For those who have been in contact with me and have had their contact details added to my "Interest Group" circulation list, you would have received the odd newsletter from me from time to time. Since the newsletters often tell more than what is to be found on the website, I thought that newcomers might find it useful to be able to scan through the old newsletters for snippets of historical or useful information. Since it is so easy to do, I thought I'd copy and paste the old newsletters into "html" format and incorporate them in the 5AT website. This I have done below in descending date order.

Note: If you've not been sent a copy of the latest newsletter by email, it probably means that either my emails aren't getting through to you, or I've not put your name on my circulation list. Either way, can you please email me and let me know if you're not receiving them.

8th January 2009

To all supporters of the 5AT project:

News Bulletin – 8th Jan 2009

Covering:

• Help needed on design of 5AT Crosshead;
• Position vacant at the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum in Australia
• New steam power company established in the USA
• Steam car speed record challenge
• More computer generated 3D models of the 5AT

Apologies to all for troubling you with another newsletter so soon after sending out the last one. The reason is that two topics have cropped up, one of which is important to the project, and the second of which may be of interest to a few of you, and both require timely distribution. I’m also taking the opportunity to add some additional news items that have turned up.

The first items relates directly to the 5AT Project and is circulated at the request of Richard Coleby who is working hard on detailed (and most impressive) 3D drawings for several critical components for the 5AT, some of which are displayed on the website. I will pass on his message as follows:

HELP REQUIRED IN SOURCING A SUITABLE BEARING FOR THE 5AT CROSSHEAD

Despite much research it has been impossible to find a suitable bearing for the 5AT crosshead which complies with the parameters laid down in the Fundamental Design Calculations (FDCs) for this component. These calculations begin with a summary of the design requirements as follows:

Essentially this is a full complement (i.e. no cage) taper roller bearing without inner cone and the only example so far discovered to be available is the Timken type used in the SAR Class 25 crosshead which unfortunately is too big and too heavy.

For anyone interested in helping to research this problem, the attached outline drawing gives the main details and dimensions. Relevant excerpts from the FDCs and a Solidworks 3D drawing of the crosshead can be sent to anyone who is willing and able to help.

Any help that can be given on this matter will be much appreciated as this is a fundamentally important component in the motion design and is holding up progress in this area.

The second news item takes the form of a job advertisement which I received by way of response to my December newsletter. It comes from Peter Dudgeon who is a member and an elected Board Member of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum in Australia. The museum (see http://www.nswrtm.org/) is located at Thirlmere, approx 85 kilometres south west of Sydney. Peter’s message was as follows (with a few minor edits):

Position Vacant: Maintenance/Safety Manager for the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum.

The new maintenance/ safety manager will be required to keep our safety management documentation and our maintenance records up to date and also manage our rail safety documentation. Our safety documentation is fairly current but all maintenance documentation is currently only on old card systems (more or less). The person who takes on this job is going to have some challenges and a few headaches over the next couple of years while our museum is dragged from the dark ages into the 21st century. The salary will be negotiable around/up to $AUD 100,000.

Our museum is just starting on a multi-million redevelopment at the hands of Office of Rail Heritage (a division of RailCorp, responsible for the state of N.S.W.'s rail heritage), which is the total redevelopment of our workshop into a partial roundhouse in a new area of the museum and then a purpose-built display building to house the State’s best rail heritage items.

As a museum we operate trains both intrastate and interstate for heritage tours. We also have our own loop line which we operate some weekend trains on. We currently have 3 steam locomotives in service with our most famous 3801 currently out of service waiting a new boiler which will then give us 4 steam locomotives. We also have 7 diesels which are operational with another under restoration for a return to service towards the end of 2009. We also have quite a number of carriages operational. The display side of the museum currently has one of the biggest collections of rolling stock in the world but this is being rationalized to a more manageable level.

The current timetable for the completion of the redevelopment is our Thirlmere Festival of Steam March 2010, although I think it will be later in the year as they are already running behind schedule as we are still moving stock off site to allow room for the work to progress.

If you have any questions I would be happy to hear from you at peter.dudgeon@optusnet.com.au.

[Post script: the position has not yet been publicly advertized, so the 5AT community may be amongst the first to hear about it.]

I take the opportunity to add three additional items of news that may be of interest to readers:

Establishment of the Vapor Locomotive Company in the USA: For those who don’t know about it (and I didn’t until very recently), Matt Janssen has recently established new steam tech company in the USA called the Vapor Locomotive Company. Matt has sent me a brief description of the company as follows:

Vapor Locomotive Company is a recently formed corporation based in Sandpoint, ID, USA. The company specializes in smaller commercial, industrial, and institutional stationary combined heat and power systems using Skinner steam engines and single stage turbines. Research and development work is in process for a new generation of packaged mobile power generation units that would additionally be suitable to supply motive power in railroad and marine applications. Other capabilities include modernization and construction of traditional steam locomotives and components. Matt Janssen, CEO of VLC, has ten years experience with modern steam concepts and sixteen years of experience with diesel engine technology and heavy equipment. VLC’s diverse group of associates have extensive backgrounds in a variety of specialty areas related to reciprocating steam engine systems.

You can find more by checking out VLC’s website at www.vaporlocomotive.com.

The British Steam Car Challenge: I was reminded recently to take another look at the website for the British Steam Car Challenge – see http://www.steamcar.co.uk. The challenge is being mounted for the purpose of beating the 102 year old speed record for steam cars, currently held by Fred Marriott who drove a Stanley steam car at a speed of 128mph on Daytona Beach in 1906. The project is nearing completion, and the website is well worth revisiting for those who have not seen it recently.

The 9 year old project, costing around £650,000 funded by a long list of sponsors, is being promoted on the basis that “it incorporates new technologies that will bring excitement to the arena of ecologically friendly technologies. In the process of setting the land speed record it is hoped that additional attention to green vehicle technologies will be generated.” Their success (as we hope it will prove to be) should be something that the 5AT project might be able to build on considering that the 5AT should be capable of beating Mallard’s 70 year-old speed record for steam-powered rail traction. We wish them every success.

More 3D Computer-Generated Models of the 5AT: Two more computer modellers have kindly offered to develop 3D models of the 5AT.

Johan from RSA Trainz (http://www.rsatrainz.com) described his group to me as follows:

We are creating 3D models for TS2009, Microsoft Train Simulator and Rail Simulator and also the new MSTS2. RSA Trainz is about South African rolling stock, locomotives and the whole South African rail network in total. It will also be informative about the history and of the future. Basically anything related to South African Railways

We are busy doing the "Red Devil" (as soon as we have all the information we need) which was the brain child of the man we admire the most - David Wardale - so we thought “What the heck, why don't we just do the 5AT too since it look so darn sexy”.

RSA Trainz is mostly self funded and we will endeavour to recreate every single locomotive, rolling stock and route that was ever in South Africa. Not just the past but also the present and the future.

Johan concluded by asking if there was anything his group can do to help us with our project – and offer which I gratefully acknowledged.

Sam Carter is an ex student of the University of Teesside's School of Computing and until recently a special effects animator at Double Negative Visual Effects in London. In the last year since graduating from University, he has worked on feature film animation. An example of Sam’s work can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrgW8KOjM0U. After seeing that, you will understand my surprise when Sam wrote to say that “I'm treating this project as a personal challenge to improve upon the techniques used for the Big Boy locomotive”. He must have very high expectations indeed.

I wish both Sam and Johan success with their efforts and look forward to seeing the results of their work when they are completed.

Finally, I will take the opportunity to wish you all a very happy New Year. Hopefully it will turn out to be a prosperous one for everyone even though the signs are not too encouraging at the moment.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

14th December 2008

To all supporters of the 5AT project:

News Bulletin – 12th Dec 2008

Once again an apology is warranted for my tardiness in producing another newsletters about the 5AT Project. And once again it is caused partly by lack of time and partly by lack of good news to warrant distribution in a newsletter.

2008 has turned out to be a bad year for the world’s economies and 2009 is likely to be worse, making the task of attracting funding for the 5AT project all the more difficult. But even before the financial meltdown, 2008 had turned bad for me personally, in that my efforts in pushing the adoption of steam traction for coal haulage in Indonesia came to another temporary halt when it was revealed that funding for the particular project that I have been pursuing would not be forthcoming for another 12 months at the earliest. I’ve not broadcast any details of the project but made indirect reference to it in a presentation that I made at the York conference in 2006 and in various papers that I’ve written, copies of which now appear onto the 5AT website. These all draw the same conclusion, that the detailed cost comparisons that I produced between various traction options indicate great promise for (coal-burning) steam. Furthermore there was genuine interest amongst some of the project planners, particularly in the use of reconditioned Chinese steam locomotives to begin their haulage operations and in the possibility of better more efficient models being developed in the future. However a further 12 month delay will render the procurement of reconditioned locomotives from China near-impossible since they are already very hard to procure and it has become even harder to find facilities to recondition them. So without that ready-made “starter option”, it will become harder in the future to convince the project planners (and their international consultants) to consider the steam option without any hardware being available to show them.

The longer-term aim in promoting steam for coal haulage was to develop a freight version of the 5AT, and this remains an obvious avenue to pursue (despite the temporary fall in oil prices that we are currently experiencing). However even that prospect struck problems in early 2008 with the discovery of unforeseen difficulties in achieving anything like as much commonality between the passenger and freight engine designs as had originally been envisaged. Documenting the problems has been an interesting learning exercise and goes some way to explaining why the Stanier 8Fs were not simply a small-wheel version of his Black Fives and why Riddles’ proposal for a “Standard” 2-8-0 was not just a small-wheeled version of his 5MT. In fact, the differences between the 5AT and its conceptual 8AT freight derivative would likely be substantially greater than those between the Stanier and Riddles designs for a variety of reasons, few of which are (or were) obvious at first sight. Perhaps I should consider making the report that I wrote on the subject available through the 5AT website one day, but in the meantime the idea of developing two designs based around common components (and thereby subsidizing the costs of the 5AT through sales of a freight-hauling derivative) have been largely abandoned.

The most immediate effect of the above setbacks has been to postpone the completion of a Project Feasibility Study which was intended to be completed in April. Notwithstanding, project planning is still moving forwards, particularly on the Engineering side. The engineering planning team led by John Hind has produced new detailed drawings of locomotive components including the cylinders, valve liners, piston and piston rod, piston-rod gland, crosshead, coupling rods, “double hanger” valve actuator bracket, frames, springs, boiler (outline only) and various other items. In addition, Finite Element Analysis of the frames is progressing. Furthermore, the team has developed some very interesting and novel ideas that are still under wraps and will probably remain so for some time. Two meetings of the Engineering Planning Working Party (EWPC) were held in 2008 and these are reported separately on by John Hind himself (see below).

Also below, I have included a message that I received recently from Lyndon Shearman in the Orkney Isles. Lyndon proposes the idea of holding a weekend seminar in the Orkneys dedicated to the subject of “Modern Developments in the use of Steam Power”. This seems like an excellent idea that deserves strong support from all of us who are interested in pursuing the development of steam powered transport, plus it will offer the opportunity to visit a remote part of the UK that is probably unknown to most of us.

I have already written to Lyndon to express my support of the plan and to indicate my intention to attend. I would encourage anyone who shares my enthusiasm to do likewise, and for those willing to offer a presentation, to mention it to him.

Finally, I might draw your attention to the new “Presentations” page that I have added to the 5AT website which draws attention to our willingness to offer presentations about the project to any railway-oriented groups that would like to know more about the project. We have already made several presentations both to professional and to amateur groups, and we now have a selection of presentations that have been prepackaged to meet what we believe are the most likely areas of interest. All we ask is that our travel expenses are covered.

I will conclude by wishing you all a Happy Christmas and as much New Year cheer as 2009 will allow.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

Engineering Planning

Most of time we communicate by e-mail or by telephone, but there are times when we need longer discussions so from time to time, we meet face to face. This year we have had two technical meetings EPWP 6 and EPWP7, (EPWP being short for Engineering Planning Working Party). Laptops and LCD projectors are the order of the day for an EPWP meeting and the standard of information presented is on a par with that found in any 21st century engineering and project organisation. The tools and techniques used – Computer Aided Design (CAD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Excel spreadsheets together with the inevitable PowerPoint presentation would be a revelation to the steam locomotive designers of old. The meetings are a full day with agenda and timetable and we all leave mentally tired and with a set of “next steps”. The one regret is that we cannot meet more frequently to progress some of the ideas more quickly.

EPWP6 was in April at the Midland Railway Centre, when as well as our technical discussions we were able to look over BR Standard Class 5MT 73129. Although a Caprotti-fitted locomotive, we had the chance to look at the base locomotive for the 5AT firsthand and get an impression of its layout and features. The technical meeting included Jamie Keyte’s proposals for a fabricated frame, including a ‘crashworthy’ front end based on current railway practice. This was backed with the first FEA results for the frame. Richard Coleby presented his work on CAD modelling of the cylinders, frame, wheels, Franklin lever wedges, horns and axleboxes. A ‘rapid prototype’ scale model of the cylinder was reviewed against the CAD and the cylinder FEA, which confirmed that some wall sections needing thickening to reduce stresses in the main steam pipe inlets and the cylinder covers. The session concluded with an analysis of the layout options for the 8AT frames, springs, compensating beams for different sizes of wheel and firebox arrangement.

EPWP7 was held at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway at Haworth in November, when had a chance to look at a number of 2-8-0’s – a USATC S160 with bar frames, a WD 2-8-0 and an LMS 8F. The S160 was under overhaul so we were able to have a close look at a locomotive with bar frames and see other features of American practice. Coincidentally an S160 was operating the service train and we had a first hand demonstration of poor rail conditions in light drizzle, when it practically slipped to a stand coming uphill into Howarth Station. Perhaps a measure of how bad rail conditions were was shown when a Standard 4MT tank slipped going downhill leaving Howarth! The technical presentations were primarily focussed on 8AT matters and John Hind presented a study on firebox grate areas required to produce a specific power output and the effects of firing coals with different calorific values. Jamie Keyte presented a paper on wheel and cylinder size options for the 8AT backed up by an Excel spreadsheet which calculates the theoretical indicator diagram from which steam consumptions and variations of tractive effort with crank angle can be derived. The meeting concluded by putting in place the next steps for completing the Feasibility Study.

John Hind
11/12/08

Proposed Conference on Modern Developments in the use of Steam Power – Orkney June 2010.
Weekend Conference on Modern Developments in the use of Steam Power
Proposed by Lyndon Shearman - lyndonshearman@hotmail.co.uk
Orkney Isles, around June 2010

Imagine a source of power that was clean, efficient, and used only renewable fuel sources. Well, 100 years ago steam engines were running on waste materials that we would now call "biomass" . Now, although many people see steam engines as old fashioned, there are still developments taking place all over the world to make steam engines that not only work effectively, but cleanly. And some of the developments are very futuristic, such as the single molecule engine developed by Julius Vansco in Holland, which actually uses the same basic principle as a steam engine, i.e. take a working material, alternately heat and cool it, and harness the change in volume to provide power. While the nanotech engine is so small it could be used to power medical devices INSIDE the human body, there is also some interesting stuff going on at the other end of the scale, for example the building of locomotive Tornado from scratch. There are commercial companies developing new clean and efficient power technologies. Then there are individuals building steam buggies and bikes and boats in their workshops, each pushing their own frontiers.

So I have had the idea of having a weekend conference on modern developments in the use of steam power, here in Orkney, and I would like to invite expressions of interest from individuals , groups or companies who might wish to come and:

• make a presentation/give a talk
• display materials showing their work
• exhibit their hardware.

This will attract a wide range of people, from environmentalists to steam enthusiasts to potential customers to people working at the very edges of technology. What I have in mind is a weekend of displays and lectures, and if visitors want to take some time before or after to visit some of the other attractions to be found here, they can. I will also put my own steam engine to work, burning biomass fuel, and given that the engine was built around 1860, this may reinforce the versatility and potential that steam engines have.
Why Orkney? (For those in other parts of the world, Orkney is a group of islands off the north coast of Scotland). Three reasons:

1. Orkney is already a centre of renewable energy technology, and work is going on on wind and tidal power, and the production of biomass crops and biofuels.
2. Orkney is truly unique, and has lots of attractions, so families could attend, and those family members not interested in steam power can visit the many other places and sights
3. For those interested in traditional steam power, Orkney has some interesting sites and exhibits

I am proposing to do this around June 2010, which gives time for planning. In addition, my own engine will be 150 years old then. June is usually a good month for weather, and some people may choose to tie in a visit with the Shetland vintage rally which is at that time.

There is at present no outside funding for this, and anyone attending either as exhibitor/speaker or as visitor should not expect to be paid, I'm afraid. I am prepared to pay for the hire of a rather good venue out of my own pocket, and I have a good deal of experience of organising conferences, and once we get moving, funding may become available. For now, however, I cannot offer money (in which case entry should probably be free as well).

It would be lovely to see people bringing examples of their technology here for display indoors or outdoors, but for anyone wanting to bring, say, a steam car, boat or engine, there is no "appearance money". If we go ahead with this, it will be because we believe in what we are doing, or it will be fun, or better still, both. If you cannot attend but would like to send display material, I could put it out on show for you.

I hope this idea appeals, and I would be very pleased to hear your suggestions, for I am sure there are many more people out there who might exhibit or give a talk on what they are doing. Carrie at the Institute of Nanotechnology, could you track down Julius Vansco with his molecular engine, if you think this is of interest? And on Westray, what can your young engineers produce by 2010? Please would you all let me have your early thoughts by e-mail to lyndonshearman@hotmail.co.uk, by phone on 01856 771569, or by proper mail at Brennanaire Cottage, Harray, Orney, KW15 2JR. For those of you who are editors of magazines, please feel free to use this and see what comes back.

The idea is in its infancy, but I think it has potential, bringing together old and new principles and looking to the future.

14th April 2008

Change of email address

To all supporters of the 5AT project:

It seems that the 5AT’s email server has been hijacked by a spammer who is using it as a proxy to send out junk emails. As a consequence, the default address is being bombarded by hundreds of reject notices bouncing back from dead mailboxes. I’ve been coping with the problem for some months using Spam Fighter software; however this last week the problem has escalated dramatically. Last night there were over 3000 emails sitting in the mailbox after I’d spent an hour or two manually deleted over 2000 of them. This morning it is back to 6500 and I don’t have the time or the inclination to deal with them.

I see no alternative other than to abandon the mailbox until/unless the hosting company can come up with a solution. In the meantime, can you please delete the 5at.co.uk mailing address from your address books and contact me in future through my gmail address cje.newman(at)gmail.com. If that fails, then try chris.newman(at)eastnet.com.cn.

If anyone can offer me advice on how to overcome the problem, I’ll be grateful. I hope it won’t necessitate changing the website address.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

31st Jan 2008

News Bulletin

I’m amazed to discover that it’s over 8 months since I last distributed a newsletter about the 5AT, so I won’t be surprised if many of you imagine that the project has finally ground to a halt (or come off the rails). In fact this is far from the case, and whilst progress remains slow (inevitably, so with our limited resources), we are moving forward. Evidence of this can be found in the latest update to the 5AT website (uploaded today) which reports on new drawings being produced by Richard Coleby and a Project Feasibility Study report being produced by John Hind, Alan Fozard, Mike Horne and myself. As I mention on the news page, John Hind has observed that “it is amazing how much has been achieved, and we can, in all modesty, claim that the 5AT has progressed the furthest both technically and commercially of all 'new design’ locomotive proposals.”

Of course, if there’s anyone out there who would be willing to help move the project forward faster, we’ll be very glad to hear from you. As noted on the News page, Richard Coleby and Jamie Keyte are currently working together on the design of the locomotive frames (Jamie doing FEA stress analyses on them), and they expect that the job will take them two to three months. If there are other drafting specialists and/or engineering designers out there who would like to help with the work or take on the design of other parts of the locomotive, we will welcome your contributions.

The other news item that I have reported is the “virtual” modelling project that Laura Macfadyen has begun on the 5AT. Laura is reading Computer Modelling & Animation BSc(Hons) at Bournemouth University, coincidentally the same institution that William Powell (who built the magnificent “hard” model of the 5AT last year) studied at. As you will see from the picture of her unfinished model, she is doing a magnificent job, and I am confident that we will be proud to display her model prominently on the 5AT’s website when it is finished.

Hopefully there will be other news that I can report on before another eight months passes. Hopefully too I will have time to report it, but in recent weeks (and months) I have been too busy to think about either the website or newsletters (which is why this one is so short!)

So with that, I will wish you all the best for this not-so-new year, and a very happy Chinese New Year (which I will no doubt be reminded of when fireworks start going off outside my home sometime in the middle of next week).

Best wishes

Chris Newman

9th May 2007

News Bulletin

Another all-too-brief newsletter, I'm afraid, but my time is limited and so, to some extent, is news about the project.

In fact, significant amounts of planning work are going on behind the scenes including:

• quotes being sought and received from specialist suppliers, assemblers and testing facilities;
• component drawings being prepared;
• cost estimates being refined;
• discussions with vehicle acceptance bodies;
• development of a finalized Business Plan.

However these tasks are all on-going and are not yet news-worthy, and in some cases it would be premature and potentially counterproductive to publish detailed information.

The purpose of this newsletter is therefore simply to draw attention to changes to the 5AT website, the most obvious of which is a rationalization of the indexes or menus. I felt that the old index was getting too large and disorganized, so I have "rationalized" by grouping several items into sub-indexes titled:

• The Project - covering general aspects of the project;
• Engineering - covering engineering aspects of the project
• Support Group - giving information about the main supporters of the project, and
• Artwork - covering paintings, livery options and models.

Several new pages have been added under these sub-indexes including:

• 5AT Models in which photos of William Powell's elegant model of the 5AT are displayed and reports presented on other 5AT modelling activities;
• 5AT Liveries in which various livery options are displayed, together with an open invitation for readers of the website to prepare their own livery ideas on a blank drawing of the 5AT;
• Future Developments in which I plan to write some words about 5AT derivative designs for haulage of heavy passenger and freight trains. Currently the page is blank as I don't have time at present to get my thoughts about it together.

Several old pages have also been updated, including minor modifications to the Introduction and Project pages (both now accessible through the new Project index). The 5AT Links page has also been updated with links to downloadable material that has been listed randomly in News and Newsletter and other pages of the website.

I'm well aware that navigation around the 5AT website could be improved significantly if the whole thing were redesigned without the use of "frames". One of these days I hope to find time to update the whole thing, but I'm afraid it will probably remain a low priority for some time. Nevertheless, if anyone has any suggestions for improvements to the site which don't involve massive amounts of work, I'd be very pleased to hear from them. And of course, it goes without saying that I'd appreciate notification from anyone who finds errors of fact, inconsistencies, typos, spelling or grammatical mistakes (of which I'm sure there must be many).

Best wishes for the summer, for those of you in the northern hemisphere. Commiserations to those facing winter

Chris Newman

11th Feb 2007

To all supporters of the 5AT project:

News Bulletin

Just a quick message to advise that I have made some updates to the 5AT website which I hope will be of interest.

You’ll find the changes to the website listed on the Updates page and the latest news in the News page. I’ll summarize the updates and news items briefly as follows:

• Three beautiful new illustrations of the 5AT by Robin Barnes;
• A new "Performance" page added describing the anticipated performance of the 5AT and outlining how its performance has been predicted;
• New 2D and 3D drawings of a Boxpok wheel by Richard Coleby;
• A new drawing list started (as yet incomplete because I’ve not caught up with all the work that has been done to date);
• News about two models of the 5AT – one a tangible model being built by William Powell, the other a virtual model that Mike Allen has offered to create.
• Minor but important clarifications relating to the Fundamental Design Calculations FDC 1.3.

If any of the above items are if interest, you can find out more by going to the website and taking a look.

Please let me know if you find any dead or bad links on the website, or any typos or other errors. And please send me your thoughts on how the website might be improved. I can think of a few improvements that I’d like to make to it myself, but since I haven’t found the time to implement them I can’t promise to be quick making changes that others would like to see. Nevertheless, do please send me your thoughts in case they inspire me into action. Notwithstanding, I plan to make a number of additional updates to the site in the near-ish future, and will probably send out another Newsletter when I do.

Best wishes to everyone; happy Chinese New Year and I hope you all have a prosperous Year of the Pig!

Chris Newman

18th December 2006

To all supporters of the 5AT project:

Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

I’ve just returned from a brief and hurried trip to the UK where I attended the Modern Steam Conference in York last Monday 11th December, where I was happy to see the 5AT project so well represented. Not only was David Wardale, Alan Fozard, John Hind and Robin Barnes there, but many long-term supporters of the project including at least three who had travelled over from the USA and at least one from Continental Europe. Quite obviously the project has inspired a very dedicated following, and I hope that all who attended found it as worthwhile as I did.

I hope that the conference will be the first of many and that more 5AT supporters will be able to attend the next one. My only disappointment was that the conference was only a one-day event that allowed very limited time for socialising, and I would hope that future events might follow the Brienz example and be held over two or two-and-a-half days and perhaps include a train ride (behind steam) that would allow people more opportunity to meet and talk. That would make it more worthwhile for people who have to travel long distances to attend. It would be nice to imagine that the 5AT project will be mature enough one of these days to consider taking a role in hosting an event of this sort.

Anyway, I have just updated the 5AT website by including a brief news item about the conference, plus copies of the papers presented by Wardale’s and myself. I’ve included both the PowerPoint and Word versions of my own paper (Dave Wardale didn’t use slides). The update also includes a copy of the Project Summary that was written specifically for the Conference by Alan Fozard and displayed outside the conference hall alongside paintings of the 5AT (by Robin Barnes) and engineering drawings of 5AT components including the connecting rod by David Smith and Jamie Keyte (already displayed on the website) and 3D arrangement drawings of a Scullin wheel that was prepared just in time for the conference by Richard Coleby (many thanks Richard!) I’ve uploaded copies of Richard’s drawings including a “dynamic” one (prepared using Solidworks) that can be manipulated by the viewer.

Other updates include some photos taken at the conference (talking of which, if anyone has any better photos available I’d be very grateful for copies since the few I took were very disappointing). I’ve also added a link from the “home” page to a print-out of a simulated 5AT run from Crewe to Carlisle with 375 tonnes behind the tender compiled by Dr David Pawson. David is the leading exponent of Prof Hall’s steam loco simulation packages “Perwal” and “Perform” which he used to verify the validity of the 5AT’s performance as predicted by David Wardale in the FDCs. Alan Fozard and I visit David Pawson on our way back from York, and our visit inspired David to make this simulated 5AT run which illustrates rather better than HP and TE figures just what might be expected from this machine. I’m not an expert on WCML steam performance, but I suspect that topping Shap at something over 65mph with a 375 tonne train is better than average performance. I’m afraid that doubters will either have to wait until the 5AT is built or invest time studying the FDCs (and David’s simulations) to be convinced that so small machine really could produce such an outstanding performance.

I am proposing to make what I hope will be some interesting additions to the 5AT website in the near future. Firstly, David Pawson has offered to produce some text for me to include on the website describing Professor Hall’s most interesting career and the background to the two software packages that he completed shortly before his death in 2002. I’m hoping too that David will also give me some text that describes the extensive work that he himself has done in “calibrating” the software so that its outputs are consistent with data produced by Rugby and Swindon stationary testing plants. In the process of conducting this work, David has developed some challenging opinions about the validity of long-established “truths” concerning design features that affect the performance of locomotives. Whether or not people will agree with his opinions, the important thing is that they will be pushed towards thinking more deeply about the technical issues associated with modern steam development, and in the process develop their knowledge of the subject (as I am trying to do).

I’m hoping that it might even be possible to offer copies of Professor Hall’s software through the website together with instructions (from Dave Pawson) on how to use it and how to get the best out of it. However this will depend on permission being granted by Prof Hall’s family.

Robin Barnes has produced some new illustrations of the 5AT which I hope to add to the website in the near future. Robin is a man with a huge knowledge of steam locomotives and steam history and I would recommend browsing his website at http://www.robinbarnes.net/. His fascinating book “Broader than Broad - Hitler's Great Dream” is also worth reading.

Finally, I am planning to introduce a new section to the 5AT website, to be incongruously dedicated to the 8AT concept and its derivatives, as mentioned in my last newsletter and in Alan Fozard’s project summary (mentioned above). I won’t pre-empt what I’m going to put in it because I’ve not thought it through yet, but I hope it will be interesting when I get around to it.

That’s enough for one newsletter. Best wishes again to all of you and thanks for your continued interest in our most exciting project.

Chris Newman

PS – I have to send all my 5AT correspondence out through my Chinese server these days because I can no longer send emails through the 5AT server. I can still receive emails through it, so you can continue feel writing to me at info(at)5at.co.uk or chris(at)5at.co.uk.

27th Sept 2006

It’s four months since I circulated the last 5AT newsletter, so it is perhaps time that I sent out another if only to reassure those who are following the project that it is still moving forward at a slow but steady pace. Below is a quick summary of the news:

• A combined meeting of the two 5AT planning groups (the Engineering Planning Committee headed by John Hind, and the Commercial Planning Committee headed by Alan Fozard) was held at Alan’s home in Staffordshire on Sunday 23rd July. It was a well attended meeting, bringing several new faces who we hope will become regular meeting attendees in the future. Those present included (from the Leading Group):
  • Alan Fozard, 5AT Project Co-ordinator. (Retired ex industrial computer system company director);
  • John Hind, Chairman, EPWP. (Project Development Bentley Cars, part owner of GWR tank No 5542);
  • David Smith, Secretary, EPWP. (High pressure boiler designer, Mitsui Babcock);
  • John Duncan, EPWP (Retired BR Maintenance Engineer, ex Technical Director MLSOL);
  • Jamie Keyte, EPWP (Professional Mechanical Engineer working in the rail engineering industry);
  • Chris Newman, 5AT Communications Director & Webmaster (civil engineer living in Beijing, China, specialising in bulk materials handling).

  Invitees included:

• Angus Eickhoff, (Designer with own Craft Blacksmith Company. Involved in rural railway development studies);
• Mike Horne, (Retired Technical Services Manager, Brother Office Equipment);
• Mark Smith, (Transport Planner, University of Newcastle, School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences);
• David Stringer, (Chartered Accountant with own business modelling consultancy).

Apologies were received from:

David Ward (UK); David Wardale (UK); Dominic Wells (UK); Martyn Bane (UK); John Bolitho (UK); Peter Mintoft (UK); Malcolm Cluett (Australia); Brian McCammon (New Zealand); Shaun McMahon (Argentina); Andrew Spurlock (USA).

The main focus of the meeting was presentations by John Hind and Alan Fozard. John’s presentation provided an overview of the report that he is preparing titled: “Engineering and Delivering the 5AT” in which he estimates the amount of work that will be required to design and build the 5AT, the personnel that will be needed, the training that they will require, and an estimate of the cost of the design and building of a prototype locomotive. Alan’s presentation focussed on the challenges to be faced in presenting a commercial proposal that is sufficiently attractive to raise the finance that will be needed to carry through the project.

• On 19th July BBC Radio 4 presented a broadcast titled "Steam Driven" featuring the views and voices of David Wardale, Roger Waller, Shaun McMahon and Martyn Bane, together with Ben Russell from the Science Museum. Whilst not directly connected with the 5AT project, the broadcast reinforced our belief in a widespread and ongoing fascination with steam traction (see 5AT website News page for more information).

• On 11th December 2006 a Conference titled "Developments in Modern Steam Traction for Railways" is to be held at the York Railway Museum under the auspices of the "Institute of Railway Studies and Transport History, Universities of Birmingham, Sheffield and York". This exciting conference is expected to host several major speakers from the "modern steam" fraternity, including:
  • David Wardale who will talk on "The Design of the 5AT";
  • Roger Waller who will talk on "Experience with Modern Steam and new Developments";
  • Jos Koopmans who will talk on "Beyond Porta: New Front End Research";
  • David Elliot who will talk on "The A1 Project";
  • Martyn Bane who will talk on "Water Treatment for Modern Steam Locomotives".

  I have also been offered the opportunity to present a paper on the cost studies that I conducted recently for an Indonesian coal-haulage railway in which I compared the costs of steam, diesel and electric traction.

  An additional attraction at the conference is Kirklees Light Railway’s locomotive FOX which will be put on display. FOX is one of four locomotives that operate the railway, all of which are in the process of “Porta-ization” which so far includes Lempor-type exhaust, GPCS firebox, steam sanding, roller bearings and Porta water treatment.

I have just posted an abbreviated version of these news items onto the website News page, so many of you may have already seen them. I’ve also added a paragraph and some photos to the “Engineers” page of the website to provide some information about Ian Screeton who has been responsible for the modifications and improvements to the KLR’s locomotive fleet. I have added a similar paragraph that introduces Ian Gaylor who has done some interesting loco modernization work on the Bure Valley Railway. I hope shortly to be able to include a copy of his two-part article on the subject that was published recently by Steam Railway magazine.

Talking of the website, the “hit counter” continues to reset itself to zero every few months and I seldom discover it till weeks later. As a result the current number displayed at the bottom of the left hand index is my estimate based on past average daily hit-rates.

A Challenge to all mechanical engineers interested in the future development of steam!

We have an interesting “job offer” for anyone (with an engineering bent) who likes a challenge and would be willing to volunteer his/her time to give us a hand. I’ll explain as follows:

The FDC page of the 5AT website gives access to the “General Calculations” that David Wardale undertook which define the primary assumptions for (and estimate the final performance of) the 5AT locomotive. The 5AT Business Plan that we are currently working on will reference the possibilities for the construction and sale of additional 5AT locomotives after the prototype is completed.

As you will be aware, the 5AT is being designed especially for hauling cruise and excursion trains on intensively trafficked high speed main lines - particularly those in the UK. Consequently the potential market for the 5AT is not expected to be large, and is probably very limited outside of W. Europe. On the other hand, we believe there may well be a considerably larger potential market in other countries and continents for a locomotive offering additional haulage power at lower speeds than the 5AT. So we are investigating the possibilities for an “8AT” 2-8-0 variant with a designed top operating speed of around 120 kph (75 mph).

On the surface, it should be a relatively easy task to run through Wardale’s calculations line by line and redefine them to suit an “8AT” 2-8-0, using as many common parts with the 5AT as possible (e.g. boiler, cylinders, valves, tender etc). However when I attempted to do it, I quickly discovered the limits of my understanding and could go no further than about a third of the way through FDC 1.3 (defending myself with the excuse that I’m not a mechanical engineer!)

Of course, we could ask David Wardale to do the sums for us, but if the FDCs are to have any future value, they must be capable of being understood by other engineers who must be able to replicate them for designs other than the 5AT. Hence the task of producing a new set of FDCs (even if only the General Calculations) for an 8AT locomotive gives us the chance to test whether Wardale’s methodology and calculations are replicable, and to raise appropriate questions with him if they are found not to be.

So the question is – would anyone of you (or group of you) be willing to attempt the task of producing a set of General Calculations for an 8AT following the methodology defined by Wardale in the 5AT’s General Calculations?

If any of you would be interested in having a go at this fascinating task, can you please contact me?

Finally, I regret that I’m unable to send this email out through the 5AT server for reasons that I don’t understand. Hence I am having to use my own (Chinese) server to send this. Please be assured however that I can be contacted through the 5AT email address at info(at)5at.co.uk.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

19th May 2006

My newsletters have been becoming fewer and further between in recent months. However you should be pleased to know that this is not a reflection on the progress of the project but associated only with my own emailing difficulties which continue to cause me no end of frustrations.

The important thing is that the project is alive and well and progressing – albeit slowly. Speed of progress is limited by the time that key people like Alan Fozard and John Hind have available to spend on the project, and in recent months their time has been limited by difficulties – in John’s case, ill-health in the family, and in Alan’s case a broken leg that has limited his movements. However I’m happy to report that John’s son’s health is on the mend, and Alan’s leg is now out of plaster and slowly allowing him to return to normal mobility.

Whilst I haven’t been circulating newsletters, I have been tending to the website, which has recorded some of the more important events of late. However, for those who haven’t had time to read through it or who have difficulty negotiating your way through the maze of pages, I will offer a brief summary as follows:

• 5AT Presentation to the Derby Railway Engineering Society: On 8th Dec 2005, Alan Fozard and John Hind made a formal presentation about the 5AT project to a meeting of the Derby Railway Engineering Society (DRES) in Derby. This was the second formal presentation by the 5AT project planners, and the first to be conducted in the UK (the other being made at the Brienz International Steam and Tourist Train Conference in 2003). Approximately 50 guests attended the presentation, including both retired and active professional railway engineers most of whom were steam enthusiasts of one form or another. The meeting was chaired by David Butcher, past part-owner of the Engineering Link (now sold to AEA). Bob Bramson of AEA, David Russell (consultant to Mendip Rail), Tony Broughton (ex-AEA and Engineering Link) and Brian Dale (DRES Lectures Administrator) were amongst those who attended.

  Alan Fozard (5AT Project Coordinator) began the presentation by outlining the aims of project and the financial requirements that are expected to be needed. John Hind (chairman of the 5AT Engineering Planning Committee) then outlined the engineering aspects of the project, focusing on the technical advances that the 5AT will bring as compared to “classical” First Generation Steam” locomotives. The talks were accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation (which is available for viewing on the 5AT website). In addition to his verbal presentation, John displayed to the audience the first finished piece of the 5AT prototype in the form of a blast nozzle that John had had made especially for the presentation by LNWR at Crewe using the design data in Dave Wardale's Fundamental Design Calculations. In addition, John was able to display an 8” scale model of a 5AT connecting rod that had been produced directly from a 3D drawing prepared by David Smith (see photos at right).

  The vote of thanks for the presentation was given by David Russell (formerly of Engineering Link). Brian Dale of DRES subsequently wrote a formal letter of thanks in which he described the project as “impressive” and “one that we would all greatly desire to see come to fruition”. He added that Alan and John’s presentation “made it obvious that the locomotive is a serious and well thought-out undertaking and it is to be hoped that the various powers that be will see its potential”.

• 5AT Presentation to Main Line Steam Locomotive Operators Limited (MSLOL): On 21st Jan 2006, Alan Fozard and John Hind made a second presentation about the 5AT project to the Mainline Steam Locomotives Operators AGM on Saturday 21st January 2006 at the Ringwood Hall Hotel at Brimington near Chesterfield. This presentation was limited to only 15 minutes (compared to 50 minutes for the DRES presentation), so it was only possible to present an abbreviated description of the project and the locomotive.
• Support from Australia: The 5AT project has attracted interest from all over the world, and Australia is well represented amongst the list of people who have written to express interest in the project. In fact the project has already received generous assistance from Dr Allan Wallace in Adelaide who helped with a simulation of the 5AT's valve gear.

  More recently we were offered assistance by Terry Flynn at the Aerodynamics Laboratory of the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at University of New South Wales in Sydney. His offer was followed up a month or two ago by Matthew Turner, one of Terry's final year students, who has accepted the challenge of starting a thesis on "improving the exhaust deflection and drag reduction on the 5AT locomotive". This is a very exciting development for the project because it was always hoped that it would attract the interest and support of universities and their students, and we hope that Terry and Matthew's contribution to the 5AT project will be the first of many.

  The project received further support from Australia when Malcolm Cluett (a long-standing supporter of the project) presented a paper about the 5AT to a meeting of the Australian Railway Historical Society (NSW Division) at the Mechanics School of Arts in Sydney on Wednesday 5th April. Malcolm based his presentation on the PowerPoint presentation given by Alan Fozard and John Hind to the DRES meeting in Derby in December, and he reported that there were around 80 people in attendance including Terry Flynn and Matthew Turner (mentioned above) and Associate Professor Noor Ahmed who is Mathew's Academic supervisor. Malcolm reported that his presentation was well received and confirmed that "there is a lot of interest in new steam in Australia".

  Malcolm concluded with the observation that a locomotive such as the 5AT would make it easier to organize steam-hauled excursions on the Australian mainline railways, where steam traction in regular service ended over thirty years ago. As in the UK, facilities for servicing steam locomotives have largely disappeared in Australia, and finding paths for passenger excursions is becoming more difficult.

  Malcolm has since offered to make a presentation about the 5AT to the Railway Technical Society under the Australian Institution of Engineers in Feb 2007, and he has invited me to assist with the presentation if I can arrange to be in Australia at the time.

  We sincerely thank Allan, Terry and Matthew and Malcolm for their support and their assistance, and we offer a warm welcome to others in Australia and in any other country who would like to offer their assistance in pushing our project forward.

• 3D Drawings and FEA Analysis of 5AT Connecting Rod: As mentioned above, David Smith has produced a 3D drawing of the 5AT’s light-weight connecting rod based on one of Wardale’s FDC sketches. From this starting point, specialist railway engineer Jamie Keyte carried out a finite element analysis to verify that the stresses in the rod will be within allowable limits. Both David and Jamie recorded the hours that it took them to complete these tasks from which an extrapolation will be made to estimate the man-hours required to design the 5AT based on the number of drawings that are anticipated to be required. Of course, this will be a crude estimate, but it will be a better estimate than any of our current ones. See below (1) a copy of Dave Wardale’s original FDC sketch; (2) a view of David Smith’s 3D drawing; and (3) a section of Jamie Keyte’s FEA graphics output. (Click on images for enlarged views.)

It goes without saying that we sincerely thank both David and Jamie for their efforts in undertaking this work.

• • Discovery of Data relating to Scullin Wheel Centres and Franklin Radial Buffers: Dan Myers in the USA has been busy on our behalf rediscovering long-lost data from the age of steam that may be useful in the detail design of the 5AT. Dan has discovered (and posted to us) detailed information about Scullin disc wheels and in-depth catalogue articles about Franklin engine-tender couplings, both of which are of relevance to the 5AT project. Wardale’s rejection of Scullin wheels (which were originally his preferred option because of their low drag) was associated with the lack of design data about them, so Dan’s discovery may allow that decision to be reviewed.

Apart from these highlights, work is continuing on the Engineering and Commercial Feasibility Studies being headed up by John Hind and Alan Fozard respectively. David Smith is still actively involved in the project but his time availability has been severely reduced by the recent arrival of baby daughter Francesca. We extend our congratulation to David and Robin and hope that Francesca will be brought up to share her father’s passion for steam engines.

Interest in the project continues to grow amongst young and old. It is always encouraging to receive messages of interest from young readers of the 5AT website, and it is quite surprising how many we get – and from surprisingly knowledgeable youngsters at that.

Talking about visitors to the 5AT website, there have been a couple of occasions that the “hit” counter had been reset to zero. I have no idea how this could have happened, but both times I have reset it to what I estimate that it should have been, based on the current average of about 47 hits per day. 47 visitors per day may not be a huge number, but it is encouraging to note that the average daily number of visitors has consistently risen since the website was opened in 2002. It started at just 19 hits per day and has slowly (but steadily) risen to the present average with only one brief period of negligible decline. The largest hit rate that it’s had so far is 365, back in October 2003 immediately after the Guardian newspaper published Max Glaskin’s article about the project (following Alan Fozard’s presentation at the first International Tourist and Steam Train Conference at Brienz). It shows what a difference a bit of publicity can make!

Best wishes


Chris Newman

21st August 2005

• A review of the Specifications for the 5AT against Railway Group Standards (RGSs) as they pertain to steam traction. By our estimate, some 68 of these standards bear some relationship to the design and operation of the locomotive, and a team of 14 engineers with specialist railway skills and experience have been or are currently reviewing each of these for the purpose of quantifying the work that will be required to bring the design of the 5AT into conformity with these standards. This work is being done entirely on a voluntary basis, and most encouragingly several engineers from the rail industry have donated their time to assist with the task. Of course, rail industry regulations remain a moving target: RGSs are gradually being replaced by TSIs (Technical Standards for Interoperability) which relate to European standards, and even those working in the rail industry are having trouble keeping track of the endless changes in regulations and approval processes. In order to keep ourselves current, the 5AT Project is looking into the possibility of registering as a “Railway Industry Party” which will enable us to be consulted (and presumably participate in discussions about) changing standards in the future.
• A review of Wardale’s Engineering Feasibility Discussion Document: Wardale wrote this document for the purpose of setting out his concerns relating to the difficulties of undertaking the engineering design of a new steam locomotive in the 21st century when there are so few skilled professional engineers with adequate steam locomotive design experience available to do the work. The views of several engineers amongst the “5AT Interest Group” have been sought, and a response is currently being prepared by David Smith and John Hind. It is essential that we satisfy ourselves that the engineering difficulties can be realistically overcome.
• Preparation of an Updated “Final” version of the 5AT Feasibility Study and Business Plan: Alan Fozard is heading up this difficult task with the assistance of just one or two people who have volunteered to assist. Alan really needs more assistance from people with commercial, legal and accounting experience (particularly within the rail and leisure travel industries) who are prepared to help. So if you think you may have the time and the experience to offer your assistance, then he will be delighted to hear from you. (Contact alan-fozard(at)5at.co.uk).
• Detail design of 5AT Connecting Rod to help quantify the engineering design tasks ahead: David Smith recently completed the production of 3D engineering drawings of the 5AT’s connecting rod and other motion components from the data provided in the appropriate FDCs. Jamie Keyte and John Johnson (both professional engineers) have volunteered their time to undertake further work on the connecting rod design including a Finite Element Analysis to verify that stresses are within allowable limits. The work is being done as part of an exercise to help quantify the amount of work and associated costs that will be required for the detail design of the locomotive. The design of the connecting rod is being taken to the point where quotations from manufacturers can be obtained.

Encouragingly there is growing interest in the 5AT project as more and more people get to hear about it. Particularly welcome is the assistance that we are receiving from professional engineers in countries outside the UK. Indeed we now have engineers in four continents contributing their time! Equally encouraging is the growing interest within the UK rail industry. In response John Hind and Alan Fozard have recently prepared a PowerPoint presentation describing the current status of the 5AT Project which they are showing to potentially interested organisations and individuals.
5AT Website Updates: Since I last distributed a 5AT newsletter in January 2005, there have been a few interesting updates to the 5AT website. These are all recorded on the “Updates” page, but I will summarise the more important changes here:

• In Feb 2005, Dave Wardale produced a new outline drawing of the 5AT, showing it’s “post-FDC” appearance. The main changes are described at the bottom of the Artist’s Impressions page below Robin Barnes’ Nov 2004 illustration of the 5AT locomotive;
• Also in Feb 2005, FAQ 15 and 16 were added to the FAQ page, discussing feedwater heating and steam pipe diameters.
• In March 2005 the News page was updated with the transcript of a Press Release sent out to over 100 newspapers and magazines worldwide announcing the completion of the 5AT FDCs.
• Also in March, the Calculations Page was updated with FDC 18 “Performance Predictions” in which Wardale (with the help of Dr David Pawson) used two software packages written by the late Professor W. Hall to produce performance predictions for the 5AT and compared the results with his own hand calculations.
• In April 2005, an updated version of the 5AT Specification (version E) was added to the Specifications page.
• In June 2005, a link was added to the links page giving details of a new steam engineering design practice that has been set up by Ian Gaylor in the UK (see http://www.steam-loco-design.co.uk/)
• Finally, also in August 2005, FAQ 17 has just been added to the FAQ page in which there is discussion about the capability of the 5AT drafting system to generate enough steam to meet the performance predictions for the locomotive.

Please note my change of address and home phone number below. I’ve not moved far – another house in the same compound outside Beijing.

Chris Newman
#66 Dragon Villas, 8 Shun An Road,
Shun Yi County, Beijing 101300, China
Phone +86-10-6940-1003: Fax +86-10-6940-2815
Mobile Phone: +86-1350-122-9247; email: info(at)5at.co.uk

7th Jan 2005

This is the first occasion on which I have circulated anything that is not strictly related to the 5AT project, and it's not something that I intend to make a habit of. I hope no-one will object to my doing so on this occasion however, because I think the cause that I am promoting about is both relevant to the 5AT project and worthwhile in its own right - namely the "Argentina Rescue Fund" that has just been set up by Martyn Bane.

Martyn Bane is a young steam enthusiast who has devoted most of his spare time and cash over the last few years to the cause of modern steam, and he has gone to great lengths to share his growing knowledge and database with the rest of us through his website at www.martynbane.co.uk (highly recommended browsing for those who have not yet explored it). Martyn is also one of the founder-members of the 5AT Leading Group and he continues to take a close interest in the 5AT project, whilst at the same time expanding his steam interests both at home in the UK and overseas. Most recently his attention has been turned to Argentina, making two trips to that country in 2004, during which he has met and got to know Livio Dante Porta's son, Alejandro.

On his second trip to Argentina in October 2004, Martyn was able to visit and inspect Porta's first, and arguably his most important locomotive, the streamlined 4 cylinder compound 4-8-0 "Argentina" which Porta rebuilt in 1948/9 at the age of 27, and which showed the highest power-weight ratio of all steam locos ever built (ranking equal first with Chapelon's 240Ps). The locomotive was on display in a museum until a few years ago but as a consequence of Argentina's recent economic crisis, the building in which it was subsequently stored has become a home for the destitute and a target of scavengers who have stripped not only the building but most of its contents, including most of removable parts from Argentina.

With the support of Porta's family, Martyn is bravely spearheading a project to (initially) salvage the locomotive and place it in secure storage. He is seeking urgent funding towards the cost of moving the locomotive several hundred kilometers back to Buenos Aires, and rehousing it there, which he estimates will require not more than £10,000.

Whilst the locomotive is a historic artifact, Martyn's (and the Porta family's) plan is not to stuff the locomotive or to restore it to its original condition, but to do something much more exciting (and more relevant to the 5AT project), and that is to undertake further upgrading of it along the lines that Porta had planned to do before he died in 2003. Hence Martyn proposes that any funds remaining after relocating the locomotive will be put towards its subsequent resurrection.

I don't believe I need to say any more on the subject because Martyn promotes his own cause well enough in his own words. These can be read on the attached email from him, and on his website at http://www.martynbane.co.uk. I am personally very enthusiastic about this project and have already contributed towards it, and I would urge everyone else who would like to offer their support to do likewise.

On a separate subject, I might mention that I have just posted an update onto the 5AT website in the form of a brief discussion about firing the 5AT with bio-fuel. It appears under the guise of FAQ-14 (see the FAQ page). This may prove to be a topic of widespread interest, so I'm open to correspondence on it, and may again break with precedent by posting views and comments to the website.

Best wishes to everyone for the New Year.

Chris Newman

Note - see also http://www.modernsteam.fotopic.net/ for additional photos of "Argentina"

12th Dec 2004

It's only two and a half months since my last news update (dated 23 Sept 04), and there's been no huge developments since that date. Nevertheless the project moves slowly forward and we have now at last passed one important milestone with Dave Wardale's completion of the Fundamental Design Calculations (FDCs) in November. The work has taken two and a half years of concentrated mental effort by David, in which time he has produced 356 pages of calculations and advisory notes for the detail design of the locomotive, and over 6500 "lines" of calculation plus over 100 sketches, drawings and diagrams. The full list of FDCs (17 in number) is given on the new updated Calculations page on the 5AT website.

Several other pages of the website have also been updated at the same time (as of today's date). These are summarized on the Updates page as follows:

• The Home page has been updated to show the latest Robin Barnes painting of the 5AT, displaying its new appearance as defined by the finalized Fundamental Design Calculations. You will see quite significant visual changes that have evolved which give the 5AT something of a new "character". Robin's view on the loco's new look is, I think, worth quoting. He says: "All steam locomotives have something in their visual make-up, not often easy to define, which gives each type its own individual character, and my own view is that what has happened now is the 5AT at last has developed that. It is utterly believable and I very much hope now will stir interest amongst the enthusiast body. Out on the tracks, this will be quite something!" I think he's probably right, but it will take me (for one) a little time to get to like the new look as much as I did the old one. Anyway, I guess we're going to have to update our 5AT "logo" now!
• The Artist's Impressions has also been revised to include Robin's new painting. However, in addition, Robin has kindly provided some captions to this and his earlier paintings which are now shown in date order to illustrate the evolution of the locomotive's outline.
• The Calculations has been updated with details of the final FDCs (as mentioned above); in addition, a revised "final" version of FDC 1.3 has been included (in PDF format) which incorporates some minor changes resulting from subsequent calculations. A new page has been added (accessed through the Calculations page) which quotes from a recent letter from Dave Wardale with his concluding comments on the FDCs. I've included a comment of my own and taken the opportunity to put a plug in for Martyn Bane's "Argentina" rescue project.
• The News page has been updated with the news of the FDC completion plus the news of the formation of the "5AT Engineering Planning Working Party".
• The Who's Who page has been updated with two photos of the attendees at the recent 5AT "Engineering Planning" meeting, held in Staffordshire on 16th Oct 2004, and the photos have been rearranged in date order.
• The Links page has been updated with the inclusion of a link to John Johnston's new website at http://www.greenloco.com/ - another Second Generation Steam loco project but on a smaller scale than the 5AT.
• Finally, the Help page has been updated with a call by Alan Fozard for volunteers to assistant with the developement of the Commercial Plan for the 5AT project.

This last item is perhaps the one that I should focus on in this newsletter, since the ultimate success of the project is going to depend not just on the engineering outputs, but on the commercial planning that needs to become a major focus of our attention over the next 12 months. And it is in this area that our current Leading Group is most weakly represented. We urgently need the help of people with appropriate skills to help with the task of updating the commercial sections of the Business Plan, to ensure that what is finally presented to potential investors is both commercially attractive and practically realistic. So if you have skills in commercial and/or financial planning and/or in railway management or operation and would like to contribute to this most exciting project, then please don't hesitate to contact us. Either write to me at info(at)5at.co.uk or better still write directly to Alan at Alan-Fozard(at)5at.co.uk.

That's enough from me just now. Please take a look at the latest updates on the 5AT website and keep sending in your views and comments. Most importantly, let us know if you can help us with the task of updating the Business Plan for the project.

May I take the opportunity to wish you all the very best for Christmas and the New Year.

Chris Newman

23 Sept 2004

It is a long time since I sent out a newsletter about the 5AT project, I feel it is high time to get in touch with you once more even though there is not much to report. This doesn’t mean that no work is being done on the project - quite the opposite is the case, and David Wardale is now nearing the completion of the arduous task of preparing the Fundamental Design Calculations (FDCs). Their current status is reported on the 5AT website in the "Calculations" page.

The good news is that no untoward problems have been thrown up as these calculations have progressed and they confirm that the 5AT should meet the performance capabilities originally predicted. However during the process of working through the calculations, David has become increasingly concerned as to whether there is sufficient expertise now available to undertake the detailed design work for the 5AT. Accordingly he has recently written a "position paper" in which he lists in detail some of the difficulties that he envisages will have to be overcome and injects a note of healthy reality into the project by posing a number of challenging questions.

A taste of his concerns can be gleaned from an excerpt from that paper that I have incorporated into a new "Help Required" page that I have just added to the 5AT website. In this excerpt, David emphasises the magnitude of the task of designing and building something that is technically more advanced than any steam locomotive that has been built before. His concerns relate (in part) to the difficulties that will be faced in designing such a machine in a world that has moved so far away from steam that there are now very few engineers with the knowledge or experience to undertake the task, which is what prompts us to seek responses from anyone with past knowledge and experience in the field which we might be able to draw from.

Providing a full response to David's questions is no small task and involves making accurate estimates of the number of components in the 5AT, making realistic estimates of time required to design them, defining an appropriate organizational structure for the design group and quantifying the number of experienced design engineers and support staff that will be required for the project. This work is ongoing. At the same time we have to assess the availability of experienced people to do the design work.

Once we have formulated and agreed our response to the position paper, the next major task will be to include revised estimates for the project into an updated issue of the Business Plan. This will include much more detail on the proposed 5AT engineering organization than hitherto and also modifications arising from the detailed work on the FDCs. An update of the Business Plan will be essential before we start seeking major finance for the project.

I had hoped that by now we would have established a formal project support group - the "Friends of the 5AT" - that has been mentioned in earlier newsletters. Unfortunately this has not happened yet because we don't want to start taking people's membership contributions until we are confident that the project can continue to move forward. Please bear with us. And do please respond to our call for assistance (see www.5at.co.uk/5AThelp/).

Best wishes

Chris Newman

4th Feb 2004

Whilst nothing much may seem to have been happening with the 5AT Project of late, progress continues to be made not least of which is the ongoing work of David Wardale on the Fundamental Design Calculations (FDCs) for the locomotive. With the boiler calculations nearing completion, this phase of the work is now past the half-way mark and its completion is expected by the end of 2004. The next task after that will be the preparation of the Safety Case for the locomotive and its submission to the railway safety authorities, approval of which will signal the start of the project proper and the seeking of funding for the detail design to begin.

Much planning work is currently in progress, one of the most important of which is the preparation of a discussion document titled "Engineering the 5AT" by David Smith (PhD Mech Eng), who has also been providing part-time assistance to Wardale in his work on the FDCs. The detail design phase of the project is expected to be the most difficult and demanding of all the work that has to be done, because of the scarcity of people with experience of steam locomotive design and because of the exacting standards of work that will be required. I have therefore dedicated a new page of the website (see "Engineering Design") which discusses the subject in some detail and which invites anyone with an interest in being involved in the work to contact us and send us their CV. Meanwhile, copies of David Smith's discussion paper will be circulated to engineers who we believe may be able and willing to contribute to the design work, or at least to its planning. If you are an engineer and/or have skills that could be of use to use during the detailed design work and wish to be included in the circulation of this document, please let us know and at the same time send us a copy of your CV (preferably in the format provided on the 5AT website). All CVs that are sent to us will be treated in the strictest confidence.

The new "Engineering Design" page of the website incorporates three parts: Part 1 is a new section in which the detail design phase of the project is discussed. Part 2 describes the Fundamental Design Calculations (being the old page previously titled "Design Principals"); while Part 3 is titled "Philosophy behind the Design Specification" and is taken from the old page previously titled "Design Philosophy".

Three other pages have also been updated:- the "Updates" page (obviously!), the "News" page (now called the "News and Newsletters" page) and the "Who's Who" page. The Updates page describes the changes in detail, so I won't repeat them all here; however I might draw attention to the "Who's Who" page which now lists the people who are currently involved in the planning for the project. This may be of special interest since we have tended to work anonymously up till now. It may be reassuring to see that we're not a bunch of idealistic enthusiasts; many (most?) of those involved are professional engineers of one sort or another.

We hope to be able to announce the formation of the "Friends of the 5AT" (Fo5AT) project support group in the near future. Indeed I hope that Fo5AT will be subject of my next newsletter. However there is still quite a bit of work to be done before we make the launch and I cannot be sure how long it might take to accomplish. Anyway, when it happens it will be an important milestone, and a worthy celebration for this the bicentennial of "Penydarren" - the earliest ancestor of the 5AT.

Lastly, I've taken the unusual step (for me) of circulating this newsletter to a number of people who have not specifically asked to be included on my circulation list. In particular, I have included all the people that attended the Brienz Congress last October whose email addresses I have, in the hope that their interest in attending the Steam Congress translates into an interest in the 5AT project. If anyone receives this message who would prefer not to receive news updates about the 5AT project in the future, please write back and let me know and I will delete their names from my listings. Please be assured that my circulation list is not given out to anyone that is not immediately involved in the project or the establishment of Fo5AT.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

31st Dec 2003

I was reminded the other day that I've not sent out a bulletin since my October 17th post-Brienz effort, so I thought it appropriate to combine a short newsletter with some well-wishes for the New Year.

To be honest, there's not a lot of news to report just now which is the principal reason I'd not thought of sending out a bulletin earlier, but that does not mean that nothing is happening. The project still moves forward but most of the work is going on behind the scenes: Dave Wardale has resumed work on the Fundamental Design Calculations (FDCs) following his holiday in China and Pakistan; Alan Fozard continues to work away making contacts with rail and safety people and organizations, and familiarizing them with the project and its aims; Martyn Bane and I have been developing our thoughts on the formation of the "Friends of the 5AT" (Fo5AT) and its membership arrangements.

That doesn't leave a great deal else to report on, which is reflected by the relative paucity of updates to the 5AT website over the last two months. These have largely reported on news articles in the railway press, and the addition of some new (and updated) pages describing the work of Roger Waller and his DLM team, prompted by the return to the rails of his 52-8055. Roger and Andrew Thompson have sent me some beautiful photographs of this fabulous-looking locomotive which I have been happy to add to the 5AT website, hoping that one of these days someone will take some equally stunning photos of the 5AT when it eventually gets onto the rails.

The next website update will report the completion of the 5AT's boiler strength calculations. Dave Wardale has in fact completed these already, but is awaiting clarification of some interpretations of the 1953 German boiler code in relation to DB steam loco boiler design before releasing his calculations. Thereafter, the boiler and superheater combustion gas and steam flow, and heat transfer calculations, FDC. 11.3., will be started. Wardale describes this as a major piece of work and that it will take me some time to finish, hopefully in February. I have other website additions waiting to be added (for instance a report on my discussions with Wardale during his recent visits to Beijing) but have been holding off pending formation of Fo5AT when I plan to reorganize the website to provide a "Members Only" section that will offer news and other information of that nature as a benefit to members only.

It is pleasing to report that the lack of website updates does not seem to have resulted in a loss of interest. My last newsletter reported a phenomenal increase in the website "hit-rate" following Alan Fozard's presentation at the Brienz Congress and the Guardian article that followed. Prior to that, the hit-rate had averaged 30 per day and had once peaked at 54. No-one expected the post-Brienz rates of over 200 per day to be maintained, and indeed they lasted only a week (having peaked at 365); however daily rates of between 50 and 70 seem to have remained steady since the middle of October.

Martyn Bane has also made an interesting list of visual design changes that have been made to the 5AT as a result of Wardale's work so far on the FDCs as compared to the details shown on Robin Barnes's magnificent paintings. The list has not been verified by Wardale, so neither Martyn nor I can vouch that it is complete (or even correct) but I reproduce it below because I think it is of interest:

1. SNCF style feedwater heater tanks mounted behind and either side of chimney;
2. Connecting rod shape changed (parallel towards the big end and tapered towards the small end);
3. Top of combination lever to be suspended from a hanger (to facilitate operation of the twin valves feeding each cylinder);
4. Crosshead arm added (from which union link is connected to the bottom of the combination lever);
5. Alligator type slide-bars supported by a bracket attached to the mainframe between the leading coupled axle and the bogie;
6. BFB wheels instead of Scullins (from discussions only, not from FDCs);
7. Cross-Compound air pump to be fitted (from discussions only, not from FDCs);
8. OLEO drophead buckeye with retractable buffers and centre buffer as per Class 90/91 electrics (from discussions only, not from FDCs);

Let us hope that the next 12 months will see some real advances with the 5AT project. We can at least expect to see the completion of the FDCs during that time and the formation of Fo5AT to which I hope and trust that you will all be fast to join as Inaugural Associate Members. More hopefully, we would like to see funding in place during the next 12 months to allow Dave Wardale to make a start on the preparation of the Safety Case as soon as he finishes his work on the FDCs. The cost of this is not expected to be high, but it is an essential step that needs to be taken before funding for the design and construction of the locomotive can be sought in earnest.

Best wishes to you all for 2004.

Chris Newman

If the recent website "hit-rate" is anything to go by, I imagine that most of you must have already seen the updates that I've made to the 5AT website over the last couple of days. There's been a huge increase in the number of viewers to the site, from a yearly average of just over 28 per day and a recorded maximum of about 60 per day, there have been over 200 viewings per day earlier in the week, and over 300 yesterday. What has brought about this sudden interest? I think it can only have been the article about the 5AT published in last Saturday's Guardian reporting on Alan Fozard's presentation at the "First World Steam and Tourist Train Congress" in Brienz last week, and his brief appearance on Tuesday morning's Radio 4 "Today" program. Anyway, the 5AT has become "news", which is wonderful because it is indeed a newsworthy project. And unusually it provides the press with some good news to broadcast to the world!

A lot of people complain the 5AT isn't the ideal locomotive for the needs of today, and they have many good and valid reasons to support their views. Many see the need for a smaller, more versatile locomotive that can run at equal speed in both directions and/or pull heavier loads at slower speeds. Indeed the 5AT won't meet everyone's needs especially in North America and Australia where trains of larger and heavier carriages need to be hauled over steeply inclined gradients. My view however is that the 5AT is the right machine for this moment. What modern steam needs is a draw-card; something that will grab people's attention; an eye-catcher; a show-case; a machine that can run on a "First World" railway, compete with the latest diesels and electrics on their own turf, demonstrate to rail industry leaders just how fast, efficient, economical and environmentally clean modern steam can be, and perhaps even break a record or two to drive the point home. The 5AT is, I believe, the right locomotive to demonstrate the facts, to bring them to people's attention and to open the door for newer and more advanced ideas that can (and hopefully will) follow behind it. Such is my view, at any rate.

Going back to the publicity issue, the root cause of the sudden interest in the 5AT project was of course Alan Fozard's presentation titled "Making the Commercial Case for the 5AT" at the Brienz Congress last week. Those of us who were lucky enough to attend the conference enjoyed two days of interesting presentations and discussions; an evening's run on the Brienz-Rothorn-Bahn behind (or in front of) one of Roger Waller's modern-steam rack locomotives; a walk through BRB's locomotive maintenance shops; and an inspection of one of the local (steam driven) lake paddle steamers in dry dock. The Conference itself was I believe a very worthwhile exercise which will hopefully lead to bigger and better things in the future. Perhaps most importantly there was general agreement on the desirability of forming a "World" or International body that can represent and protect the interests of steam and tourist railways throughout the world, and at the same time create better recognition of (and a better image for) traditional heritage steam railways, and encourage the further development of modern steam traction. Congratulations to the organizers of the Congress, and to Andrew Thompson and Christian Keifer who did the bulk of the work.

Alan's presentation was, of course, quite excellent and gave a good overview of the theme of the Business Plan for the locomotive. His presentation was well received by Congress delegates, discussion centering mainly on the length of time that is currently planned for the implementation of the design and construction of the locomotive. This is an important issue and one that will be receiving close attention in the near future when we look more closely at how the detailed design work can best be undertaken.

As for the website, for those of you who haven't been counted amongst its hundreds of recent visitors, you will find there have been several updates to it. Most interesting perhaps are the following:

• A copy of Alan Fozard's paper "Making the commercial case for the 5AT" has been added (a link is provided from the Business Plan and News pages)
• A link has been added to the article in the Guardian newspaper on Saturday 11th Oct, titled "Steam power on track for great renaissance". See the Articles and Letters page.
• A copy of the BBC radio broadcast of an interview with Alan Fozard on the 06:20 Business Report of their Today program added. See links on the News and Articles and Letters pages.
• Re-arrangement of the Business Plan page to include copies of the Executive Summary and Preface forming part of the Plan itself. The page also includes a note stating that "Since the Business Plan contains commercially sensitive (or potentially sensitive) information, it will not be widely distributed, nor will it be displayed in full on this website as originally intended. Copies of the Business Plan will however be made available to rail industry organizations or other individuals or organizations that have a genuine interest in the fundingof, or advancement of, the 5AT Project".
• A transcript of Chris Newman's article "The 5AT Project - Where is it at? Where is it going?" as published in Locomotives International Issue 67 (September 2003) has been added with the kind permission of Paul Catchpole, editor of the magazine - see link from Articles and Letters page.
• A new "Who's who" page has been added (find it in the main index on the left hand side of the screen). This offers photos of various people who, directly or indirectly, have become involved in the 5AT project. Not all those pictured are "actively " involved, but I think I am right in saying that all are supportive and those who are not actively involved, have been in regular (and supportive) correspondence about it. What I find most encouraging when looking through the pictures is the number of relatively young faces that appear.
• A new Robin Barnes painting depicting his impression of a 5AT hauled Premium Train has been added to the Home and Artist's Impressions pages.

I expect that the next 5AT Newsletter that I send out will be to notify you of the planned formation of the "Friends of the 5AT" (Fo5AT) which we see as the next stage of the 5AT's development. Fo5AT is intended to formalize the loose organization that is so far leading this project, which will make it easier to take the project to its next stage -promoting the Business Plan to potential investors. Besides that, we anticipate that Fo5AT will have a long-term role in coordinating (perhaps even project managing) the work of the investors, designers and the rail industry in bringing the locomotive to the rails, and in helping to ensure that it is operated successfully and profitably when it is completed.

A draft constitution for Fo5AT has been prepared and will be circulated to all Interest Group members when we notify you of our intention to formalize the organization. Three levels of membership will be offered initially:

• Full Membership (by invitation) for people who are (or who are willing to become) actively involved in the work of the organization;
• Associate (non-voting) membership for those who want to be kept up to date with developments without being actively involved in the work;
• Corporate Membership for the representation of corporations that wish to be involved with the project.

I trust that we can look forward to your joining Fo5AT in one capacity or another when the time comes.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

19th Sept 2003

A few news updates about the 5AT project and its website:

Firstly, it's pleasing to announce that the website received its first 10,000 hits in the 350 days since I set up a counter on it, representing an average rate of 28.6 hits per day. Equally pleasing is the fact that the hit rate has increased consistently from less than 20 per day 12 months ago, and now stands at 28.8 hits per day. No doubt the rate will increase further if/when we get the project started and start generating some publicity about it.

I've made a few more changes to the website recently including reference an article about the project that has just been published in Locomotives International Issue No 67 (Sept 2003) titled "The 5AT Project - Where is it at? Where is it going?". "Locomotives International" is published by Paul Catchpole at The Haven, Trevilley Lane, St. Teath, Cornwall, PL30 3JS Great Britain. He can also be contacted by email at: locomotives.international@talk21.com (see web site: www.locomotivesinternational.co.uk).

In addition, there is a copy of an article titled "Steam Ready to Ride Again on the Rails" published in The Engineer early this year which described some of the recent work of Roger Waller of DLM in Switzerland. Another obituary to Ing. L.D. Porta is also included, as published in Continental Railway Journal.

I've just added references to a few other recent articles in Steam Railway and other magazines not directly related to the 5AT, but on the subject of "modern steam", plus another obituary to L.D. Porta published in Railfan and Railroad magazine.

An informal but nevertheless inaugural meeting of the 5AT "leading group" was held at the house of project leader Dr. Alan Fozard on 25th August and attended by several people who expect to be involved in the implementation of the project. Discussions focussed on the organization and operation of the Engineering Group that will undertake the detail design, manufacturing supervision, commissioning and testing of the prototype locomotive; the proposed support group to be called "Friends of the 5AT"; the finalization of the Business Plan for the project; the Brienz Congress presentation; contacts with rail industry and related organizations.

I also had a lengthy meeting with Dave Wardale last Sunday when he passed through Beijing on his way to a trekking holiday in the Himalayas. Our discussion focussed on several project-related issues and included a lengthy session in which Dave provided verbal answers to several technical questions that have been put to me by readers of the website. I hope to add some of these answers to the FAQ page of the website once I have Dave's confirmation that I've recorded his answers correctly.

Lastly (and for the last time) a final call for the "First World Steam and Tourist Train Congress" is now just two weeks away. This inaugural event is being held in Brienz, Switzerland, from Sunday 5th October to Wednesday 8th October, where on the Monday Dr. Alan Fozard (author of the 5AT Business Plan) will be presenting a paper titled "Making the Commercial Case for the 5AT". Once again I encourage, urge and cajole all of you who are interested and able, to come and attend. At least four of the 5AT Project's "leading group" will be attending including Alan Fozard, David Smith (soon also to have a Dr in front of his name); Martyn Bane and myself. We're looking for all the support (and supporters) we can get there!

Details of the Congress can be found at http://www.alpenregion.ch/Dampfcongress_e.htm#program. Or email Andrew Thompson at steamcongress@yahoo.com if you want more information about it. The program looks thoroughly interesting, and several worthwhile excursions are planned.

As indicated before 100 copies of the latest issue of "Locomotives International" containing the latest article on the 5AT Project will be available for us to hand out to congress attendees. Many thanks again to Paul Catchpole for his generous donation.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

25th Aug 2003

I was having trouble with my SMTP (mail-sending) server at the time I sent out my last circular message on 4th August, and I'm not sure that it got distributed properly. Hence I thought I would repeat the news items that were in it (please forgive me if you've seen them before) and perhaps add a few more notes on the latest news.

First a "news update":

• I guess that quite a few of the messages that I sent out did actually get through because there's been quite a big jump in the number of "hits" on the 5AT website, which now total over 9450 with the average daily hit rate gradually increasing (which is in itself encouraging) to the current figure of 28.4. I'm confident that we'll comfortably exceed the 10,000 mark in the first 12 month period since I began the count.
• There's also been a bit of a jump in the number of new people writing to me to express interest in the project, which is encouraging - the numbers are still not enormous (thank heavens, as otherwise I wouldn't cope!) but there's been eight new contacts so far this month.
• For those who are interested, the next issue of the bi-monthly magazine "Locomotives International" will feature an article on the 5AT titled "The 5AT Project; Where is it at? Where is it going?" which sets out to answer those two questions in more detail than is currently displayed on the website. The magazine is produced by Paul Catchpole who tells me that the edition carrying the 5AT article is expected to be released from the printers before then end of August. If you would like to order a copy of this excellent magazine, Paul can be contacted at The Haven, Trevilley Lane, St. Teath, Cornwall, PL30 3JS Great Britain, or via email at: locomotives.international@talk21.com (web site: www.locomotivesinternational.co.uk).

Now back to the news items sent out before (which obviously are now a little out of date). These were to the effect that:

• A copy of a most noteworthy obituary to L.D. Porta as published in The Guardian newspaper on 2nd August, has been reproduced on the website;
• Fundamental Design Calculation FDC 1.4 "Tractive Effort Diagrams" has been added to the Calculations page, together with two diagrams relating to the calculations;
• Extra diagrams have been appended with links to them added to Fundamental Design Calculations FDC 1.1, FDC 1.2 and FDC 1.3.
• Several new letters and articles have been added to the Letters and Articles page, including the Porta obituary.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the "First World Steam and Tourist Train Congress" is now barely more than a month away. This important event is being held in Brienz, Switzerland, from Sunday 5th October to Wednesday 8th October, where on the Monday Dr. Alan Fozard (author of the 5AT Business Plan) will be presenting a paper titled "Making the Commercial Case for the 5AT". Once again I would encourage, urge and cajole all of you who are interested and able, to come and attend this important event. I have now booked my air ticket to travel over from China in order to be able to attend what I think will be a most interesting and informative gathering.

Details of the Congress can be found at http://www.alpenregion.ch/Dampfcongress_e.htm#program. Or email Andrew Thompson at steamcongress@yahoo.com if you want more information about it. The program looks thoroughly interesting, and several worthwhile excursions are planned. I hope to meet a lot of 5AT supporters there! Incidentally, Paul Catchpole is donating 100 copies of the forthcoming issue of "Locomotives International" containing the article on the 5AT for us to hand out to congress attendees. So if you come to Brienz, you may get one free! Many thanks to Paul for the generous offer.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

4th Aug 2003

Just a brief message to those who have not checked out the 5AT website www.5at.co.uk recently, to let you know that I've made several updates which may be of interest. These are summarized on the Updates page, and they include:

• A copy of a most noteworthy obituary to L.D. Porta as published in The Guardian newspaper on 2nd August, has been reproduced on the website;
• Fundamental Design Calculation FDC 1.4 "Tractive Effort Diagrams" has been added to the Calculations page, together with two diagrams relating to the calculations;
• Extra diagrams have been appended with links to them added to Fundamental Design Calculations FDC 1.1, FDC 1.2 and FDC 1.3.
• Several new letters and articles have been added to the Letters and Articles page, including the Porta obituary.

Incidentally, there's now been over 8500 visitors to the 5AT website since I started recording the numbers, and at the present rate the number will exceed 10,000 in the first 12 month period (ending 26th September). Encouragingly, the average "hit rate" has gradually increased over the year, and now stands at 28 per day.

Lastly, I'd like to remind you that the "First World Steam and Tourist Train Congress" will soon be on us. This important event will be held in Brienz, Switzerland, from Sunday 5th October to Wednesday 8th October. Most importantly from our perspective, Dr. Alan Fozard (author of the 5AT Business Plan) will be presenting a paper titled "Making the Commercial Case for the 5AT" at the Congress, so I would encourage, urge and cajole all of you who are interested and able, to come and attend this important event. I plan to travel over from China to attend what I think will be a most interesting and informative gathering.

Details of the Congress can be found at http://www.alpenregion.ch/Dampfcongress_e.htm#program. See also the "News Page" at www.5at.co.uk. Email Andrew Thompson at steamcongress@yahoo.com if you would like to attend the congress or want more information about it. The program looks thoroughly interesting, and several worthwhile excursions are planned. It should be an excellent event, and I hope there will be a lot of 5AT supporters present.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

For those who have not heard the sad news, Ing. Livio Dante Porta died last week at his home in Buenos Aires at the age of 81. Whilst he lived to a good age, he had not finished his life's work, and was still actively involved in steam development to the end.

I have added a short announcement of his death on the 5AT website stating that everyone involved in the advancement of steam locomotive technology, and especially we who are involved with the 5AT project, owe Porta a very great debt of gratitude for his dedication, and for his extraordinary achievements in demonstrating what can be achieved through the adoption of scientifically based theories, and a systematic, holistic approach to steam locomotive design. We hope and expect that the 5AT will be a fitting memorial to this great man.

Best wishes

Chris Newman

22nd March 2003

Just a brief message to those who have not checked out the 5AT website www.5at.co.uk recently, to let you know that I've made several updates which may be of interest. These are summarized on the Updates page, and they include:

• Addition of a "News" page.
• Some very interesting information about Shaun McMahon's recent upgrading of FCAF Garratt No 2 (link from "Engineers" page);
  Additions to the FAQ pages, with further explanations behind Wardale's decision to use Walschearts valve gear, and an explanation of what the proposed fuel (gas oil) actually is.
• A copy of a paper recently presented by Roger Waller to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Railway Division titled "Modern Steam - An Economic and Environmental Alternative to Diesel Traction" (links provided from the "Updates" and "Engineers" pages.)
• Several more published and unpublished letters about the 5AT to be found in the "Articles and Letters" page.

Incidentally, I've recently been having trouble accessing email through the 5AT mail server, so if anyone has sent me mail that hasn't been answered, can they please resend it?

Best wishes


Chris Newman

28th Jan 2003

It's some time since I sent out a "circular" about progress on the 5AT project. In fact things are progressing well even though there are few tangible results to show just yet. David Wardale is progressing with the fundamental design calculations for the locomotive, and is currently concentrating on the design of the 'motion'. In the meantime Alan Fozard has been busy revising the Business Plan and developing strategic plans and budgets for the implementation of the project.

I hope to be able to report more tangible progress in the near future, but in the meantime I thought it a good time to draw your attention to recent updates to the 5AT website www.5at.co.uk. Details of these are listed on the "Updates" page, a link to which can be found near the top of the index on the left-hand side of the screen.

Recent updates include:

• Sections 1.1 and 1.2 of the General Calculations added to the Calculations page;
• A FAQ section with 10 FAQs and some questions of my own which David answered for me a long time ago.
• A site-search function added to the left-hand index to help visitors find items of specific interest to them;
• An unpublished letter to Steam Railway from Bryan Attewell (who has kindly consented to my including it on the website) added to the "Articles and Letters" page, along with Dave Wardale's (also unpublished) response;
• An English translation of Wardale's letter "Is it just a Phantom" published (in German) in the May issue 5/01 of the Lok-Report (again to be found in the "Articles and Letters" page;
• A copy of a German newspaper article about the 5AT printed in Stuttgart on 27th Dec 2002.

With respect to the FAQs, David has indicated that he is reluctant to spend time responding to technical questions about the 5AT at the present time because of the disruption it causes to his concentration while he is focusing his efforts on the Fundamental Design Calculations. I have therefore prepared a limited number of commonly asked questions and I have drawn indirect responses to them by judicious copying selected text from various articles and letters written by David. All the original articles and letters that I have copied from are available for view on the website.

As I say, I hope to get back to you soon with some news of more tangible progress with the project.

Best wishes for the Chinese New Year!



Chris Newman

9th Nov 2002

It's taken a while, but I've finally got together a new web page for the 5AT website in which I have documented what I have been able to find in the way of recent articles about the 5AT and other "Modern Steam" projects and associated correspondence. A link to the new page has been added to the index on the left hand side of the main page which I have substituted for the previous link to David's two recent articles in Steam Railway magazine. (I've put a link to these articles into the new page instead).

I've listed the published articles that I have discovered in three sections:

Section 1: UK Railway Press
Section 2: Overseas Railway Press
Section 3: Non-Railway Press Articles

Publications within the latter group I think are of special interest and importance, since the financial viability of the 5AT will ultimately depend on the interest of people and organizations outside the enthusiast community.

I am quite sure that there must be a lot more articles that have been written on the subject which I have not discovered, especially in non-UK publications. Of these, I currently only know of David Wardale's article in Germany's Lok-Report which I'm waiting to get a receive a copy of to include on the new web-page. So if anyone can suggest other articles or sources that might be included in the page, I will be very pleased to hear from them.

The next page that I plan to incorporate is one covering FAQs and NSFAQs (not-so-frequently-asked-questions). Lots of questions have been raised by many people (including myself) about the 5AT and David Wardale has provided many answers to them, so I think it would be useful and educational (at least to folk like myself) to consolidate them all onto a single page. I have already started work on this, and hope to have time to get it advanced enough for uploading in the next month or so after I've had a chance to run it past David when he returns from overseas.

Do please send me any comments, critisisms or suggestions about this new web-page - and on any of the other pages for that matter.

Meanwhile, many thanks to Paul Catchpole of Locomotives International, Tony Streeter of Steam Railway, Chris Milner of Railway Magazine and (in anticipation) to Martin Stertz of Lok-Report, for letting me reproduce articles from their magazines on this new webpage (not forgetting Robin Barnes for allowing me to reproduce his magnificent paintings of the locomotive).

Best wishes


Chris Newman

Page created 2 Jan 2004