BoadiceaInspired by raafif and his turbo jet loco
The Railways were always keen to adopt any new technology that could give them an edge over competitors and save on running costs. However, so called load lightening technology being developed towards the end of WW1 was initially converted for use on rolling stock. During the rail traction days the weight of the locomotive was an important factor. Lighten the engine and the wheels would just slip on the track when a heavy train was to be hauled. Lighten the train and the engine worked less hard, often negating the need for double heading or increasing train length.
By the time of the “The Grouping” in 1923 a surplus of power generation was available beyond that needed for the Electro Magnetic Field Effect on Mass (EMFEM) for purely a means of weight compensation. This surplus was considered for Beam focusing technology which was already in use on light vehicles. The plan to was to decouple the wheels other than emergency breaking systems and add concrete tapered face blocks between the rails for the focused beam to push upon for either motive or stopping power. This left the steam engine to drive the ever more powerful electrical generators. This system quickly became the standard and my the end of the 1920’s all main routes had been converted.
The London North Eastern Railway company had been conducting experiments with steam turbines which coincided with a leap in power generation and conditioning technology. By this time the power generational potential was so huge that EMFEM was being considered for removing wheeled traction altogether and employing aviation technology in the form of Electro levitation which would bring higher speeds and fuel savings. Of course there was the matter of thousands of miles of standard rail track in the UK. Some of it still pre beam.
To prove the concept the L.N.E.R built a 5 mile test track that consisted of a single reinforced concrete “rail” the base of which was 4ft 8.5” as per the standard track width with fixing/stabilisation points that protruded no further than a standard sleeper. The sides were scalloped and instead of the tapered blocks of the rail system the mono rail had tapered hollows for the beam focus.
Shorter shallow radius curve sections were used to build up curves similar to that of conventional curve profiles. So called “jump switches” or “V” points enabled track switching and all this could be laid upon existing track beds as well as along side conventional track.
The LNER laid track along side their main London (Kings Cross) to Edinburgh line which was an immediate success. Rivals LMS began to lay track too but the second world war put an end to further serious transition.
It took some time for the momentum to build up again after world War two in favour of the mono rail but after the Nationalisation of 1948 a bold decision to modernise the railways was taken.
LNER had not been idle prior to the nationalisation and had converted a Mallard class steam turbine locomotive to take an aero-engine gas turbine. Post war T-coil and beam projection technology was several leaps ahead of what was being achieved in the 1930’s and the new Jet powered loco began a new chapter in railway history.
It was 1952 by the time the now nationalised British Rail began operating Jet Rail services. The first of these services being on the old LNER line from Kings Cross to Edinburgh with engine number 60123 “Boadicea” powered by a rail converted Tesla-Royce Arrow with its output shaft coupled via gearbox to the first stage generator array. She was a veritable travelling power station in her day supplying energy via the power down capacitor array (PDCA) for up to 12 coach amplifier systems. She became the model on which all future Jet rail locos were designed and can be found restored in the National railway museum York.
As a point of interest she was given the name Boadicea because of an enduring legend that states that the body of Boadicea lays beneath platform 10 of Kings Cross station … perhaps the only bit of this story that has any credence.
Canopus
This is how she would have looked during her flight trials in 1936.
After much swearing and frustration I decided the image looked best in monochrome so I left it that way for better or for poorer.
Some history...
The Short Brothers began by selling balloons in 1902 and giving penny rides in such in by 1905. Then, as Short Bros Ltd, became the first company to supply aeroplanes on a production basis. Notable amongst the companies designs were the flying boats they designed and were involved with through until the 1950’s.
They had considerable success with the Singapore 4 engined flying boat of 1924 and then the Calcutta which was used by Imperial Airways. Keen to expand upon their successes they designed a double decker monoplane flying boat known as the S23 but better known as the Empire Flying Boat.
The first of these named “Canopus” made her maiden flight in July of 1936 and she was the first of 42 built over a two year period.
Canopus was ordered by Imperial Airways in January 1935 at a cost of £37,800.00. She was powered by 4x Bristol Pegasus X radial engines of 900HP each. Although the first she was not a prototype and was always intended to enter passenger service after type flight trials were carried out.
Taxi trials were to commence on 3rd July 1936 but with the aircraft performing so well the pilot decided to make the first take off and a flight of 14 minutes was made around the Rochester area.
She was test flown with passengers during October of that year gaining her certificate and handing over to Imperial Airways the same month.
Canopus continued to be used in the early part of WW2 and flew her last commercial service in 1946 and was offered to Poole City Council for preservation which of course never happened but lets not get onto the thorny issue subject of local English councils.
Finally she was struck off, towed to Marchwood on Southampton water and scrapped.
Canopus had flown 2,000,000 miles approximately in a total of 15,200 hours.
