Well here is a testament to folly! In 1955 British Railways were persuaded to build '9Fs' fitted with the Franco-Crosti boiler and exhaust system, did they build a prototype and trial it for satisfactory perfomance? No. Did they spend hundred and thousands of taxpayer's money building a totally untried and tested TEN of them instead? Yes. Was this a disastrous experiment that produced no benefits wahatsoever. Yes. Did they then have to spend another vast sum to convert them to conventional operation. Yes. No. 92027 brand new at Crewe in June 1955, was converted to conventional operation in 1960 and withdrawn in August 1967. The accountant's books are still bleeding red ink!

© Ken Widd-SA Collection