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Industrial Loco Updates

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by AlistairS, Apr 17, 2008.

  1. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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    Peckett 'Henbury' at the BHR has been withdrawn from service and placed at the back of the shed.
    IMG_5837.jpg

    She will likely be out of traffic for a few years now.
     
  2. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Vulcan.
    Reported to be very well looked after at Preston. The locomotive has been lifted for an axlebox exam, weighed and the springs adjusted. It has also passed the annual inspection. We hope to visit and see it in action on 14th September, when a party of former Vulcan employees will also be visiting.

    Bagnall 2746 The Duke.
    Twiggs had the EN24T ready and waiting on Saturday, and the remaining pin was machined and test fitted by the end of the day by the 8F team. All axleboxes now fettled.

    Tim
     
  3. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Vulcan.
    We were made very welcome at Ribble Steam Railway on Sunday; the grand finale included a special working for a visiting party from Newton le Willows who were given a trip in a North London coach, top and tailed by Vulcan and the Bagnall "Courageous". It was amazing to see just how much progress had been made in the workshops since our last visit in July. Vulcan will very shortly return to Barrow Hill. One lady definitely recalled playing on her father's new engine when it arrived at Lytham Creek, and it was then painted green. The livery research continues.....

    Bagnall 2746 The Duke.
    Smokebox rivets being removed as part of the opening campaign on the boiler.

    Tim
     
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  4. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Bagnall 2746 "The Duke"
    Today we had the culmination of our summer work, when an 80 ton crane lifted the frames back onto the wheels. We have been preparing this for several weeks but have not mentioned it because this involved leaving the axleboxes, with the bearings on the journals, in the open. It has been very satisfying to see the new and refurbished components brought out and assembled, which also created a significant amount of space in the stores van.

    Last weekend's job was to space out the wheels accurately according to the makers drawings and chock them firmly in position.

    We had the benefit of a very large midweek working party to assist in placing the frames on the axleboxes, which took a little under two hours. A definite milestone in the overhaul. I would like to thank all the volunteers from the EVR and the 8F group who took part, many hands make lighter work, but especially Alen Grice, Mick Clarke and Simon Hunter for their technical expertise.

    The crane also removed the old smokebox. We still have to fit the spring link pins and bolt up the horn stays before the frames can be moved. The next two major projects on the chassis will be to bush and rebuild the brake gear followed by the coupling rods. We shall also be seeking to enter and clean out the boiler.

    Tim
     
  5. D7076

    D7076 Well-Known Member

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    Little heard about Austerity NCB 72 running at Elsecar this weekend.
     
  6. Charles Parry

    Charles Parry Member

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  7. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Bagnall 2746 The Duke

    To Twiggs for an assortment of EN8 bar, 50mm and 65mm, to supply the 8F machine shop crew as they work through the brake gear making new pins and bushes for the brake hangers. Many thanks to the LMSCA for the use of their press once again. Meanwhile we have used the last of the good weather to clean down the bufferbeams to bare metal and repaint and made a start on the side rods.

    Tim
     
  8. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Bagnall 2746 The Duke.

    Another good session. Two brake hangers completely rebushed and being painted ready to fit. One set of side rods cleaned to bare metal and now in undercoat. Second set cleaned to bare metal and oiled against rust until we can paint them, connecting rods partially cleaned. All four refurbished sandboxes bolted on to the frames. New smokebox order placed with LMS at Loughborough.

    Tim
     
  9. 32110

    32110 Member

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    RSH 7849 'Moorbarrow' is expected to depart from the East Somerset Railway, Cranmore next Tuesday, 11th November.
     
  10. Bramblewick

    Bramblewick Member

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    I see that 'Haydock' is due to move from Penrhyn Castle to Beamish on long term loan.
     
  11. 32110

    32110 Member

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    Departed 11/11/2014 for Embsay
     
  12. Respite

    Respite Member

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    Rumour has it Sapper is going on loan to the NYMR for their Santa specials. Don't get too excited though as it will mainly be there for steam heat as they are short of steam heat fitted diesels. It will be banked by a diesel which will do most of the work. It goes tomorrow.
     
  13. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    No rumour.
    Don't bank on it being banked by a diesel. Another steam loco might be doing the honours. The train has to be top'n'tailed as there are no run round facilities in the heart of Newtondale.
     
  14. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    If Sapper impresses, should we expect a recall for Antwerp?
     
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  15. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    I doubt it as I think the agreement will be between whoever has it now and whoever looks after the NCB's residual items - it was only ever on loan to the NYMR afaik, and they have no longer have any claim over it.
     
  16. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    All the British Coal owned locos on loan (steam & diesel) were vested with the National Coal Mining Museum at Caphouse, much to the embarrassment of some organisations who thought that, when British Coal was wound up, they could have them for keeps. Some were even sold and others cut up!
     
  17. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Bagnall 2746 The Duke

    All the brake hangers have been re-bushed, painted and fitted to the locomotive, together with the crossbeams. One bush needs a final skim to fit. We have made an attempt to fit the brake blocks, but after a lot of head scratching concluded that the blocks handed over from store when the engine left Peak Rail were not for the Austerity design, they simply do not fit. Four of them probably came from a Yorkshire Engine Janus, and we are open to offers. That led us to visit David Wright and his Emporium for the Discerning Austerity Owner at Loughborough where we were able to purchase a set of blocks from stock. While we were there we were able to inspect our new smokebox wrapper which is under construction as one of a batch, and the boiler repair production line. David has been extremely helpful and we look forward to doing further business with Locomotive Maintenance Services.

    We have also had a visit from some friendly lads who may be available to weld repair the holes for the coupling hooks so that these can be made square again. While they were there, they collected parts from the pony truck of 48518 for incorporation into a new build 8F project.

    Meanwhile, the brake shaft has been dropped from the frames for attention; a new bush is being machined and the shaft and it's brackets are being stripped down and painted.

    The coupling and connecting rods have all been stripped to bare metal and primed.

    I forgot to mention, the new build 8F is 7 1/4" gauge.

    Tim
     
  18. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Bagnall 2746 The Duke

    The weather between Christmas and New Year was a bit rough for locomotive work outside, though some of us did spend a couple of days with the EVR p.way gang, who are working their way through a list of outstanding jobs before tackling the new loco shed siding - which is in our long term interests. We have just had our first working day of 2015.

    The new brake blocks have been machined to take the brake hanger pins, which are the best of the old spring hanger pins, recycled and modified to fit. The bush for the brake shaft has been machined from EN3 steel, relatively soft, almost plain mild steel, but better that future wear takes place on the bush rather than the shaft or the bracket, which are much more difficult to machine. The wheels and frames are "protected" by a tarpaulin shelter, which has lasted reasonably well for three months (ten weeks longer than I thought it might), and gives us some sort of working space out of the rain. Any minor tears are patched with duct tape before they grow any bigger.

    One project lined up for the early part of this year is the reconstruction of the inside motion; new piston rings are on order from HP Rings ltd of Chesterfield. We also look forward to an early conference with a likely boiler repair contractor.

    Happy New Year, especially to those grappling with similar projects.

    Tim
     
  19. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Bagnall 2746 The Duke

    The new year gales made short work of the tarpaulin, or one very long rip. However it was oversized and we cut it down from 30' x 30' to 30' x 20', turned it through 90 degrees, lashed it down again, and carried on.

    The new brake blocks have all been fitted and pinned in place. The brake shaft journal has had the high spots polished off, so that the new bush is a firm sliding fit and the bush has been pressed into the mounting bracket. The polishing was done with an interesting piece of gubbins owned and made by the 8F team. This consists of a short piece of 4" pipe, slit in half and held together with spring loaded bolts. This is fitted with handles and lined with emery cloth. You clamp it round the ovality and rock it gently, checking the fit at intervals. It was first made to deal with the crankpins on 8624 and -in skilled and patient hands (not mine)- it works. Without the 8F people we would be just chipping at the rust and scratching our heads.

    Other recent work includes stripping the vacuum pipes off a crane runner which is to be dismantled shortly. It has LSWR bogies which are heading south, but the frames are not wanted and will be cut up. We now have a nice pair of swan necks and other bits and pieces.

    We have a conference with the boiler repair contractor on 29th January. Looking a bit further ahead, we have a stand at Chapel En Le Frith Exhibition on 20/21 February, and look forward to a natter with any Nat Pres members calling by.

    Tim
     
  20. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

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    Bagnall 2746 The Duke

    The brake shaft is now back in place. I was not looking forward to lifting this extremely heavy object in a confined space, however the 8F team made short work of it. For the benefit of anyone with a similar problem, almost directly above the shaft there is a small round hole at the top of each frame where the drive rod to the sandbox flap goes through; the sand gear is currently dismantled. So, a piece of steel shaft was threaded through and a chain block did the rest. It makes you wonder whether that is just luck or a deliberate design feature.

    The boiler repair conference went very well, and the contractor has been invited to quote. Fortunately, the price of copper is falling as rapidly as the price of oil; it looks as if it will be more cost effective to fit a new copper tube plate to deal with the cracks and oversized tube holes, which are a known problem. As locomotives age more and more renewals of this type will be required.

    Tim
     

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