West Somerset Railway General Discussion

So today was a great day for the locomotive department team not only did we get the wheels and pony truck back under 93, she moved back into the new shed and then shortly followed by her tender. Progress will now be so visiable it's great!

Will be interesting to see what effect the cylinder liners have once she's back as the pistons will be slightly reduced in size.

Having my first turn as a passed cleaner on her during her last day in traffic I'm really looking forward to having her back. Will always has a sweet spot for her!

 

Maverick,

Pleased that you enjoyed 9351 on your first turn as passed cleaner.

When you go out in it again you will find that everything should be in good condition with tight valves and pistons. On the down side the nominal tractive effort will be less due to the cylinder liners reducing the cylinder bore, and the fitting of new tyres increasing the wheel diameter. Although the effect of the cylinder liners will not be so marked as it might had been, prior to overhaul the cylinder diameter was approximately 18 5/8" and we have reduced to 18 3/8" which was the maximum diameter that the worn pistons would machine to rather than going down to the nominal 18" diameter. At next overhaul the option will be either to use the same pistons and go down to 18 1/8" bore with new liners to suit, or to increase the bore slightly to 18 1/2" and replace the pistons.

Next overhaul the copper firebox will probably require a greater level of repair and that would be the time to replace the fire box & smoke box tube plates with ones that suited a high super heat 2 row superheater as fitted to 4160 with Melesco header, that would make the locomotive's performance sparkle!

Andy.

 

Nice to hear the penny has dropped but I fear you will be getting indignant howls from the ultras!

PH

 

Thanks Andy

As was said over the well earned pint last night, we're all learning so much and can hopefully remember it all in the future. (Will definately note the recomentions re cylinders and tube plate).

C

 

Thanks for that Aberdare , it's good to know the ins and outs of a 10 year overhaul . Will the next one involve more work ? Thank you .

 

Excuse me Paul but who or what are the ultras ?

 

Originally they were the extreme reactionary element in post Napoleonic France who wanted to return everything to how it was prior to 1789. In the present context they are Great Western fans who "don't hold" with things such as higher temperature superheat.

PH

 

I'd imagine those sorts probably wouldn't care about 9351 anyway!

 

We have two types of railway preservation in the UK.

1. Items with their original components permanently exhibited in a museum and only cosmetically restored.
2. Items still in use with components repaired, replaced, or modified to permit their continued use.

I would suggest that it is impossible to run a steam loco in original condition. You just have to fit a speedometer or replace a component in a different material and it is modified. About the only equipment I can immediately think of that will be original is the tokens and token instruments but there might be a little more! If these ultras what to see something in original condition then they should go to a museum not a heritage railway.

What other original equipment is in original condition?

 

Even the token instruments are not in original condition in one sense.

We now have all starting signals locked with the token instruments. Many BR(W) branches, including the West Somerset, were only hsving that fitted piecemeal as major resignalling occurred. Proposing a return to 'free starters' on the grounds of historical accuracy would cause mild apoplexy in a number of quarters......

Robin

 

They are probably mostly different but tokens are lettered for the section. So in the case of the WSR:-

Minehead / Blue Anchor
Blue Anchor / Williton
Williton / Crowcombe
Crowcombe / Bishops Lydeard.

There is a long section token for when Crowcombe is switched out as well.

 

And BL -NF.

 

Are the instruments actually modified to do this?
It's sounds to me as if the railway has nothing in use in original condition.

 

Would be interesting to know how much was still in 'original' condition when the line was closed in 1971.
One major difference was that it was laid to broad gauge, and of course the Minehead extension wasn't there in the early days. BA was initially single platform etc, so the railway that closed in the 1970s would possibly have retained few 'original' elements from the one that opened in the 1860s.
Other features - notably the two passing loops- were added after opening and subsequently removed before closure.

Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

 

Um....................

So like the locking on the starting signals, some modifications will be invisible, but in order to be able to run at all any item of Heritage Equipment needs updating to modern safety standards (Who I wonder would want to go to sea on a ship with a Class III passenger certificate issued under 1960 rules?) and of course we expect modern standards of comfort cleanliness & food.

Otherwise either you end up with a fatality or it goes bust................

 

The instruments themselves wouldn't need to be modified; but then, they are unlikely to be original to the line. The interlocking itself is a set of relays linked to both the instruments and the lever locks.

 

So what is "original condition" with a steam loco?
1. As built?
2. As last overhauled?
3. As withdrawn from service?

I suspect that you would find that most WSR (and other heritage rly) ex BR locos are about 95% original (3rd option) in being faithful to the design with only minor mods such as drop grates and live steam injectors in place of exhaust injectors. Most of the major components are original as option 2.
Most ex GWR locos are in any case an amalgam of lots of previously used bits from other locos once you start examining stamped numbers on components so original becomes a difficult concept.

 

Some of the 4 wheelers if not all on the IOWSR have had there under frames etc donated from other vehicles.
Pot Kettle Black.

 

They all have. I just don't understand what point you can be making as in no way have I criticised the WSR for technical "tweakings".

PH