The double ended steam locomotive - Fairlie Locomotives

In this video, we look at Robert Fairlie's attempt to improve the efficiency of steam locomotives by giving them 2 front ends.

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This video falls under the fair use act of 1976 This video is available to use under the appropriate Creative Commons Licence.
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[devon]

Essentially he created a solution to a problem that didn't exist and in turn create more problems.

[pickeljarsforhillary]

Thomas was confused. He didnt know whether Might Mac was coming or going.

[shermanngjazz]

"Hello, I'm Mighty.
And I'm Mac.
And together we're Mighty Mac!"

Thomas has never seen such an unusual engine.

[rubywest]

"Damn, look at all this wasted space on fuel and water"
*Massively shrinks the fuel and water space*
"Oh no, it doesn't have enough space for fuel and water!"

[knuckles]

Fairlie: "Tender Engines are deficient"
Simple Answer: just use a tank engine

[dieselelectricrazor]

Imagine needing a turntable at the end of the line

Made By Double Fairlie Locomotive Gang

[dominicbarden]

The Double Fairlie and the Beyer Garratt: two of the most distinctive British locomotive designs. And the Double Fairlie is just quintessentially Welsh, I see pictures of them, hear about them and instantly think of the Ffestiniog!

[MrNoUsername]

Sees “double ended locomotive” in the title
*FFESTINIOG RAILWAY INTENSIFIES*

[lineclosed]

A case of a sound idea being ahead of the current technology. I wonder what Fairlie would say if he knew his wheel concept was the standard for diesels around the world.

[callum]

I love the Fairlie locomotives. It's awesome to see locomotives with double ends.

[monke]

"some american steam locomotives still incorporated swiveling powered bogies such as the big boy but for the most part the standard wheel layout worked much better" some ? durring the height of the steam era in the 1930's to 1950's in the US around 1600 articulated locomotives where in service and where proved to be incredibly capable machines that proved themselves as economicaly viable and where the best steam freights haulers on the main line

[VestedUTuber]

Correction: articulated locomotives actually _did_ catch on to an extent, as a method of building a larger locomotive that can still navigate tight turns. The UK was one of the few places where such designs didn't take off well.

Notable non-American articulated locomotives include the massive (by meter gauge standards) SEG Mallets, the Saxon Class XV and the South African Garrets. To note, many non-American examples of articulated locomotives are narrow gauge and used specifically to pull heavy loads at low speeds through mountainous regions.

[jabbersthekillerrabbit]

I never thought that the double ended train from thomes was real yet again I didn’t know most of those trains were real, nice to know that this is where it got it’s inspiration

[ianjackson]

Definitely an interesting design, right up there with the cab forwards and the garrats in my opinion.

[TTA_]

So that's the inspiration for mightymac's design

[WelshGiraffa]

I’m Mighty and I’m Mac and together our basis looks better than we ever would double ended tank engines are interesting in themselves but yikes talk about some issues

[Nastyswimmer]

2:42 - the single Fairlie still had two bogies, but only one of them was powered. I think only four were used in Britain - three on the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway and one in southern England, and one in Ireland, so not really throughout Britain. Those all had small bunkers so didn't improve the coal capacity. The Mason bogies developed in the US had a large bunker over the trailing (unpowered) bogie so improved coal capacity significantly

[AlexsStopMotionAdventures]

This is a certified mighty Mac classic.

[DKQuagmire]

me and my mum went for a ride from minfordd to Bleanau and back a few years ago, while my father contributed to some volunteer work. sorry if i botchered the names here.
i took a video of the red double fairlie engine on my mobile phone as it pulled into the platform, and even used a shot of it as my mobile phones wall paper! before covid, our family where always heading up to north wales every year, to travel on the ffestiniog and welsh highland railway, while my dad did work inspecting and designing bridges and such for his volunteer service, of both railways.

[LegoWormNoah]

Railway fans: Fairlie design
Thomas fans: Mighty Mac