AVR Wagon Blog

Hi All
If anyone’s interested I have decided to resurrect the Avon Valley Railways wagon group’s website, this time round in a "blog" form

I hope to keep it updated as much as possible, any comments would be appreciated about the design

The address is http://avrwagon.blogspot.co.uk/
Ollie

 

Awesome, been keeping tabs on your work on my visits. Can I post a link to your blog on the twitter/facebook account?

 

Corbs, feel free to add a link. I should hopefully be updating the site over the weekend, limited work has just recommenced on the BR Brake rebuild and the toad is mid way through riveting, am planning (depending on the springs) to get it re wheeled by Christmas.

 

Awesome! I'll keep an eye out for the update and repost the link when you launch

 

I tried to post a Comment but the 'Select Profile' doesn't have an option that permits the casual user to engage with the site.

Having fitted refurbished springs to a Toad some months ago, I was intending to inquire as to whether any "Tips & Tricks" might be helpful?

 

Tips and tricks might be an idea.
Removed four springs from our Shark last week for refurbishment.
Hints like when fully jacked up you need to lever the bottom of the spring over a bit before it will slide out of the pocket on the Axlebox might help.
Quite surprised as well in finding that the securing bolts fitted were M16 and not Whitworth. Bearing in mind it has been on the NYMR since the early 80's and any shopping on BR would probably have been 70's

 

Ken-r

Thanks for the comment, after playing with the settings I have managed to change it so anyone can post under Anonymous now

Ollie

 

Ah. You discovered that a 'cant' is needed to avoid the spring clips fouling the horizontal member. Although ours were so knackered we didn't have that problem.

Alright then, from memory.

Removal

1. Detach any brake rigging that passes under the wheelset.

2. Support the end of the vehicle on jacks.

3. Loosen the bolts on the Spring Hangers (so allowing the spring eyes to cant outwards).

4. Raise vehicle until bolts can be removed and the spring is free.

Re-fitting

1. Locate spring in axle box 'pocket' and raise vehicle until the spring eyes locate under the solebar.

2. Using a small trolley jack (1 1/2 tonne is easily sufficient) towards one end, jack between the top leaf and the solebar (usual warning apply re not standing in direct line and operating at arm's length) until a bit of scrap wood - something like 2" x 1" can be inserted between the top of the spring eye and the solebar.

3. Release jack and reposition closer to the spring eye. Jack until the hanger bolts can be located.

4. If hanger bolts cannot be located, repeat #2 and #3.

5. Attach nuts to hanger bolts but DO NOT TIGHTEN. Remove trolley jack.

6. Repeat with the other spring eye.

7. Lower vehicle until the spring clips cease to foul on the horizontal member.

8. Tighten and secure hanger bolts.

9. Lower vehicle fully.

When we did it, the first took about 2 hours until we discovered the trick with the trolley jack. The 2nd should have taken about 30 minutes but we made the mistake of fully tightening the hanger bolts too soon which resulted in the axle box jamming.

Hope that helps.

 

All

The site has been updated with the current progress http://avrwagon.blogspot.co.uk/

Ollie

 

I called in at the AVR on my way back from another visit today, and have to say I was thoroughly impressed with some of the wagons visible. In particular the two GWR open wagons and the MR open wagon (with wagon sheet; a nice touch) looked excellent.

Well done to all concerned.

 

Rumpole, thanks for your kind words. We are slowly working through the fleet giving them a full overhaul as needed, the 3 opens you mentioned have been completely rebuild over the last few years. If you look on Stuart Duckworth’s blog http://frogspawnblog.blogspot.co.uk/ it shows the complete rebuild of the Midland open we completed last year.

Hopefully 17464 will be finished in time for 2014s end of season gala

Ollie

 

Hello,
The GWR Opens are GWR 813 Fund wagons, along with a two other GWR opens (Unrestored) and a Toad in the first stages of renovation by Ollie and his team.
Information abouth the 813 Fund wagons can be found at: http://www.gwr813.org/stocklist.htm
The MR Open wagon also has a GWR 813 connection.
Many thanks to Ollie and his team. The Fund could with a few more like minded people....plenty of vehicles to renovate!
Interested? Get in contact with the Fund...contact info on the Funds web site.

Many Thanks

Nick
http://www.gwr813.org/

 

Evening all
Just updated the wagon blog http://avrwagon.blogspot.co.uk/

Ollie

 

Evening all,
Just updated the blog showing current progress http://avrwagon.blogspot.co.uk/
Ollie

 

That looks really smart now. Good shout on the plastic sheeting too.

 

How are you recessing for the rivet heads?
The way we have tended to do it seems to be fairly speedy.
Place the timber in position resting on the rivet head, Smack the timber with a heavy mallet, this gives the position of the rivet, then use a drill with a Fortner Bit to create a recess.
About 5 minutes a timber. It works well on Borails, Plate wagons and Lowmacs.

 

That’s the same way we are marking the rivet heads with a mallet. We have made a jig for the side ones then router them out, unfortunately to throw a few challenges into the pot there are some planks where you have a rivet on the sides and under the plank to contend with. We have had to use the router on the veranda end planks in the middle due to the hand brake plate being ½” higher than the sole bars where the rest of the planks are bolted to.
The unfortunate bit about using the sheet corbs is now the weather has improved its like a green house in there some days, the day I take the sheet off you can guarantee its going to rain and stop play

 

Evening all,
This weeks update of the blog

http://avrwagon.blogspot.co.uk/
Ollie

 

This weeks update of the blog has just be uploaded

Ollie

 

Evening all,
Just updated the blog showing current progress http://avrwagon.blogspot.co.uk/
Ollie