Industrial Loco Updates

I think big jigs made this one www.poras a wooden toy as I looked it up when my son got it.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

Regulator re-assembled, all longitudinal stays fitted. All tubes now fitted and expanded, ends being beaded over; waiting for a few last jobs to be done before the hydraulic test.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

The boiler passed the hydraulic test today, 31/3/21.

 

At least three locos are expected to return at Foxfield this year:

Bagnall Florence No.2 is in the final stages of reassembly and painting, while long-term restoration Marston, Thompson & Evershed Ltd No.3 has had its boiler and tank refitted to the frames and is looking very smart in its authentic black /lined yellow and red livery. Kerr Stuart 4388 continues to make rapid progress towards a return in the summer.

These are due to join Wimblebury and Beyer Peacock 1827 (currently receiving a new smokebox) in traffic this season.

Bagnall Hawarden could also steam late this year depending on the contract boiler repairs.

Austerity Whiston and the Dubs crane tank are both now out of ticket, with a new tank being readied for Whiston.

The front tubeplate is being removed from Robert Heath No.6 for replacement,

Jon

 

A couple of pictures of Whiston's brand new saddle tank as at 02/04/21 ,complete and ready for delivery to Foxfield. Also, a complete new
smokebox / door assembly is also on site ready for installation and later this year a new ashpan will be fabricated.

Jon

 

I paid a further visit to LMS at Loughborough on Thursday; visiting David Wright is always an education. The boiler for 2746 was outside the back of his works, one of a line of three in various stages of testing. There was a large coal fire under the firebox this time, and by the time we got there the boiler had 160 lbs on the clock and they were stoking it up to get to the working pressure at 170.

Nearby was a flat pack pack of four austerity smokebox fronts, which looked as if they had been cut together by water jetting, one of these will be for The Duke. One item we were short of is a new main steam pipe, but David reckons he has one in stock. I also dropped off the new cast iron elbow which we bought through Ribble Steam Railway several years ago, this turned out to be a good decision the old one is suspiciously light and turns out to be very thin.

Eventually the boiler blew off at the safety valves at 170; there are a few little fizzles to caulk, which we expected after the major surgery which the boiler has received. It is remarkable what a few moderate taps with a hammer and chisel can do, and the inspector was satisfied that the boiler is "structurally sound". The provisional date for delivery back to Wirksworth is 22nd April.

 

Great news to hear. Very impressed with Wirksworth over the last few years, and a lot of hard work seems to paying off - in the space of less than a year they've gone from only having a couple of 0-4-0 saddle tanks to being on the verge of having a very suitable steam fleet for all their operations.

 

If you know which hammer and chisel to use, and how hard to tap...

 

The "chisel" is probably a caulking tool which looks like a chisel with a flat end ground at an angle. Just sayin'.
Ray.

 

I'm sure you are right, I didn't get close enough to see the tool, but there were no chop marks on the plate afterwards.

 

Also on Facebook: (via the Bluebell thread).

PARISH COUNCIL GRANT HELPS KEEP STEAM LOCO APPEAL ON TRACK​

The volunteer run museum Rocks by Rail is currently raising funds to purchase the last steam locomotive to haul ironstone in Rutland. Just over 50 years ago the steam locomotive named STAMFORD worked its final shift at Pilton Ironstone Quarry in June 1969 when the quarry finally closed. Initially purchased and preserved at the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex the loco is now back in its old county on loan and on public display at the Museum situated near Cottesmore in Rutland. The owners have now agreed to sell this historic locomotive and the museum has launched a campaign to raise funds to retain the locomotive within Rutland and to conserve it as a museum exhibit on public display. Built by the Avonside Engine Company in Bristol in 1927 STAMFORD is one of only a very few steam locomotives that worked in Rutland’s ironstone quarries to survive into preservation.​

At their January meeting councillors of the Cottesmore Parish Council resolved to provide a £500 Community grant towards the locomotives purchase, thus helping to boost the fund and maintain momentum of the museum’s Stamford Loco Appeal towards the ultimate objective of purchase and retaining the loco within its home county.​

Parish Council Chairman, Mr Chris Donovan, said:​

The ironstone workings are an important part of Rutland's local history and we are pleased to contribute to the campaign fund to retain the 'Stamford' engine in its original home county.
​

Mr David Atkinson, Chair of the Museum’s Trustees commented:​

We are very grateful to receive the support of the Parish Council to help us with this unique project. We are making good and steady progress with the Appeal but there is still some way to go before we can secure the STAMFORD steam locomotive for the volunteer run museum, which is a registered educational charity. The museum would be pleased to receive any other donations, large or small, which would enable us to ensure that this historic 94-year-old steam locomotive can be conserved and stay on public display within the County.​

The Museum would welcome any assistance and donations in the furtherance of this project. Any donations by way of cheques should marked on rear “Stamford Loco Appeal” and be made out to Rutland Railway Museum and sent to:​

Mr A Salmon, RbR Treasurer, 4 Main Street, Stanford on Soar, Loughborough LE12 5PY
For donors willing to donate as Gift Aid there is an RbR Gift Aid Form which is available via email from the Curator email: Curator@rocks-by-rail.org
For donors wanting to make their gift by bank transfer please contact the Treasurer for these details on email andysam@stayfree.co.uk
Rocks by Rail - The Living Ironstone Museum, Cottesmore Iron Ore Mines Sidings, Ashwell Road, Cottesmore, Rutland LE15 7FF Tel: 01572 868415
Rocks by Rail is the trading name of Rutland Railway Museum - Registered Charity No 1115462
​

Tom

 

Bristol Harbour Railway Peckett w/n 1940 'Henbury' ran for the first time since overhaul last week. Just a potter round the yard to check things over, this was the first run since July 2014. We're hoping to start operating public trains again in the summer.


Photos courtesy Bruce Davies via bristolharbourrailway.co.uk

 

Foxfield update:

Florence No.2's overhaul is now complete together with a full repaint. The loco is expected to be ready around the start of the season from 23rd May.

Marston No3 is receiving its top coat of paint and final jobs ahead of test running.

Kerr Stuart 4388's boiler is ready and waiting for the frames to be re-wheeled.

Beyer,Peacock 1827's new smokebox is progressing.

Whiston's new saddletank is now in undercoat as at 26/04/21 (photos below), boiler tubes removed and installation of complete new smokebox
including door to start this week.



Jon

 

Wimblebury on steam test today , seen in front of Beyer Peacock 1827 which now has its new smokebox fitted. Also a first steam test as a completed loco for an immaculate Florence No2 :

Jon

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

The boiler isn't back yet, but it will not be long now. LMS have dealt with all the little fizzles from the boiler, finished making the new smokebox and are busy bolting the two together.

Meanwhile our new fundraiser has arrived: a five plank coal wagon in the livery of the Southern Railway of Northern Ireland, as shunted off a cliff by Will Hay

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

We now have a firm date for the delivery of the completed boiler back to Wirksworth later this month.

 

Whjston's new saddle tank was fitted 06/07/21 over the soon-to-be-finished new smokebox. All will then be removed to allow for the boiler overhaul. Loco is expected to return to traffic in 2023 provided no unknown issues arise.


Last weekend saw Marston No.3 move under its own steam for the first time in 45 years. The loco should be ready to enter service later this summer. The photo was taken a few weeks ago in the workshop while awaiting fitting of final motion parts



Jon

 

When AB1719, 'Lady Nan' was steamed in April steam was getting to the cylinders that could not be controlled by the regulator. Subsequent testing suggested that the main steam pipe in the boiler was holed and so it has been proved today when we eventually managed to remove it from the boiler. See photos below.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

Here are some pictures from Wednesday; a long hot day, but as you can see, The Duke looks a lot more like a locomotive than it has for some time.

I got to Wirksworth just after nine, oil can at the ready, to find The Duke sat waiting in the car park; the locomotive had already been shunted out the previous day and someone had made sure that everything was properly oiled, for which I am very grateful. The boiler insulation turned up in the course of the morning, but where was the boiler itself? Eventually I got through to Dave Wright on the last juice in my mobile phone; he and his team were having a bit of an argument with the ashpan, which they had decided to fit at his works where there was a full armory of tools available rather than on site.

Eventually Dave turned up with the boiler around 5 o'clock. It took about two hours to get it in due to some very fine clearances, but there it is.

Dave hopes to bring his crew up next week to finish off a few jobs, and then we shall move on to plumbing and painting.

I have made sure to include a picture of the HIAB wagon from County Lifting, because Tony, the operator really does know his stuff and placed the boiler with milimetric care as the last adjustments were made, very impressive and I am happy to recommend him for similar work.

Tim

 

"Marston Thompson and Evershed Ltd No3" is now undergoing shakedown running and testing - this is her stood at Dilhorne Park yesterday working her first ever rake of MK1 coaches. The train engine is Beyer Peacock No1827 of 1879 also out on test after a new smokebox, repairs to the front dragbox and some work to the 'Salter' safety valves. There are still a few snagging issues to resolve on both locomotives, but hopefully it won't be long until they can be released into traffic.