Do heavy locos cope with poor railhead conditions better than lightweight units?

[geoffk]

This is another historic photo of the junction (looking away from the tunnel) in 1970.

The chalky cutting has no trees, and there aren’t any in the allotments.

Trees don’t actually grow very well in what is mainly chalk cutting with virtually no topsoil

70 094 290470 Salisbury Tunnel Junction DMU 1103

Not an expert on Southern DMU's, this one is at Salisbury Tunnel Junction on the 29th of April 1970 on the 13.08 Portsmouth to Salisbury service.

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From KDH archive

In 1970 you also had heavy locomotives like the Warship and Hymek illustrated, which would cope better with the conditions than the lightweight units in use today.

 

[Signal Head]

In 1970 you also had heavy locomotives like the Warship and Hymek illustrated, which would cope better with the conditions than the lightweight units in use today.

Heavy locos *with tread brakes*.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Heavy locos *with tread brakes*.

..... which I assume clean the tyres so improve the coefficient with the rail?

Edit: I should have said "coefficient of fricton...... "

 

[GC class B1]

..... which I assume clean the tyres so improve the coefficient with the rail?

Yes and cast iron brake blocks in particular.

 

[Brush 4]

Steam locos having trouble stopping on wet leaves doesn't really get any mentions in old articles. There problem was starting of course.....

 

[Western 52]

Not too many leaves on the line in steam days as vegetation was kept tidy and clear.....unlike today!