Workshop Jacks

Anybody on here know anything about Workshop jacks?
To use for lifting wagons off their axles / Bogies.

What power supply required?
Availability of used items?

 

We just use an old Sky High (big bottle jack) and lift one end at a time and use a lot of old sleepers and wagon planks as packing.

 

Been there, done that.
We have a number of Tangye 25t jacks and a few a bit bigger as well.
Just looking at something a bit safer.

 

Didnt the Glos Warks install a set at Winchcombe for C & W

 

Might be worth taking a look at Pete Briddon's excellent weekly blog at www.weekendrails.co.uk - he has written a fair bit on, and has much experience of, Matterson jacks.

Usual disclaimer - no connection other than as a fascinated reader of his blog.

Hope this helps,

Mark

 

We've got 4, one for each corner so well within weight limits, I Dorset the numbers now. Only ever seen them used for coaches though...

And we have a gantry that lifts bogies up to get individual wheelsets out probably not certified for Weight of a whole wagon though.

 

When i worked at C&W Tenterden, we had 2 coach jacks, working off 3 thrase not sure of the capacity, but i think they were 25 ton, they were a powered pair, by that i mean they were wired as a pair , and we used them to lift one end at a time. to roll out bogies, then to remove wheel sets we had a gantry and chain powered hoist and to change wheel sets was a long hard job, the bogie had to be lifted wheel set rolled out, bogie then dropped back level on packing then same for other end, after of course stripping off all the brake rigging and everything else how i used to prey for a electric powered winch that chain winch was very hard work for the 4 wheelers it was easier, as the wheel set just had to be rolled out, and replacement rolled back under, sometimes easier said than done in the confinds of a fairly cramped workshop using a wheel trolley because you had to have the replacement ready to go under but leaving enough room to roll the old set clear. and being able to move the trolley with the wheel set on it. with very limited clearence

 

I'm sure I saw a set of post lifts in C/W at Pickering, there is also a set at the MPD at Grosmont.. I cannot remember if the MPD set are 415 or 240v

 

I understand that Wolverton might be demolished.....possible carriage jacks up for grabs...GWS C&W got theirs from
LUL .....3phase....will try and find the link.....they do pop up every now and then......

Nick

 

Actually Nick, they came from Swindon when they had the second 'clear out' after Bill Parker & Co left and the conversion to STEAM was on the cards. We were told they were originally in one of the Wagon Shops & had been down-rated to 5 tons (from 6) to 'save on the insurance'. How true that was I don't know, but the pressed tin 6T Max Lift plates had been altered by riveting a cast-iron 5 over them, so it sounds plausible. These were 'taken off for cleaning' so weren't in situ when the chap from Matterson's came down to look at the proposed installation to see what we'd need.
He didn't seem too fazed by what he saw or our intentions, so in due course they were shipped up to Matterson's who fully overhauled them, replaced a missing motor, built a wholly new control panel and supplied all the associated cabling. They also up-rated them based on the screw size so now they're 10T each.

It wasn't a cheap exercise... I'd guesstimate around 25-30K by the time they eventually entered service (that includes overhead lighting, 3-phase link to the electric room, concrete floor & the NG railway that they run up & down on), but it's money well spent IMO. I can remember the so-called 'Good Old Days' of titzing around with jenny jacks & timber packing when it took a sizeable gang the better part of a day to get one bogie out for a look over; some months back we lifted one of the tin Colletts to check the centre castings & it was all over by lunchtime - 3-4 hours total for both bogies, no drama & no Anglo-Saxon either

@Ploughman - worth giving Matterson's a shout, maybe they've got a light-duty set going?
http://www.mattersoncranes.co.uk/

Pete S.
C&W Dept.,
GWS Didcot.

 

Thanks Peter for the corrections!
I should have found the GWS link before posting.

Nick

 

Why not go and have a look at the set in C & W at Pickering - their data plates should give you all the answers re power etc. Whilst you are there, ask them what happened to their previous set (I think they went to Grosmont, but I don't know if they are ever used there).

Alternatively, could a set of commercial vehicle lifts be adapted?

 

Thanks for that.
I have been given a contact name by someone else as well.
Will see what develops.
Its just a thought for our next project at the moment.

 

How about four of these connected to a single air source? You might have to get some heavy duty axle stands to go with them and lift in stages but if you have a reasonble sized compressor you probably don't have to worry about power requirements. A lot less than 25K for all that would be needed!

 

The Grosmont ones were used to lift the Cl.25 last year but they are presently standing idle in the workshop. Might be able to borrow them if it is for short-term use.

 

I think power requirements might be an issue at New Bridge which is why I wondered about the air driven ones, using the air receiver, once fully pressurised, as a "battery".

 

3 Phase or lack of it is a big issue at Newbridge.
The cost of installing is prohibitive. Thoughts have been given to use of a generator or big inverter as an alternative.

We are looking for a set of jacks for long term use, so not looking at short term loan.