Industrial Loco Updates

Re my previous message #798, all of Moorbarrow's tubes were removed early in January. After a long wait the replacements arrived 14 March and were being installed 16/17 March with a provisional date for steam test on 20 March.

 

Austerity 'Sapper' has been fitted with a Kylchap exhaust at Peak Rail Rowsley, she now sounds like a mini-A4! Perhaps the East Lancs will find a chime whistle for her when she goes back to Bury

Dave

 

Lets hope not! It already sounds like an A4 with that big vacuum ejector its got, it's so noisy it drowns the sound of the locos exhaust. 6619 has a single Kylchap and it sounds like someone banging a tin can! Owners perrogative I know but the East Lancs crews found Sapper a very good steamer anyway with the Lempor it had in it.

 

Moorbarrow, RSH 7849/55, successfully passed its steam test today. Reason for delay was we found a few of the tubes were shorter than required.

 

Vulcan Update

The locomotive passed its hydraulic test, 12/4/2013. Next Sunday working party: 21st April.

Tim

 

Congratulation Tim and the team.
Will be good to see this little loco running about again.

Dave

 

Bagnall austerity 2746 "The Duke".

A successful boiler lift took place on 17th April, also a palvan has been delivered from Scunthorpe for use as a stores vehicle.

Tim

 

Glad to here work has started on Duke. She was my favourite of the two at PR as she always seemed a better steamer that Warrington / Royal Pioneer.

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

We spent Sunday putting the firebars and ashpan back into Vulcan. The next milestone is to clad the firebox, get the cab back on and fit out the backhead. The boiler inspector was quite surprised that such an old engine would have an absolutely mint condition boiler. We have an account of a secret overhaul carried out by the works transport manager at Vulcan Foundry without the knowledge of higher authority in the late 1950's. It seems this included the making of a new boiler. Working parties will continue every third Sunday.

Meanwhile serious work has now started on Duke, as we are finding, in the past the condition of the loco was assumed to be far worse than it actually is.

Fingers crossed this continues.

Tim

 

Reported on the unofficial NYMR forum that LH&JC No.29 has made it to Goathland on test, 3 weeks and 2 days after her boiler test, great to hear that No.29 is back in action!

 

Bellerophon has now been lifted at the South Devon and the wheels and axles are currently being assessed for repairs.

 

There have been various questions asked, in various threads over a long period, about industrial steam locos at Mangapps, so I thought that it was about time for a report on their current status.
So, here go's:
Fox-Walker 0-6-0ST 358 of 1878 "Minnie"- owned by Mangapps Museum, on indoor static display. Due to it's historical importance there are no plans to return this loco to working condition.
Barclay 0-4-0ST 2157 of 1943 "R.O.F.8 No.8"- owned by Mangapps Museum, is in regular operation having been re-tubed and "10 year" overhauled between August and November 2012.
Bagnall o-6-0ST 3061 of 1954 "Empress" (formerly "Demelza")- owned by Richard Moore, in latter stages of overhaul, awaiting re-tubing and re-assembly. Hopefully in steam by August 2013.
Bagnall 0-6-0PT 2613 of 1940 "Brookfield"- owned by Richard Moore, on static display. Damaged cylinder (the reason for withdrawal in 2004) has been repaired, full overhaul will commence when "Empress's" overhaul is completed.
Barclay 0-4-0ST 1619 of 1919 "Toto"- owned by a group of East Essex Loco Preservation Society members, is largely complete after lengthy restoration. Awaits re-tubing, completion of tanks (as a side-tank) and cab/bunker.
Hunslet 0-6-0ST 469 of 1888 "Hastings"- owned by Martin Staniforth, is in the final stage of restoration, i.e. boiler work. New backhead is currently being welded in, all major components (inner firebox, front tubeplate, etc.) are ready for fitting. Expected in steam by early 2015.

Details of ex BR locos and diesels can be found on the Mangapps website.

 

What?!

 

Would be nice to see Toto back at Blaenavon one day..............but not with side tanks!

 

Yes, afraid so! Nothing to do with me (or Mangapps), it's the owner's decision. See thread "Who's loco is it, anyway"!

 

Saw Bellerophon in the workshop at Buckfastleigh today. Does anyone know if it's likely to work on the South Devon at all while it's down here, even for running-in? Beautiful loco.

 

Avonside 0-6-0ST 'Portbury' has returned to Bristol from overhaul at the South Devon Railway and is being reassembled in 'M Shed'.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

Our first serious working weekend. The boiler has had more conservation work done, brushing off rust and applying aluminium primer - only a few small areas left to do. The remains of the smokebox floor plates have been removed after all the nuts were split and the water, scale and gunk has been removed from the top of the cylinder block, which from this angle at least still looks good. You do hear horror stories occasionally about cylinder blocks rusting thin, touch wood, but that does not seem likely at present though there was plenty of scale. The bolts holding the cab sides on to the footplate have been freed off so these are ready to join the cab roof at ground level. With the boiler out, we could at last get at the inside of the frames and frame stretchers and made a start on getting these cleaned up. The stores are getting organised and we have installed electric light. If anyone is interested in joint buying of austerity parts or has austerity spares for disposal we would like to hear from them.

The top of the austerity cylinder block casting has a series of deep pockets between the cast iron webs, obviously these can collect water. In this case they had been filled with what looks like glass fibre loft insulation. I am not sure what this was intended to achieve but as a means of protecting the block it does not seem to have worked. I have heard of lime mortar concrete being used, does anyone have any advice for the future?

Tim

 

AB 1931 Andrew Barclay & Sons Ltd., hard at work at Rocks by Rail in Rutland an ironstone quarry museum.