NYMR Loco news

Yes, we have got a Reverse Osmosis plant at Rolvenden. The tea doesn't half taste funny now....

 

That's something that has me puzzled to a degree over the last couple of days. On the bases that if water quality is variable at both ends of the line, how come it's more of a problem at the Pickering end than Grosmont?

 

Nice to hear that the 38xx is making progress. From the limited knowledge I have of it, I understand that it has been the work of a small dedicated team. It is great to see determination in a project and I wish them all the best in getting the loco running soon

 

I don't think anyone yet knows if 3814 will return to the NYMR, but with a new GM and new shed management in place hopefully when the time comes it will be p0ossible for all concerned to sit down and talk sensibly.

44806 now seems to be on the brink of return with a hired in tender to be used whilst its own new one is finished and the fitting of the insulation and cladding to 80136's boiler in process it can't be too long before that is installed in the frames and final piping up can be done.

 

So has 44806 ended up requiring more work than initially thought or has more work been done in order to speed up the turn around when the boiler requires overhaul?

I imagine when she is back out it will be a welcome relief for the rest of the fleet!

Thanks

Chris

 

I don't think the locomotive half of 44806has required more work than expected, it was the tender that has held it up. Its own tender was supposed to have been finished by now but a hired in tender has had to be found because it is a long way off. From what I have heard (not gospel by any means) the boiler is in good shape and should beturned around with little more than a retube when the time comes - we shall see!

 

A busy day at Grosmont MPD yesterday - 80136's boiler was lifted onto the frames and the loco is in the final straight of its restoration, with connecting up of pipework beginning. 61264's driving wheels arrived back at Grosmont and the process of reassembling that loco will now be able to get underway, although the bogie has to be removed so that the bogie wheels can be turned to keep within the limits set by the newly turned drivers. Lastly, it has been reported that a hired-in tender for 45491 is due to arrive later this week for temporary use with 44806, so that loco should be running again soon as well.

 

Steam test for 44806 expected later this week, first of 61264's driving wheelsets now shot-blasted and painted ready for installation once machining of the axleboxes is complete. This will allow the bogie wheels to be removed for turning, the last work required to open the way to final reassembly and return to traffic.

 

Warming fire now in 44806, first time for 18 months.

 

61264 now has all its driving wheels back in and the loco's bogie has been removed so that its wheels can be sent for turning. This is not expected to take long and once they are returned to Grosmont final reassembly can then be undertaken.

 

Received an email on 14 July from TBLT with news that the B1 now has its bogie back and has been moved to the running shed:
http://www.thompsonb1.org/2016/07/4-6-0-reborn/

I notice that NYMR web site shows only one steam loco in traffic today, 76079, and four diesels.

 

Martin Walker has/is having a couple of problems with 55022 at the Moors. Fuel/power surging. They THINK it was caused by low fuel levels in the tank. Martin is trying to get up there on Wednesday and hopefully all will be sorted out.

 

Beginning to wonder if the NYMR is cursed. Every year they go through the same issues. I know that the line is more testing than other heritage lines but it does seem extraordinary that a line which requires four steam locomotives in traffic ever day over the summer can regularly, every year, fail to turn out a full complement. Every year we are told that soon the situation will improve but it never seems to.

 

There does seem to be a lot of bad look lately, cracked firebox in both 75029 and 61994. the B1's wheel cracks. Problems with the overhaul of 80135 and 30101. On the over hand, things are looking like they will turn around, but the problem is lack of operational locos takes a lot of time to turn around.

If we look at the last week, if things had been slightly different, there could have been 3 steam operational, 76079, 44806 and 6046. Unfortunately, there have been problems with a hot box on 44806's tender, and 6046 has also had problems!

Looking at next year, there should definitely be 76079, 45428, 61264, 44806, 80136. These will should be joined by 63395, and 926. As well as 29, 835, 80135 and 34101 hopefully joining in at some point next year. So the effort is there, but the results take time to appear! I do think it is a shame that 45212 won't be joining us this year, as that might have helped the current state of affairs.

 

I think next year will see the corner turned, although that does not mitigate the current poor state of affairs. There has undoubtedly a new and vastly more positive mood at Grosmont since the beginning of this year as managerial changes have begun to take effect along the length and breadth of the railway, but the effects take time to work through. Next year we should have most, if not all of this years fleet available with 30926, 80135 and perhaps 30825 back, possibly 65894 and No. 29 as well. Of course there's an element of "finger in the air" about this, only 30926 is reasonably certain, but the boiler of 30825 seems to be progressing well and I have heard rumours that the NYMR have offered the owners help in completing the chassis. 80135 is largely down to the boiler/firebox contractor finishing on time, I believe the bottom half of the loco is about finished. Once 29's new cylinder is cast and machined it will require fitting, but experience with 76079's new cylinder has shown that laser scanning of the old block can allow the new one to be an almost perfect fit, minimising the fitting time

 

I do think it is a shame that 45212 won't be joining us this year, as that might have helped the current state of affairs.

Indeed, but according to a statement attributed to Ian Riley they were asked..............

 

Would it have been ready to help now, though? AFAIK it is still running in at the KWVR, and probably within a day or three this mini-crisis will be over as engines come back from washout or re-enter service.

 

Its at KWVR for painting & running in. I guess if NYMR had given Mr Riley a deadline he could possibly have met it?

Who knows, doesn't matter really if the shortage is to resolved soon.

 

"Everything will be better next month/year when [insert loco identities] will be available" has been said so many times relating to the NYMR.

It's not just been locos coming back from overhaul. It's been unexpected or extensive repairs of operating locos which have severely depleted the working fleet.

Hopefully the changes mentioned to railway's loco/shed management will start to have an effect soon.

 

We'll probably see the same levels of reliability next year but here should be more locos in reserve - that will be the big difference. At the moment there are no reserves.