Windcutter Wagons

As we have not been able to do anything recently due to C19 here is a pic from about 25 years ago with Canadian Pacific pulling the unrestored Windcutters through Rothley.

 

A lot less black and a lot more grey these days! That goes some way to showing how much hard graft has been put in! (edit: I know there's A LOT more to it than paint!!)

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In the absence of any work here is another picture (Not Mine) showing the full rake of about 28 restored wagons rostered when 92212 was first restored. I think the date is 9/11/96 when Steam Railway sponsored a "Windcutter Day" to celebrate 4 years of the project.

 

Re the previous picture, it has been pointed out that the rake shown was only about 18 wagons, as it was on its way to Swithland, where it then picked up the other 10 wagons to work the rest of the day as a 28 wagon working. Hopefully soon we will again be able to run a "lengthy train of mineral wagons".

 

As reported in the relevant "Recommissioning after C-19" thread...
I am pleased to say that there were three volunteers at work on Windcutter trucks at Rothley in the open air yesterday. They had been given safety instructions on line beforehand and signed a safety document. Social distancing was maintained. Welding was done, a vac cylinder extracted and stripped for refurbishment. We were all glad to be back!

 

We had 4 volunteers at work on Tuesday and two of us returned today. The Vacuum cylinder was re - ringed, painted, re-assembled and put back in place ready for a vacuum test. Further welding repairs have been done and prep for re-painting.
We also have a solution to our "thin tyres" on wagon #23...........

 

What may the solution be then?

 

We are in the process of buying a pair of S/H wheelsets, bearings and other bits n bobs......just getting final details sorted.

 

Our renovated vac cylinder failed its vac test so we set too and took it out again. There didn't seem to be much wrong after checking and cleaning the rolling ring. It was an oversize and we did try a standard ring but the o/s was closer to the one we removed. In desperation we changed the piston rod seal.....but the alloy housing had three studs which were really Really corroded in place...and the rusty nuts were 19/32Whitworth.....Still it did come off and a new seal went in. The cylinder went back in the wagon. All was reconnected and the test done again....and it failed again. In desperation we then changed the reconditioned release valve for the old one.....and it passed the vac test.....hmmmm. More body welding repairs have been done and more prep for a repaint.

 

How long was the reconditioned release valve on the shelf?
Either degraded rubbers if its been a while or rebuild incorrectly after repair.

 

We have still to investigate but it was recently refurbished so the latter is suspected....

 

The replacement wheelsets for #23 have now arrived....underneath the Steam Heat Van ADS 70185 that the Churnet Valley advertised for sale before breaking. From the pictures, I saw that it had those large size axle bearings. I went to inspect it and we put our offer in.....we were 4th in the queue! However the others dropped out and our deal was completed a few days ago. Transport was arranged and the van arrived at Quorn today. If anybody wants to buy the 12 Foot underframe, with our old wheelsets or without, please pm or contact the GCR/DCRT.

 

It's worth mentioning that the underframe started life as a SR 'loco coal' wagon, and is the last survivor of those. It would be a mammoth task to turn it back into one (and made harder once it is on scrap wheelsets) but it "would be nice" if somebody did. (Not me!)

 

I bought some green paint and started to get the Steam Heat van looking a bit cared for.....Then I ran out of paint!

 

Was it built as a steam heat van ? looks a bit like a horsebox.

 

This might help.
https://departmentals.com/photo/70185

 

Thanks for that

 

This weeks update
Click Here

 

I know we're deep into WIBN terittory, but a couple of wooden 7/8 plank wagons would really add to the windcutter fleet.

 

The Steam Heat van has been (nearly) completely painted after a quick rub down. The next job will be to repair those louvred panels and put some perspex in the widow openings just to get it more weather proof and better looking.
Thanks to Buseng for more details of its history. The two tanks are the large and small oblongs at the ends of the body, they are the body! The two level gauges on each tank, on each side, seem to be that when the level can be seen in the bottom one - fill up. When the level can be seen in the top one - stop filling. No level showing all ok......unless of course it went below the bottom one without being noticed! On the top corner are those two warning lamps.
Anyway on my visit today the van was being extensively shunted around Quorn Station and yard as a large display of goods vehicles is being put together for the opening weekend July 25/26th. The wheels seem to be suitably round!