavy, and has a tendency to surge when carried on a moving vehicle (ask any fire engine or road tanker driver). Former tenders intended for use as water tankers were probably left largely untouched when converted because their running capabilities were known and were within acceptable limits, not that they usually moved far or at high speed when loaded.

Those tenders that were more substantially rebuilt with new rectangular tanks (and, in the case of 6-wheelers, with the centre axle and wheel set removed) were probably provided with a tank with a lesser capacity than the tanks they had as tenders, and I would be very surprised if anti-surge baffles weren't fitted within the new tanks. Certainly the new tanks were quite low and would have kept the centre of gravity low as well.


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