Industrial Loco Updates

Not soon enough! Only activity has been inspection of the boiler by a repair contractor whose verdict (as we expected) was that it is in very good condition, requiring little more than a set of tubes. The reality is that it is in the queue behind MW2009. Very frustrating.

 

RSH No62 'UGLY' is also progressing well with the boiler work nearly finished, just a few crown stays and a hydraulic test before it returns to Tunbridge Wells for steam testing and refitting to the frames.

axle box inspection and oil pad replacement has been completed and its just the springs that require refitting, it will then once again be a rolling chassis, just requiring a few coats of paint to improve the appearance of this engine.

 

When I suddenly found myself in Rolvenden shed on saturday, I checked on the status of the 3 industrials in there. Charwelton, the Manning Wardle, is nearing completion of the 10 year overhaul. Marcia, the diminutive Peckett, is actually being painted, although there are still a number of jobs before she is back. Also, the Austerity no.24, Rolvenden, is being given attention on the valve gear in advance of probably being the workhorse next season!

Incidentally, and although not an industrial, the restoration of 32678 "Knowle" is flying, and may be back before the others!

 

Any one know if A B 1047/1905( No 11 ex Storefield) is a runner ,I heard it had been put back to steam about 10 years ago at the Colne valley ,buy I never saw a photo in any mag of it working.

 

Work has started today at Rutland on Andrew Barclay Sir Thomas Royden, we have had to strip the bunkers cab and sand boxes ready for a clean up of the loco. She has had her boiler back for a few years now so its about time somthing was done to her. Most of the hard work is done(we think!) and so a reasonably quick return to steam is on the cards. 8-[

 

I thought I'd actually just quote you on this... he he he!!!

I know things you don't about that engine!!!! It nearly drove me to a mental breakdown!!!!
It's gonna drive you mad!!!
You're gonna want to thrash it with a stick!!!!
You're gonna wish you'd left it in the siding!!!!

There's paint in every corner of everything that shouldn't have paint in it!!!

I must have spent about five days doing the brake rigging, and four of those were cleaning paint off pins, holes, cotters etc...

ha ha ha ha!!!!

Oh b*gg*r!!! Wait... You're gonna want me to help aren't you!!!!! Rats!!!!!!!! ](*,)

 

This is not going to turn in to 'the curse of the Barclay tank engine' is it?

 

We are plauged with em, B.S.C 2, Sir tommy Royden, Belvoir and some heap in the corner(he he) and yes firefly you are helping, after all now you have cleaned all the paint off We don't have too!!!!!!

She is a bit of a wreack but wait till you see my next trick!!! \/

 

Actually I think you'll find there's only one real Barclay... and that is the heap in the corner!!!! Read your own signature!!!

776 Anything younger just isn't Barclay!!!!!!!

 

Are really old barclays covered in as much filler as newer ones? I know Stanley at Tanfield was caked with the stuff and even 1977 built 0-6-0DH 615 had bucket loads on.

 

No... the older Barclays are a little more... finely engineered!!! - Let put it this way... looking at my little rusting wreck, the amount of effort Barclays put into it, it's not surprising they went bankrupt so many times!!!! After Andrew Barclay himself was kicked out of his own company (in 1896!!!!!), his designs developed into the later "Barclay" engines everyone's familiar with... cheap, chearful, indestructable and basic!!! (bloody good engines though).

Mind you... I think "22" we had at Foxfield last year could do with some filler... mainly to fill in the 2 inch diameter hole in the base of the smokebox!!!

 

Ah the hole just adds charechter! Besides 22 is a good machine... compared to WST! 22 only loses 10 pounds when you blow the whistle!

 

That's a little unfair... the whistle worked fine... our guys found she steamed wonderfully until you open the regulator!!! In fact the whistle got used more than the big red handle!!!! I think Mr Heath did all the barking and pulling and 22 did all the shouting and hooting!!!!

 

I can make 22 go. Poor fireman didn't know what had happened to him. Square blocks of exhaust!

 

can't argue with that the whistle works fine! Yeah making 22 go isn't a problem... for a little while, Just don't ask it to do 6 miles with 6 carriages on, it'll end up having to be dragged by a 12 inch Manning if you're not careful! Or maybe that was just us!

 

You can't beat a manning in fine fettle!!!

 

I thought all 4 coupled Barclay's were superb steamers.... with the regulator shut!

22 probably suffers from the same problem every post 1940 4 coupled Barclay has of reduced heat surface! We had "Little Barford", a 14" 4 coupled from 1939, for many years and she steamed fine once the new smokebox was on and the blastpipe modified (Ah, that'll be why then!). Having said that "CPC United kingdom" was also a pre 40's machine and that wasn't as good although it didn't have a modified blastpipe and was a 1929 16". But it wasn't as bad as 22!

The other 22 on the YDR was also a poor to terrible steamer when I had a day on it many years ago. so the Bowes 22 is not alone.

 

... but it couldn't half rattle the crockery off the buffet car shelves when it got going!

Richard

 

Bumper news for you industrial fans. Austin 1 is going to be overhauled. More on that subject below:
http://llangollenrail.llangollen-railway.co.uk/breakingnews.html