Y6-Wisbech tram loco replica

I have the LNER locomotive register on the Y6s with some good pictures and details, if you haven't access to a copy, you're welcome a very long term loan,regards, Dave

 

sorry duplicate post

 

And there is a super skirted Wisbech class 04 diesel lookalike down at Mangapps...

 

There's also one of the REAL 04's at Embsay - D.2203. From the initial batch, but mainly worked elsewhere. Still trying to find a photo of it on the line. When it is restored, it *should* be getting the sideplates / cowcatchers refitted - you can stills ee where they were if you know where to look!

 

Here is a quick update on progress with thislocomotive. So far, I am concentratingon sorting out the plans for completing the rebuild, after which we will moveon to costings and timescales.



On Saturday 9 April the locomotive was brought over the pitat Wansford to allow easier inspection. AlthoughI do not believe that it had left the shed for a number of years, it movedsmoothly and was thoroughly lubricated. Measurements were also taken to allow plans for the wooden bodywork to beprepared. The general arrangementdrawings for the Y6 obtained from the NRM appear likely to be very helpful inthis regard. The opportunity was takento give the loco a good clean and it has now been placed back under cover inthe shed.



A day has also been spent going through part of the GreatEastern Railway Society’s Dupen Collection of Stratford Works drawings. Notes and sketches have been made of a numberof these relating to Y6s and J70s, however the most useful drawings are of thereversing screws and regulator rods of both classes of GER tram loco and of thereversing shaft arm of the J70. Throughthe kind assistance of the GERS, copies of these drawings are being made andwill get us a long way towards settling the arrangements for driving thelocomotive from each end. Of course, weare not talking about simple replication of the parts depicted in the drawings –dimensions of the locomotives differ and the regulator controls in particularwill need to reflect the different form of boiler in a Cockerill Type IV – but thesedrawings will give us a place to start from. Further discussions and consideration are taking place on how the driverwill be able to operate the air and vacuum brakes on the locomotive from eachdriving position and of the parts which we will be need to implement this.



I was aware that the running gear of the locomotive had beensent to Swindon for overhaul by the previous owner. The stampings in the new tyres suggest thatthey were in fact put on by Romanian State Railways in Reșița Works – which isquite a coincidence, considering that I live in Romania. I am considering having the wooden bodyworkconstructed in Romania or Bulgaria so the loco is likely to retain quite aninternational flavour, notwithstanding that the rebuild is following GER tramloco practice.

 

Very interesting, thanks for keeping us up-to-date.

 

Very nice to see some progress made, thanks for the update!

 

Progress

A visual inspection of the boiler has now been carried out. The report is very encouraging. The next step will be an ultrasonic inspection, which will require the boiler to be lifted out of the frames. The timing for this depends in part on the timings for the overhaul of the boiler generally and also on the timings for completion of the rest of the work: I want to avoid being in a position where either (i) the ultrasonic report expires before work on the boiler starts or (ii) the boiler ticket starts before the rest of the loco is ready.

My next visit to the UK will be after Easter and it is hoped to take the plans for completing the overhaul forward then.

Since my previous post I have also acquired a Palvan and a CCT with the intention of using at least one of them as a support vehicle for the loco. Both however need quite a bit of work before this will be possible.

 

Seven years later I was reminded of this project by a friend. Has there been any notable progress?

 

Nothing of note when I was working on the wagons next to it a couple of weekends back Still in a rather sad looking part dismantled state in the four road shed at Wansford...

 

Progress is more visible offsite where the collection of parts which came with the locomotive has been sorted, identified and cleaned and where drawings have been obtained, both of the GER locomotives from the GER Society and the NRM, and of Cockerill tram locomotives.

The plans obtained include the dual control arrangement for the regulator and the reversing gear. Adapting the reversing gear on 1626 to follow the GER / LNER layout looks like it will be relatively straightforward but dual control of the regulator will be a challenge, given the placement of the regulator valve on the angled top of the vertical boiler. Consideration is still being given as to how to resolve this: the GWR steam railmotor may provide some indications of the way forward.

The main open issue under consideration at the moment is the braking arrangement (as built, the locomotive had only steam brakes and a handbrake: nothing automatic). Sister locomotive 1625 has been identified as the only Cockerill in the UK with the same type of boiler (there are variations between the boilers, with some being reinforced). The return to steam of 1625 on the NYMR is awaited to see what that locomotive is capable of. This in turn should allow an informed decision to be made on whether or not the air pump currently fitted to 1626 is too large or not, as has been suggested by some. It is also hoped to crib from the dual braking arrangement currently being fitted to Danish F class 656 at Wansford.

As this is a rebuild, it is rather important to get the plans as right as possible before metal is cut. There is however some physical progress with the original cracked iron worksplate having been used to cast two new brass duplicates by Procast. One of these is shown in the attached picture, but for obvious reasons they will not be found on the locomotive for the time being...