Ex-German Steam locomotive Br 23 023 major overhaul.

The Rotterdam-based Stoom Stichting Nederland (Steam Foundation Netherlands) released the following Press Release on the major step forwards in the major overhaul of the ex German 2-6-2 Passenger locomotive:


Press release Stoom Stichting Nederland
Saturday 27th June 2015 saw a major step in the heavy overhaul of the former German steam loco 23 023. With the help of a 110 ton mobile crane the boiler was lifted off the frames and placed on a temporary rolling frame. The frames themselves were then raised off the wheels by means of lifting jacks, and placed on temporary bogies.
The former Deutsche Bundesbahn locomotive, built in 1952, is currently receiving a heavy overhaul in the Rotterdam workshops of Stoom Stichting Nederland.
During this overhaul the boiler of the loco will be re-stayed, a number of wash out openings will be renewed, and a part of the lower boiler half replaced. The temporary rolling frame was specially constructed for this job, and will allow the boiler to be revolved so that the area being worked on is always in the most useful position.
All large and small tubes will also be replaced.
The mechanical parts of the loco such as the axles and frames will be thoroughly cleaned and examined, and where necessary subjected to non destructive testing. Any parts showing evidence of wear will be replaced, and the frames and wheels will receive a repaint.
This work is expected to take a year, after which the boiler, frames and wheels will be reunited. A further period of time will be required to refit the boiler insulkation plating and associated pipework.
This work will be funded for the major part by the Stoom Stichting charity itself, and for this reason it would welcome some financial support. You can find information about the overhaul, and how you can support it, by visiting their website at www.stoomstichting.nl

 

A major step for the SSN. Quite possibly the first boiler lift of a class 23 since they went out of service. Certainly the SSN's first boiler lift, and they have prepared it well - look at that boiler trolley, which was specially made, in house.

23 023 was in DB ownership for 24 years, and has been working for the SSN on all sorts of main line trips for the last 39 years. Quite an achievement! As far as I can recall, she has never let them down. She was the foundation stone of the club, when she came over from Germany under her own power in 1976, hauling pacific 01 1075 dead. The latter is now very much alive and running, the fastest and most powerful steam loco on the Dutch main line.

You can visit the museum depot in north Rotterdam on any Saturday (unless running).

The SSN runs several main line trips a year, with one often cross border into Germany. Most are open to the general public. You can also rent their rolling stock or charter your own train. Two main line locos are usually available, and three under overhaul/stored.

 

This is an update on the progress of the overhaul, i'll try to put regular updates on this forum.
On our regular working days (Wednesday and Saturday) a small group of men work on the loco. Besides work on the loco, work is also done on our other rolling stock and the turntable.
These are the first stays out of over 700 normal ones. I am not familiar with the official English wording, but this is the special stay which is only welded on one side, the other side is movable. In this way there is more room for the thermal expansion of the walls.
One of the driving wheels is painted, one down fuve to go.

 

They are called flexible stays - or to our transatlantic cousins, flexible staybolts. Thanks for a very interesting update and best of luck with your project.
Cheers,
Ray.

 

Thanks to one of our sponsors, a machine shop, we are able to produce the stays at low costs.
We can use the lathes and bandsaw to cut


and mill the rod material into stays.

Good progress is made all 700+ stays are cut and 400+ are milled in shape. "Only" the deep inspection hole for leak detection needs to be drilled in them.


The next weeks progress will be slightly less while most of the workforce is busy preparing planned Steam journeys in August and September.

 

Good news!

Here are a few historical photos of 23 023 in action:

N7548 (Lauda - Crailsheim) near Koenigshofen, 29 August 1974.




With 050 098, N7519 (Lauda - Bad Mergentheim), 23 August 1975.



Leaving Salzbergen after the last day of steam at Rheine, 10 September 1977.



With SSN special at Moerdijk (NL), 17 March 1984.

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Lovely pictures! The arrival of the special at Rheine was a proud moment for the SSN. Within 18 months of the loco arriving at Rotterdam, with an expiring boiler ticket, it ran a special from one country to another! The train was packed and accommodation at Rheine so short that a group of us were invited to sleep in the garden shed of one of the employees there.