Testing, Testing...!

The final few days before the first running weekend of the season involved getting most of the steam locos ready for their steam tests on Friday 3rd March. As anyone familiar with steam engines will know it's easier/better to get a warm loco going rather than starting with a stone cold one - this means lots of warming fires to be lit in preparation. Wednesday 1st March saw the first batch of fires going into 35006, 2807 and 7903, and then the same again on Thursday. On Thursday they were all due to have their pre-test test, to ensure that any niggles, if there were any, could be ironed out ready for the real steam test with an inspector on Friday. 

On the Wednesday while making my way down to the department, there was the really lovely smell of locos in steam in the air (a smell that's hard to beat, and much missed over the winter period!), and the yard and shed were buzzing with activity. Something else that was hard to miss was the impressive sight and sound of 4270 happily blowing off in the yard, having a pre-test test of her own, it was a real feast for the senses:

4270 blowing off whilst 7903 quietly sits with smoke gently rising from her chimney

4270 hit the redline

Quite a sight!

Meanwhile in the shed, there were quite a few visitors to the GWSR all capturing the occasion for themselves with their cameras and camcorders. I tend to take my photographs in RAW format these days as it gives you greater control and flexibility over the resulting images, using real-time data to process the image at home and potentially being able to 'rescue' shots that would have previously gone into the rubbish bin. I had one such image, seemingly over-exposed beyond use, with 90% of it being pure white. But a quick play around with the settings and I appear to have created a vintage style image of 4270 which I thought was worth sharing with you all.

4270 from the 1920s maybe?!

Meanwhile in the shed, 2807 was having a new set of brake blocks fitted ready for the new season, however one of them was proving a little stubborn to fit, it was too tight and needed to be removed for some light fettling...

New brake blocks on 2807...

...but this one was misbehaving...

...time to show it the angle grinder!

It is awkward and heavy work at the best of times, but today it appeared that most of the brake blocks needed some adjustment for one reason or another. It was a real team effort involving quite a few 2807 Group/Steam Dept volunteers, and by the end of the day all but one had been fitted.

Elsewhere in the shed, Dinmore and Dinmore Ted sit in readiness for a mechanical inspection. It is also nice to see the buffer beam has had the glossy top coat of red. Looking fabulous. 

Dinmore and Ted

Also looking fabulous, is 7903 - Alex was hard at work cleaning the loco so she looks her best for the coming season. Alex, along with a number of other volunteers, has kept the locos clean and shining over the winter period - it really helps the rostered cleaners on running days to keep the locos looking tip-top, as well as maintaining a good image for the GWSR.

Alex doing a good job of cleaning the locos, as always

But as we all know, where there is work going on, there is dust and dirt - as an example, after having most of her brake blocks adjusted with an angle grinder, by the Thursday morning 2807 had gained an orange coating from the sandstorm of metal particles in the air, which Roger M had to wash off.

Steam Test Day (Friday 3rd March) arrived, I wasn't able to come in to capture anything but I have an extract from a report from Brian from the 2807 Group to share.

 "I was is at 05:45 after leaving London at 04:00 to light up 2807. We brought her into steam very slowly and only lifted the safety valves at 13:00. Clive Norton (Driver) with me (Fireman) and owners rep (Bruce) then spent a few hours trundling up and down testing, and braking in the new brake blocks as well as looking for any issues following winter maintenance. 

I am very pleased to say that at 16:30 this afternoon 2807 was signed off as "Fit to Operate" and rostered as the loco to open the 2017 season at the GWSR. FANTASTIC!

Other good news today was that 4270, 7903 and 35006 also completed their annual boiler exams."

So there we have it - the locos are go for 2017!

Saturday 4th March came along, and again I was unable to come in and annoy people with my camera but thankfully Ray had kindly agreed to come in and do the honours for me. All the photos from Saturday are Ray's. 

Dinmore Manor had quite a bit of work done on her on this day to get her ready for the season, including a test run to be done on Sunday. Eleanor got to work re-fitting the vac hose on the front, now that the buffer beam had been finished:

Vac hose being re-attached

Job done!

But that wasn't all - her bogie underkeep bolts had to be tightened up, the hand brake was requiring some adjustment, and the valve timing needed to be set.

Last but not least, the all-important warming fire had to be lit ready for the morning.

Warming fire courtesy of Eleanor

2807 hauls the first passenger service out of Toddington in 2017 with Steve O, Paul G and Andrew W on board.

35006 now has a flexible roof between the tender and the cab

As there was only one steam loco in service, the other locos that were having steam tests the day before needed cleaning or to be disposed ready for their turn out on the line. 

4270 having her smokebox cleaned out

7903 sitting in the sun

Alex at work

Wednesday 8th March there was another big cleaning session, but this time Dinmore Manor and 2807 were getting some attention.

Alex at work again!

Terry and Bernie cleaning 2807 after being out on the weekend - the 'de-grease monkeys',
they called themselves. Catchy!

The tamper was sat in the yard after giving the track a once over to make sure it's the best it can be for the new season:

You can read about the tamper and see it in action in this post from the Broadway Extension Blog.

The tamper's job is to pack the ballast under the railway tracks to make them more durable. With a smoother lying track it also makes the rail journeys more comfortable for those travelling aboard.

7903 gently steams while poking her nose out into the sunshine. Spring is on the way!

Inside the David Page Shed, the final touches of paint are being applied to the Starfish by Tim. He's painting over the anti-corrosion primer with a grey undercoat, with the top coat of black going on next.

Tim paints the chain on the wagon

Just behind, the usual gang could be found riveting sections of Broadway canopy together.

Riveting stuff

Out in the yard again, I found Peter G trundling up and down the road with bucket-loads of gravel to try and fill in some of the holes that have developed in the ground over the years. Neale and Mike are busying themselves arranging it in the right places. Now that this has been done it will make the moving around of fragile items from the workshop to the shed much less treacherous!

Mike telling Neale how it is done!

Looking back across the yard made for a nice view. A simmering Hall, a 28XX and a Manor all in shot.

Locos in the yard

After being disposed of earlier in the week, 4270 was back inside the shed. She's now had her reverser cover painted to match the rest of her bodywork.

Reverser cover - looks great!

Meanwhile the other parts that Chris had primed last week were now drying in the relatively dust-free container after having a coat of green of their own.

When these parts are fitted, 4270 should be much less draughty.

In Dinmore's container, she had some parts of own hanging up and drying:

Dinmore's Valve Chest Covers

This is where they would normally sit - note the bolt holes 

The wood store is looking good and full - you may recall the large lorry-load of pallets we received over the winter. A lot of these pallets have been pre-cut and neatly stacked ready for use and stored in an old wagon off to the one side of the yard.

Neatly stacked wood, protected from the elements. Photo courtesy of  John Cruxon

But, it hasn't always been this way; the wagon we use now was probably installed in about 2007, and the image below shows how things were done before hand. Wood chopping was a regular activity for many members of the department, out in the elements, with wood stacked how you can see below.

Ade S (l) and Clive N on woodchopping duty in 2004/5
(Photo sent by Clive Norton)

Now, the wood store is managed and maintained by two gentleman - Roger 'King of the Woodstore' Burrows and Philip Bulford, who week in week out restock the woodstore. Good job!

You could say, the firemen have never had it so easy!

On that note we have quite a lot of people on fireman training at the moment in March and April - many of the cleaners have moved up a level during 2016 and are now being taught the fine art of keeping a loco safely in steam. Best of luck goes to Bryan, Eleanor, Ashley, Alex, Graham, John and Andy on giving the drivers as much steam as possible. And also to Blog Companion Chris B, Chis H, Clive and Paul who are on driver training in March/April whose job it will be to take the steam away again. Maybe we will see some of you later in the year with your passing-out photographs!

This weekend 11th and 12th March it is a Blue timetable once again, and you can find 7820 Dinmore Manor out and about on the tracks.