Agecroft No.1 at MoSI

More progress to report.......

Over the last 2 weeks the frames have been stripped and we are so far pleasantly surprised with what we have found. It has been stored well, the pistons move well and along with the rings look in very good condition- a nice coating of oil inside shows that it has been well cared for in its years out of use. The frames were lifted off the wheels today and placed inside a temporary shed for shot blasting to begin in preparation for priming. In the meantime the rest will be cleaned up and assessed for necessary work.

Pictures may follow.

 

Which of you gents was at Foxfield today?

 

Not guilty- having a (rare) weekend off from railways then!

 

That would be Chris Barnett at Foxfield, event organiser for MoSI's August "Great Garratt Gathering"

 

Aha yes that would exlain the armful of leaflets he was carrying! Good news is the Beyer Peacock is back in action and performing admirably this weekend. Got a day with her tomorrow. She'll be a nice little performer on your line when you have her in August lads.

 

70013 in for serviceing next saturday night, leaving sunday afternoon. Hopefully not the last locomotive in for railtour serviceing this year.
Planet locomotive is now in steam at weekends giving train rides , in the two rep L&M 2nd class carriages.
Frames of No.1 now in power hall in gray primer. On going work can be seen going on though side window.

 

It's Great to hear that Agecroft No.1 is returning to steam so fast, and I wish the team at MoSI the best of luck with the overhaul. I am looking forward to seeing Agecroft No.1 return to steam.

Agecroft No.3 is not so lucky with the speed of its' overhaul. So far the cab has been cleaned up and repainted, the boiler (at the local boiler works) is halfway through dismantling with only the throat plate and the backhead stays need drilling out, foundation ring rivets removing to enable the firebox to be removed. The frames have yet to be touched and can be seen outside the museum.

So far a lack of funding is the main reason for the speed of the overhaul. Also with the lack of running line (the parts are store behind the museum) there is no urgency to complete the overhaul, although the staff have done there best to raise funds at events. So if there is anyone who wants to make a large donation to the overhaul, please contact the museum.

 

MOSI made a mistake getting rid of number 3.
Great little loco great steamer with lots of pulling power.
Yet agine people in offices running the place and knowing **** all.

Some one was once asked to steam a loco, when told would take around 3 hours was told "well all you do is put a key in"!!!!!!!

 

Latest update of progress on RSH 7416:

Hornguides have been removed from frames and along with axleboxes are being machined. Axlebox brasses were too worn to save and so new ones are being made at present. The running plates have recently been removed pending replacements being made. Once crossheads, pistons and valves are removed for inspection/repair, the job of re-assembly will begin. (If any more parts came off, the frames would be split!)
Work has slowed slightly but remains steady. This is due to the extra running of "Planet" and the near completion of extension to running line and the building of a new platform/station to be called "Liverpool Road East". More hours will be spent on "Agecroft No.1" after half term week "Planet" running is over.

Current behind the scenes work involves finding the details and correct shade of colours for the restoration of the loco into its original 1948 livery of lined mid green with maroon frames. Any help/info on obtaining the correct colours would be greatly appreicated!

 

pictures of new cab taken 6th july 09. Frames also coming together now.

 

At Tanfield we've got Sir Cecil A. Cochrane (built 1948) in what I understand to be RSH works condition in operation at the moment if that's what you're looking for as an example. We've also got a sister machine to the Agecroft trio (No. 21) in CEGB / BEA green at the moment too if that's the condition you're looking for.

 

Steve Davies museum director was at Tanfield a few weeks ago and saw Sir Cecil A Cochrane and took some pictures.

 

Yes, thanks for that P&JR, Steve Davies did visit Foxfield as 504 says and we are now aranging to have the paint specially mixed for Agecroft. "Sir Cecil" looks really smart, although I doubt MoSI could re-produce the wood grained cab inside on Agecroft...!

Further progress:
Hornguides have now been machined and are fitted back on the loco. New axle box brasses have been machined to replace the badly worn originals. Armstrong Oilers have supplied oil mops to aid lubrication. Other machining work has seen the brake hangers and most of the rigging re-bushed. The eccentrics are taking quite abit of effort to put right, as they are quite worn and will probably need whitemetalling. The pistons have finally been persuaded to part company with the piston rods and the bores are ready to be cleaned out. The bores, pistons and rings look very good, even the gland packing looking brand new! (Perhaps the last maintenance to be done before its ticket expired?) The wakefield mechanical lubrictor and handbrake column have been stripped and re-furbed by the Railway Volunteers and the steam brake cylinder will be the next to receive attention. All motion has been cleaned and painted in primer whilst the volunteers assess the wear in these parts. Next to go will be the die blocks and expansion links, as they are badly worn and require machining. Yet to be assessed is the wear in coupling rod bushes, big and little ends and slidebars and crossheads. Untouched but pending is an inspection of the valves, but at present this area is not easily accessable so will wait until the loco is re-wheeled. Volunteer work steadily progresses in the mundane but equally essential work of cleaning years of muck and dirt from pipes, boiler fittings, lubricator pipework, cast parts etc etc.

On the rest of the loco, as 504 shows in his pictures, the cab has recieved 2 new bunkers, a new roof and all the other thin/rusted parts have had new metal welded in. New running plates and cab floor are being drilled and cut at present, and should be fitted within a week or two. Painting of the frames and wheels is holding up the re-wheeling but this may (just) be complete for the August "Great Garratt Gathering" transport festival. After that, the handrails, filler lid, lampirons and steps can be transfered from the old tank to the new and the old sent for scrap or for re-cyling as a colander!
The boiler awaits its journey to Bradford for Mssrs Newton to start their magic.

Please visit MoSI between 14th-16th August for the "Great Garratt Gathering" for what promises to be memorable FREE railway event in the heart of Manchester. Alternatively, "Planet" continues to operate trains at weekends and Volunteers work every Tuesday, pop down and visit us or get involved by becoming a Railway Volunteer! Application form at http://www.mosi.org.uk/get-involved/volunteers

Matthew Jackson
Railway Officer
Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

 

Further progress

Its been a while since I updated everyone on progress on "Agecroft No.1" so here we are:

The brake wayshaft has been machined and in now re-fitted to the frames along with the handbrake and steam brake re-furbished by the MOSI Railway Volunteers. The next big job and a significant leap forward will be the re-wheeling of the loco which will be undertaken in the next 3 weeks. In anticipation of this, the frames are now glossed red inside and maroon outside with the wheels complete in Apple Green. The BEA original livery is almost identical to GNR livery so this is what the loco will be outshopped in.

The boiler makes steady progress at Israel Newtons and at MOSI the boiler fittings are being stripped cleaned and repaired. At some point in the past all the backhead fittings and pipework was painted in white gloss which was discovered under all the muck and dirt! Now these parts are being restored to clean brass finish. Whilst on the topic of shiny brass, "Procast Ltd" of Cleckheaton have supplied us with a replica nameplate (we only have one original and no builders plates) and a pair of replica RSH builders plates to adorn the cab and tanks when complete.

The new tank has is now ready to recieve the handrails, steps and lampirons from the original tank but fitting is awaiting a smaller member of the team to spend a day inside the tank fitting the nuts on!

Work at present has been concentrating on designing the pipe runs for vacuum brakes and MOSI have an ejector, steam brake and associated parts in store pending fitting in future. I hope to post some more photos when the re-wheeling is complete and then we can start re-assembling the motion and lubricator pipework.

 

Thanks for the update MEJ, look forward to seeing her running again, been a while since you had a local engine running! Has everyone recovered from the Garratt event yet?

 

Yes, we have recovered from the Great Garratt Gathering, but are now looking forward to what next year might hold!!! A regular annual steam event looks like being on the cards...!

With "Agecroft" planned to be up and running in 2010, we will also be able to offer "Planet" for hire to other railways special events, and we were very grateful to NRM Shildon for inviting "Planet" to their gala on the 19th and 20th of September. A very enjoyable time was had by the MOSI crews at Shildon, which was only the fourth time the loco has been steamed away from MOSI since it was completed in 1992. GCR in 1993, ELR in 1995 and NRM York in 2000.

 

Maybe you'd like to bring Agecroft to Foxfield when it's done, might even be able to pair it with our Hawthorn Leslie 'Marston, Thompson and Evershed No.3' if that's finished by then!

 

I doubt that "Agecroft No.1" will be hired out until its had at least a full years use at MOSI. Even then, its the directors "baby" so dont expect it to be allowed far from his sight! Still- I wont say a definate Yes or No to future hire/loan of the loco at present... thats up to Col. Steve Davies, MOSI Director.

 

Recent Progress of Agecroft:
The re-wheeling and fitting of cab.

 

Nice to see it progressing depsite the loss of Steve Davies to the NRM. What's the future hold for the railway at MoSI now he's moving on?