LMS Patriot Project Updates

Great post...that new facility at RR is something to behold...the envy of the aero engine business at the moment...aaah forgot ......our industry is cream crackered.....

 

Exactly....

 

Something in this saga doesn't seem logical to me. I'm surprised that the use of X-rays was resorted to and I can't see the logic behind this, unless porosity was being investigated for some reason. I'd have been content with MPI and, in the end, it is MPI that has identified the faults.

 

According to Gavin mark Shell who is involved with the L.M.S. Patriot project team I spoke to him on facebook messenger and he said that Boro foundry have found a way to repair the cracked driver wheelpans for 5551 but the only way I thought it could be done is by welding up the cracks in the wheelpans but I thought 5551,s wheelpans were too badly cracked to be welded it was said earlier but unless there is another method boro foundry use which I've never heard of or not aware of, a new set of 6 driver wheels would have to be recast. and apparently gav said the L.M.S. Pat project team are in discussion with Boro foundry and ricardo rail. about this repair method whatever it may be and cost the L.M.S. Patriot team nowt.

 

Where’d your post go? I read it in my email notification?

 

This thread has been quiet recently - wasn't there an AGM on Nov 13th?

 

That is not what I said.

 

Glad to hear that Gavin - For a start, it would have been a bl**dy long sentence...! For a second thing, that would seem rather more than a risky solution to the problem.

Richard.

 

So why did you say to me at the E.L.R. autumn steam gala 16.10.2021 on your stall probably a statement on paper which was supposedly off kevin west that a way had been found to repair the cracked wheelsets according to Boro foundry and that 2 or 4 of the driving wheelsets could be saved without casting another full set of 6?

 

One small technical point, it is possible to repair cracks in cast components.

Whether this is acceptable to a VAB for a critical component like a driving wheel is entirely a regulatory matter and is independent of the technical feasibility.

 

I've seen photos of some of the repairs done to the B1 1264s driving wheels by I think Ian Riley and they were accepted by the powers that be. Having seen these photos of the chunks taken out and replaced you wouldn't be any the wiser to there having been problems

 

Rather than speculate, wouldn't it be better to wait until something official is posted, and what the chosen way forward is going to be .
As 2392 has stated, yes it is possible to repair some faults, but at the end of the day, its what the VAB Is willing to accept that will determine if the wheel sets can be repaired, or if new sets must be cast.

 

Sorry? This is still Nat Pres isn’t it?

 

Just to tighten up my point, technically you can repair the odd crack, and indeed, when done well no one is any the wiser. That is after all, how a good repair should be.

However, if one were to encounter widespread cracking in particularly stressed areas of the wheel, say the Axle interface for example, scrapping moves up the agenda of rational actions.

 

Just read a post from the society...the wheels are scrap and some arrangement has been made as the foundry can no longer cast them. William Cook of Sheffield are going to cast the new ones.

 

Well, William Cook seem to have a good track record, and are obviously supportive of the Steam movement. This is positive news.

Richard.

 

More to the point, settlement terms have been agreed with Boro Foundry, so that should mean that the only costs will be the the new cost from William Cook Cast Products, less the settlement refund, whatever that may be ?

 

I/we don't know the terms....do you?

 

No, the info I have is from the December monthly members bulletin, the terms are not set out.

 

Rife for speculation, but, taking the above at face value, compensation to re-cast is a good outcome for all three parties if that is how this transpires. Such an outcome would deserve kudos for diplomacy.

Hopefully someone will keep us in the realm of the factual before long.