| Girdlestone started his railway career in 1978 on the 2
foot gauge Festiniog Railway in North Wales, UK. He believed that there
was much scope for improvement in the FR locomotives and set about
trying to find ways of realising this. He analysed and improved a host
of details, ranging from rod lubrication to plain bearing axlebox
design to improve reliability as well as efforts to improve efficiency.
He was part of the small team that re-designed and rebuilt an Alco
2-6-2T switcher, which had been built for the First World War
battlefields and came to the FR in 1967. Its performance was
revolutionised, haulage capacity being increased by 60%.
Alco 2-6-2T Mountaineer
Festiniog railway 1983
Festiniog locomotives were oil-fired and the worldwide
increase in prices of the mid to late 1970's created quite a crisis,
and the resulting use of inferior and cheaper qualities gave many
operational problems. At this time Girdlestone got to know Porta and
Wardale and as a result of this association drafted a plan to rebuild a
locomotive with the Gas Producer Combustion System to enable a return
to coal, reduce fuel costs and improve reliability. The design work was
carried out during 1983 with long-range help and advice from Porta and
Wardale and the locomotive (a Hunslet 2-4-0ST/T) was rebuilt under his
direction during 1984 while he was Manager of Boston Lodge Works. Apart
from the GPCS it had a Lempor exhaust system, improved superheat and
other detail changes. After tuning up it gave fuel costs only 73% of
that it would have incurred burning oil and compared with the Alco and
articulated "Fairlie" types hauling the same weight trains it was some
50% cheaper. It was re-converted to burn oil in 1986 when prices
dropped after he had left the FR.
Hunslet 2-4-0 Linda being
prepared for duty at Boston Lodge 1985
Girdlestone was unhappy at the direction FR locomotive
policy was heading at the time, which was towards "heritage" replicas
of old designs and he believed that there was no reason why the form
could not be preserved whilst the internal detail and efficiency was
improved out of all recognition. In 1984 he had been offered the
position of Wardale's assistant with American Coal Enterprises but
funding was never obtained for this project. Instead in 1985 he took up
the position of Project Engineer with Hugh Phillips Engineering, which
had a contract to rehabilitate several Sudan Railway Corporation
locomotives for the famine relief operation, which was then getting
under way. As part of this he designed a Lempor exhaust system for
these locomotives (North British SRC 310 Class 2-8-2's). This was
fitted to No.313, the first of the six being overhauled and after
comparative trials with brake locomotives showed a reduction in fuel
consumption of 12% authority was granted for the remaining five to be
so fitted. Unfortunately, although preliminary work was done to improve
other SRC engines (a double Lempor was designed for the 500 Class
4-8-2's as well as other improvements) nothing more came of this mainly
because the aid agencies were unhappy at the misuse of aid in Sudan and
withdrew much of their support.
SRC 310 Class 2-8-2 fitted with Lempor
exhaust system
In 1988 he was offered the position of Mechanical
Engineer to Alfred County Railway, a 122km 2 foot gauge system in
Natal, South Africa which had just become privatised. This used NGG16
2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratts, the largest 2 foot gauge steam locomotives in the
world. Redesigned (to Class NGG16A) they incorporated the GPCS, Lempor
exhaust, improved spark arrestor, lightweight multi-ring articulated
piston valves, improved valve events and improved mechanical
lubrication. Two were so treated, the first, No.141 in 1989 and the
second No.155 in 1990. In comparative testing 141 gave a fuel saving of
25% compared to a standard Garratt and this was easily maintained in
regular service.
NGG16A Garratts No. 141 & 155 on a
coastbound timber train 1992
In 1991, just before the change from SATS (South African
Transport Services, the successor to South African Railways) and before
the change to semi-privatised Spoornet he was co-opted on to a
committee of the remaining steam people to determine what fuel options
were open for a partial retention of steam. At that time steam was
still in service (just) between Kimberley and De Aar and in shunting
services on the Reef. The only result of this was the first oil-fired
SAR steam locomotive since an experiment in1946. This was 15F 4-8-2
No.2916 which was converted at Germiston depot using equipment from
East African Railways and he was brought in to help supervise the tests
and tuning up.
15F No. 2916 at Germiston, PG second
from left
The application of the East African American-type trough
burners to No.2916 was not particularly successful and Girdlestone
suggested an alternative. As a result he was asked to design equipment
for the conversion of a 25NC 4-8-4. The impetus behind all this work
was to equip locomotives for work during the dry season, the formation
of Spoornet having seen elimination of steam in normal service. It was
now operated on behalf of the Transnet Heritage Foundation and normal
line clearing and the making of firebreaks had ceased. The new burners
were circular with superior atomising characteristics and the first was
applied to a 25NC of Beaconsfield depot at Kimberly. It was
subsequently applied to a second 25NC No.3417 and retrospectively to
15F No.2916 with success.
25NC No.3501 at Orange River en route to
De Aar
during trials with the improved oil burning equipment
During 1996 Girdlestone was approached by the West Coast
Railway in Victoria, Australia to design modifications to their "R"
Class 4-6-4 No. R711. Oil firing, a double Lempor exhaust and piston
valve modifications were applied. In the 1980's, it operated the
fastest (70mph) regularly scheduled passenger service in the world and
reportedly gave up to 30% greater power and used 30% less fuel than the
standard "R". A second locomotive, R766, was scheduled to be converted.
West Coast Railway No. R711
photo courtesy of Yuri Sos copyright
1999
Many thanks to Yuri Sos for
the information on the R711
Unfortunately, the WCR suffered a series of setbacks resulted in the
WCR ceasing operations in 2004. Both locomotives now reside with Steamrail Victoria. R711
was evidently returned to service in 2008; however, it's twin Lempor
exhaust system has been removed. R766 is currently being
converted from broad to standard gauge, and if its twin Lempor was ever
fitted, it has now been removed.
The main freight workings on the Alfred County Railway
were dieselised in 1992 and steam only retained a very secondary role.
Eventually Girdlestone resigned and today runs his own company which
specializes in locomotive and associated equipment manufacture in
addition to supply of second hand equipment. His services also include
design and consultancy, especially oil firing, boiler design to modern
standards and adaptation of old standards, and modification work to
enhance performance, efficiency and reliability. He maintains a huge
database of information relating to design, past practice and modern
locomotive development which is invaluable in assisting enquiries in
many spheres. He continued a professional association with Porta until
Porta's death in 2002 and is one of very few steam locomotive
development engineers still active and is regularly consulted by
railways and individuals worldwide.
Work has included design and manufacture of a Lempor
exhaust for locomotive Camila (Tranex Turismo, Ushuaia,
Argentina), a burner for the second "R" Class conversion (West Coast
Railway, Australia) and the design of boilers and cylinders for new
locomotives (UK customer). In 2006, Girdlestone and Associates
completed a second 0-4-0+0-4-0 Garratt for the FCAF in Argentina,
incorporating significant improvements.
Trans-Siberian Express P36.0032
Most recently, Phil installed a dual-Lempor
exhaust on Trans-Siberian Express 4-8-4 P36.0032 shown above.
Consideration is being given to the future addition of the Gas Producer
Combustion System. Read more about this locomotive here: http://www.gwtravel.co.uk/special_features.php?id=37
The URL for Phil's website is: http://www.pgrail.co.za/
He can be contacted at:: e-mail:pgrail@venturenet.co.za
and phone/fax ++27 39 6951187
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