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New Boiler for Dolgoch

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by paulhitch, Aug 22, 2009.

  1. houghtonga

    houghtonga Member

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    I am confused here.

    I think the question should be; when does a new pressure vessel require the certification services of a Notified Body to scruitinise/approve the design and construction of the pressure vessel, the quality of the materials used to construct it and the competence of the designer and builder?

    As the A1 project people reveal, you can no longer forward an ancient drawing that is marked "use Best British Steel" or Low Moor wrought Iron to an organisation who need to assess the design to today's legislation. Grandfather rights? OK, so tell me what are the exact properties of Best British Steel as proof this is a like-for-like replacement?

    I am suprised by 8-10 Brass Cleaner's low price for his boiler barrel since this would have to have been fabricated by a coded welder, these people's services are not cheap.
     
  2. baldric

    baldric Member

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    Why does it have to be welded? Could be a riveted joint, however I do not know in this case, it is just a possibility.
     
  3. 8-10 Brass Cleaner

    8-10 Brass Cleaner Member

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    To reply to both, my boiler barrell is fairly small, certainly smaller than Dolgoch's but not a million miles away.

    Mine was rolled and welded using a submerged arc techinque, that is on a big machine with lots of QA behind it. However there is no reason why a replacement barrell could not be rivetted as traditional.

    The question raised about approval etc is valid, if Dolgoch is to have a completely new boiler, its design must be 'approved' and conform to the dreaded PED. Itself a costly buisiness. For a substantially repaired boiler to its existing design it need not.

    Obviously changes to the existing design needs approval from the inspector, each on their own merit, but a welded barrell is a proven alternative and an easy approval in most cases.

    As for volunteering, well, in short I do, the boilermaking knowledge I have gained was by assisting friends with their repairs. To date I have been involved with a good number of replacement tubeplates, 3 boiler barrells, 2 fireboxes, in addition to the new firebox, boiler barrell and tubeplate on my own machine. None of the work was difficult, just hard work.
     
  4. triassic

    triassic Member

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    It`s always suprised me, especially in an area like N. Wales why all the Great little Trains haven`t got together and contributed to a specialist joint boiler repair/building facility to be used by all. Surely that has got to be a cheaper option than using outside contractors?
    Then again I guess politics would bugger the whole thing up before it got off the ground!!
     
  5. The ffestiniog have built boilers in house if i recall tal has had one built in house and britomart has had/has one now
     
  6. Selsig

    Selsig Member

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    Tal's boiler was built externally, and Britomart still has a Hunslet-made boiler, albeit with a replacement firebox (also Hunslet-made, ex Dinorwic spares stock, but fitted in the last couple of years at BL). 87 on the WHR had major boiler repairs done at the railway. The only new boiler built at Boston Lodge so far has been the one made for Lilla, and that took around 4 years from start to finish, as the railway only has the one coded welder, and he is rather in demand.

    John
     
  7. pennysteam

    pennysteam Well-Known Member

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    I was hoping to make it down late last year when she was running again but she ran out of time with the boiler, however on looking over my footage from my april visit I found I had enougth footage to make a film after all.
    [video=youtube;6J3csY9tFqY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J3csY9tFqY[/video]
    for full screen use the this link.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J3csY9tFqY
     
  8. Marquis DeCarabas

    Marquis DeCarabas New Member

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    Although I'm justifiably biased in this: that Crimson Lake is the finest livery I've ever seen that engine wear!

    Thank-you for the video.
     
  9. tractionenginedriver

    tractionenginedriver New Member

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    I think it looks stunning in that colour, although i believe its going back as apple green after its overhaul using the left over paint from tornado thats the story i heard, also think the black suits Talyllyn aswell.
     
  10. Talyllyn07

    Talyllyn07 Member

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    you know how to butter up the painter who did most of the work on No's 1 and 2 dont you Joe (Marquis-DeCarabas)! but you are right that is the suggestion from the 'Steam Railway' crowd, would be nice but its been that colour too recently!! lol

    AT
     
  11. RGCorris

    RGCorris Member

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    In that SR are backing the fund so that the Old Lady can be running on the 60th anniversary of her hauling the first train run by a preservation society, then the apple green livery she wore in 1951 is appropriate. I am sure Marq can give the Crimson Lake (Pretoria) livery another go a few years later.

    Richard
     
  12. Marquis DeCarabas

    Marquis DeCarabas New Member

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    I might be persuaded out of retirement to do the Apple Green livery! Will be dead easy to do.

    Now, what can I do with some burnt umber!
     
  13. 8-10 Brass Cleaner

    8-10 Brass Cleaner Member

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    Hows that, lots of rubbing down, and a coat of varnish?

    Can we please have the black buffer beams too?
     
  14. tractionenginedriver

    tractionenginedriver New Member

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    yes the painter makes a better job of TR engines than he does of Dukedogs ;-)
     
  15. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    Severn Valley Railway Engineering at Bridgnorth have now announced that they have been awarded the contract for the new boiler. The old unit arrived at Bridgnorth on 4th March.

    The new unit will be of traditional rivetted construction with a copper inner firebox.
     
  16. michaelh

    michaelh Part of the furniture

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    post deleted
     
  17. black5

    black5 Well-Known Member

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  18. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    Appreciate it's old news, but SVR Contract Engineering website has more pictures of the bolier construction, showing the throatplate being set into the barrel and wrapper assembly and the steel wrapper laying on its doorplate, with the t-iron and dome rivets on display; and the hand formed Steel doorplate after forming, and then inserted into the wrapper for a trial fit.

    http://www.svr-engineering.co.uk/news/news.html

    Patrick
     
  19. Marquis DeCarabas

    Marquis DeCarabas New Member

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    Currently in my domain being painted and revarnished.

    Cue livery debate by people who would never actually paint an engine.
     

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