31806 and possible mainline use

When steam's on the back with a diesel leading, is it allowed to do the work/exceed 40?

 

Thanks for the info. I was told that the frames were twisted and heard about the boiler stays. Never knew she had the boiler off the N though.
I was rather looking forward to The Red Devil Railtour she was supposed to haul to the SVR in 2000 wearing James the Red engine livery. 45407 took her place in the end and gave everyone a great day out.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

31625 was actually a Heinz 57 loco, Boiler off 31874, motion and rods off 31806, tender was originally going to be the new top on the schools chassis, ( snow plow) but it was in a poor state, the tender top was in need of so much work at we ended up using the 4000 gallon tender from 31806 and made new inward sloping raves, to turn it into a schools type tender outline, at the moment 31806 has the 3500 gallon tender that was behind the N, I assume this was because the mainline equipment had already been fitted .
as regards 31625's twisted frames, there is no history of her being derailed in her past is there? unless of course it happened when the new front end was put on, she has the new front end and standard cylinders as fitted to some class members later in their life.

 

as far as I know yes, the 45 mph is more about the visability when running tender first

 

First time on the main line since Jan 12 1964. First Maunsell Mogul at Wareham, Weymouth and Yeovil area since......1965?

Although withdrawn from Guildford after only 9 months there, it seemed to spend many years at Eastleigh so, probably worked west from there many times. There are photos of it at Swanage about 1955.
The green Mk1 and U combination at Yeovil Junction, looked so right and was a reminder that SR green stock on the main line had been absent for many years.

btw the 'Unknown shed' on the 31625 biography page on the Swanage Moguls Fund website, is Bricklayers Arms.

 

I assume this test run was operated by WCRC. Does anyone know how setting up SR as a TOC is going? It seems like they started to set it up a while ago and running to Weymouth seems like an obvious proving ground for and SR operations.

 

I wouldn't worry about correcting anything on that site - it hasn't been updated since Dec 2016! The Facebook site hasn't been updated since Sep 2017. Another example of a group wanting the money to flow without providing any updates in return.


Keith

 

Martin

31806 current tender is made from:-
Mid 1980s built tank usually with 31874. It had corrosion repairs, coal space floor and coal hole raised to give more water capacity and nicer shovelling height. The tank was shot blasted and painted with International epoxy (ship and oil rig grade) at Arlington.
Ex Schools tender frames, the ones that had the part finished new tank on it when collected from MHR.
The ex Schools frames were in generally good condition and needed minor structural repairs. SR had to buy a new 24” brake cylinder, overhaul springs, fit all pipework, overhaul axleboxes, drawgear etc
The original tender frames from 31874 were corroded beyond repair, new main plates have been obtained, all cut outs done and drilled for riveting.

The U class wide body tender (31625 mainline) is in Herston Works being overhauled. 31806 will get this tender back later this year.

Most of the electrics and electronics are on the loco.
Only the rear TPWS aerial and complete GSMR system is on the tender.
As GSMR is a standalone system it can be swapped between vehicles. Unlike TPWS and OTMR which are hard wired to the loco and to each other, with only the control unit and data recorder on plugs .

 

Good stuff, James. The hand-held shot nr Evershot is very steady. I see what another poster means about wheel-flats...

 

I suggest it is more about vehicle stability. A 6 wheel vehicle being pushed through a drawbar will tend to crab. When the loco is at the rear and being dragged in reverse, the applied forces are different.

 

Great achievement by all involved getting 31806 mainlined.

However, doesn’t it’s boiler ticket expire in 2 years time? Is there a plan for a fast track overhaul, possibly using the boiler from 31625?

 

The idea has been discussed. 625 Boiler was going to be lifted for assessment sometime soon. Alternately the Mainline gubins will be transferred to the N.

 

the easiest option will be to transfer the mainline gubbings to the N, 31625's boiler will need investigation, to find out why it kept on breaking stays and to determine if it is out of true .when we looked at it, we noticed it didn't set quite right

 

The idea would surely be to investigate and repair 31625s boiler over the next couple of years. Then there would be a pre overhauled boiler to go on 31806 when the ticket on its current boiler expires.

Putting mainline gubbins on the N may be an easier option, but that won’t be known until 31625s boiler is properly looked at.

 

Ian Farrance deduced that 31625 was breaking side stays because the boiler was in the frames crooked, so stay heads were rubbing on frames. The extra strain on the stat heads caused breakage.

 

31806 survived it's first main line foray in the modern era and arrived this afternoon/evening [around 18:00] at Swanage hauling the penultimate day's GB XI topped and tailed with 45212.
Some shots [not mine] en-route:


https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/whats-on/...am-1501616

 

Will the gauging problem at Brockenhurst affecting the return of the class 117 affect mainline running of 31806

 

Whilst it may effect the delivery of the 117, by the most direct route, It should not effect the U class from Swanage to Wareham, as that is probally their main attention, but should it be requested for any tours, it only then has one route it can take, that to Weymouth then towards Yeovil / Salisbury, Does the restriction at Brockenhurst effect both lines, if its only one way, then The 117 can still reach Swanage railway metals by running from Eastleigh to Salisbury Yeovil, then via Pen Mill to Weymouth,

 

It has already been agreed to take 117 by road. Your route does not have runround facilities at Weymouth or Wareham and would require the hire of another loco to bring 117 back by rail..

 

Weymouth Station (Plat 2) does have run round facilities but would have been more easily scheduled to propel back into Jersey Sidings, run round there, and propel back into the station.
Wareham does not have run round facilities but the consist could have gone on to Poole Sterte Road sidings and run round there.
Anyway, sufficient track work has now been accomplished enabling vehicles to be transferred from Eastleigh Works to Eastleigh East Yard yesterday (Monday) hauled by GBRf 66787.
The 3-car 117 DMU, plus NSE-liveried (spares donor) 51392, had various box wagons added to the consist for brake force (DMU through air piped).
Road haulage will commence soon no doubt.