Something Witty Goes Here

As you all may have read from last week's blog post, your humble blogger of many years has decided that it's time to hang up his proverbial blogger's cap. I've now taken the cap off the peg, and I'm wearing it at a jaunty angle and looking forward to reporting on all things Steam Loco Dept.  

I am sure you will agree that he has done an excellent job over the last four years, providing updates on everything from everyday maintenance to excellent day-to-day coverage of the ever-popular Galas that we hold each year.

I have some very big shoes (well, steel toe capped boots) to fill.

Thankfully though I have been gently led into the shallow end as by the time you will read this most of the Christmas trains will have finished and the locos will be tucked up inside the David Page Shed for the winter. When I arrived for a brief visit on New Year's Eve morning, Dinmore Manor was out on the line hauling one of the last of the services and there wasn't the usual hustle and bustle of activity in the yard. I imagine that most of our members were at home with their families, preparing to see in 2017.     

'New' and Old: 3850 and 2874's boilers

 While strolling down the track down by the machine shop I came across both 3850 and 2874's boilers sat waiting for attention. It's nice to see that most of 3850's boiler has had some needle-gunning treatment and quite a bit of it has had some green anti-corrosion paint applied.

Meanwhile 2874's boiler still in 'Barry' condition, provides a beautiful contrast. A fine layer of mossy growth still coats it. Maybe soon it will look as good its neighbour?  

Inside the shed I found Joe working on Foremarke Hall's upgraded ash pan doors:

Joe measuring twice

2016 was Foremarke's first year back after having her heavy overhaul. During this first year back it came to light that the ash pan doors were liable to buckle with the heat, making them difficult to work with, and the only way to overcome that was to make a set of thicker doors with bigger stiffening braces.

Guides for the sliding doors can be easily seen

Underneath the loco you can clearly see the guides where the doors can slide along. I believe they are all going to be connected to a single lever and so should all operate at the same time. It should make disposal at the end of the day a quicker and easier process too.

Out with the old: 7903's old ash pan doors

Elsewhere in the shed I found Roy and Terry emptying 4270's coal bunker:

Coal flinging - an Olympic sport?

Once emptied, the bunker will receive two or three coats of bitumen paint to protect it from the elements and stop it from going rusty.  

Keith (left) and John carefully cutting the braces

In the machine shop I found out where Joe's handiwork was going to - Keith, John C and John (whose last name I didn't get) were busy cutting the steel braces to size, to fit to Foremarke's ash pan doors.

Waiting for the saw to cut is a very laborious process and I can tell you that much tea of varying degrees of strength was consumed in the process.

In the yard I spotted 2807 looking very clean and being tended to by Roger Molesworth and Bruce.

Sitting pretty: 2807

It was a quiet day on New Year's Eve for 2807 - Roger and Bruce spent the morning checking the issues log and investigating them to see what needed to be done over the winter period. Steam locomotives are by their very nature old and with old technology there is generally always something that needs a little attention to keep it working as it should. The following text and images were taken from Roger's report from the few days prior, covering a few of the items that need attention:

Wednesday 28th December

"Gil..and Bruce removed the bottom of the Mason’s valve, which reportedly was leaking steam.  They then tightened up the nut holding the left-hand whistle to its steam supply - which Sam and I had noticed was leaking when we lit the warming fire last week...

...I think Gil must have spread grease around somewhere, because I got red grease on my glove!  Bruce, being concerned that the pivots in the other compensating beams are seized, attempted to persuade some oil to seep between the pin, bush and beams.

Ray and I investigated an older reported issue that, after we had fitted new brake blocks, the tender brakes were dragging.  A couple of them are still fairly tight, but not dragging as such.  There is no sensible way of adjusting the brakes individually.  One would have to heat the rods that link one to another, and either stretch or compress (as appropriate) to effect an adjustment.  Alternatively, you just wait until they settle themselves in!"

Saturday 31st December

Piston Rod Lubricators (Photo by Roger Molesworth)

"Bruce had a play with the piston rod lubricators, because I noticed a pool of oil on the top of it, and then discovered water running out when I waggled it!

 We should examine these and see if the felt pads are soaked with water, and make sure they are rubbing on the piston rod."

The drip that shouldn't be there: Top valve on gauge frame blowing. Valve needs repacking
(Photo by Roger Molesworth)

There is certainly plenty to keep everyone busy over the winter season, not just with 2807 of course but with all of the home locos. I hope to be bringing you updates every week covering this and everything else in the Steam Loco Dept.

Finally, tomorrow (2nd Jan) is the final running day of the season and Dinmore Manor is due out*, so if you feel like a trip on the friendly line in the Cotswolds before season's end, then tomorrow is your last chance!  

Happy New Year!

*Subject to availability!