A different train of thought .

[Chuffer]

A couple of questions relating to railways in general. How is it that huge sections of tail track can now be butt welded (and avoiding the clack-clack sound and perhaps excess wear to carriage wheels).......but summer/winter expansion/contraction doesn't appear to be a problem? - how long do the wheels last before needing new 'tyres'?

Traditionally track panels were laid in 60 foot lengths with expansion gaps at each rail joint held together by fish plates on the inside and outside of the rail head and bolted through . They need constant inspection and maintenance by `Plate Layers` walking the tracks and tightening each bolt as necessary and the Fish Plates required regular greasing to allow for easy `slippage` when expansion movement was needed . All very labour intensive , and as you say causes premature wear on wagon and carriage wheels and locos too . The rail ends also wear more quickly than the profile of the rest of the rail too because the ends `pump` up and down as a train passes over it causing more rail wear and wheel wear . As the ends `pump` it loosens the ballast packing around the sleepers that then allows rain in causing ballast washout that then aggravates the problem even and a viscous circle is begins . Thus rough riding of trains occurs which causes higher maintenance costs on locos and rolling stock due to vibration and spring wear and even spring breakage in extreme cases . Back in my firing days we hit a `dropped` rail joint at only 25mph whilst I had the firebox door open . It caused such a jolt on the footplate that the tin cup lid jumped off my enamel tea can that sat on the `mashing tray ` above the firebox door and got sucked straight onto the firebox by the fierce draught without even hitting the cab floor !!
Continuous welded rail ( CWR ) is laid in very long lengths in tension by hydraulically stretching it before cutting to length and welded on site to the previous length . Sufficient tension is applied to achieve a stress temperature (SFT) . So an SFT of 27 degrees Celcius means that the rail temperature has to exceed 59 Degrees Celcius before mitigation measures are made such as blanket speed restrictions . A rail temp. of 59 degrees C in high summer with clear blue skies ( worst case scenario) would require an `in the shade` temp. of 41degrees C , something never recorded in the UK . Although that might change with global warming .
In summer the effect of the sun lifts rail temp. by between 8 degrees in full cloud cover and 18 degrees C. in clear skies above the ambient `in shade ` temp .
The benefits of CWR are allowing higher speed running of trains , less maintenance and it retains its alignment longer and most unlikely to buckle in the UK .

As for the life expectancy of the steel tyres , that`s very much a `how long`s a piece of string ? ` question . It is dependent on many factors that include the weight of the loco or tender or wagon/ carriage , the type of track of track it runs on regularly as tight curvature of track causes premature flange wear . Excessive braking causes tyre wear on steam locos and old style rolling stock as the cast iron brake blocks act on the tyres . Modern high speed trains have disc brakes like a car . Also loss of traction which is more common on steam locos causes wheel slip whereby the driving wheels become a huge grinding wheel shooting sparks everwhere !!
But to sum up , steam locos operating on Heritage Railways and even locos regularly used at speed on the National Rail Network can cover many tens of thousands of miles before needing new tyres fitted as they are generally around 3 inches thick and can be re-profiled on wheel lathe several times before reaching scrapping tolerences . Most steam locos in preservation go through several 10 year Boiler Certificates and heavy general overhaul without needing new tyres .

 

[Chuffer]

Wrenching on the vette must seem a doddle after that loco work.some serious spanners required

Yep ! I often say that loco restoration and maintenance is all about trying to remove the immovable from the inaccessible . Mind you , C3 spark plugs come a close second IMO . As for serious spanners , try a 4 foot long and 5 inch wide jawed spanner for removing the coupling rod crank pin nuts off the driving wheels . You`re knackered just picking it up . Then you usually have to give it serious wellie with a 2 foot long lead hammer that puts Thor`s Hammer to shame !! Two man job that .

 

[Chuffer]

Had an interested time over the weekend at the Great Central Railways ( GCR ) three day `Winter Gala ` where I was helping out on the 5305 Loco Association`s sales stand raising much needed funds for the two big loco overhaul projects we have underway . I had the opportunity to get acquainted with a grand old Victorian lady in the form of 52322 that was built for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway in 1895 and was on loan to the GCR for the gala weekend . Some 22 years ago I had a more personal relationship ( no quips please !! ) with her older sister number 52044 that was built in 1887 . I was involved in the £150, 000 overhaul and drove her on her first revenue earning passenger train after completion in 2001 which was a real honour . You don`t so much `stand in` them as `stand on ` them in those exposed cabs as they pant sedately along with the wind whistling round you . Even less protection running in reverse as the coal & water tender is more like akin to an ash tray on wheels and affords no protection at all from the elements . A canvas `storm sheet` can be erected but are usually more trouble than they are worth when they blow about like yachts sail in a gale !!
52044 `s claim to fame was appearing as the `Green Goddess ` in the original film ` The Railway Children ` with Jenny Agutter and co .
Also in action was the GCR`s very own matching pair of BR . Standard Class 2 locos numbers 78018 and 78019 that are also real stars from the days when men were men with a `can do` mentality to whom H&S at work was total anathema and it took more than a bit of snow to stop the railways running !!
Number 78018 was hauling a freight train over the desolate moorland in Cumberland over the demanding Stainmore Summit in blizzard conditions . At 1370 feet above sea level this wild and windswept location was the highest railway line in England until it closed in 1965 . 78019 and its train finally ground to halt 5am on Thursday 24th February 1955 and the Driver , Fireman and the Guard and their train were not rescued until 3pm on Monday 28th February . The loco and wagons were totally engulfed in snow and froze solid . Her sister loco number 78019 was one of pair that came to the rescue with a snow plough . It`s amazing that both loco`s and even the snow plough have survived into preservation and that it all took place almost 69 years to the day that I took their photo this weekend !! The whole saga was filmed by the British Transport Commission and called ` Snowdrift at Blaeth Gill ` which is on Youtube . Well worth a watch as the scenes are awesome .

 

[Chuffer]

Forgot to add photo of Big Sis` 52044 taken some years ago ! Spot the few detail differences as Little Sis` received some modifications from the original design .

 

[Roscobbc]

Interesting that you should mention this engine - watching TV yesterday rather idly and one of the repeats of preserved railways series was showing - and it was the engine as used on the Railway Children and a very recent event commemorating the film at Oakworth station. The engine (in an odd shade of green) had just finshed an overhaul in timer and ready for the event.

 

[Chuffer]

Interesting that you should mention this engine - watching TV yesterday rather idly and one of the repeats of preserved railways series was showing - and it was the engine as used on the Railway Children and a very recent event commemorating the film at Oakworth station. The engine (in an odd shade of green) had just finshed an overhaul in timer and ready for the event.

What a coincidence ! As I mentioned in my blurb , the railway children called it `Green Goddess` . It was a totally fictitious livery just for the movie . After its 2001 overhaul was completed as a contract job by the Severn Valley Railway and I drove its maiden run there , it went back to its home on the Keithley & Worth Valley Railway . They made a really big event of its return to active service there with specially invited guests treated to a very posh buffet with champers etc that would have done a wedding reception proud . The `party` was held in a very opulent restored Victorian ` Railway Directors Saloon ` attached to the train as we chuffed through the countryside . My wife and I had received an invitation as I had been `test pilot` on it so to speak when the rebuild was finished . We made a weekend of it and did all the touristy Bronte stuff too .

 

[curious bystander]

One thing's for sure Mike, I think you would win hands down in a "how big's your toy?" discussion.

 

[Chuffer]

One thing's for sure Mike, I think you would win hands down in a "how big's your toy?" discussion.

I am just a big kid at heart so need very big toys to satisfy the need !
I think Teamzr1 might think our locos look just like toys compared with the massive locos they have his side of the pond . I chanced upon this preserved old switcher ( a mere shunting loco ) whilst on a road trip through New England a few years ago . It dwarfed just about everything I was accustomed to !!

 

[Mad4slalom]

I am just a big kid at heart so need very big toys to satisfy the need !
I think Teamzr1 might think our locos look just like View attachment 25286toys compared with the massive locos they have his side of the pond . I chanced upon this preserved old switcher ( a mere shunting loco ) whilst on a road trip through New England a few years ago . It dwarfed just about everything I was accustomed to !!

Ahh but could she cope with the “wrong type” of leaves ??

 

[Chuffer]

Ahh but could she cope with the “wrong type” of leaves ??

Oh yes !! And the wrong type of snow , floods , high winds and just about anything else short of total line blockage . That`s why trains rarely failed to run in the days of steam .

 

[Chuffer]

Had an interesting day yesterday continuing the ongoing body repairs on Class 33 , 1550 bhp Diesel Electric loco D6535 . Having been built in 1960 it has become a bit of rust bucket and needs plenty of TLC . Along with the three steam locos our dedicated band of volunteers are custodians of , D6535 also belongs to the National Collection at York Railway Museum . With most of the work on steam locomotive `Sir Lamiel ` effectively grinding to a standstill whilst York Railway Museum pontificate over a small amount of potentially asbestos containing materials exposed during our dismantling of the loco we have diverted some of our attention to the Diesel loco.
All of us C3 owners are not alone in the scary prospect of rotting birdcages as can be seen in the accompanying photos . The bottom sections of some of the internal body framework have rotted through where they join the ` sole bar ` ( like chassis rails ) where water collects just like the C3 `A` posts . These will have to be cut out and new sections welded in . Various parts of the worst corroded body have been cut out and new panels welded in . The cooling radiator grills and frames had also badly corroded and new ones fabricated and installed . So yesterday my good buddy Alan and I set about sanding down more of the bodywork and ended up looking like `Fred the Flower Grader` - remember the TV adds ??? It will be a lengthy project as the loco is 50 ft 9 ins long , 9 ft 3 ins wide and 12ft 8 ins tall !! Several layers of paint , and primer are being removed exposing the 1970`s to 1990`s `British Rail Blue` era livery and the original 1960`s British Railways `Brunswick Green` livery plus copious amounts of white filler that was liberally apply applied to cover up repairs and ripples in the steel panels when these locos went through Eastleigh Locomotive Works for overhaul throughout the decades .
Whilst we were thus engaged a couple of the guys were carrying out the painstaking and laborious task of machining new threads into Sir Lamiel`s boiler firebox tube plate in preparation fitting new flue tubes that carry the superheater elements the length of the boiler from the firebox to the smokebox tube plate . I am looking forward to getting involved in the installation of the new tubes when they are manufactured as it will be a major leap forward in completing the boiler overhaul . The photos show the machining process which comprises a long boring bar with a thread cutter attached that is inserted through the smoke box tube plate to the firebox tubeplate at the far end and a heavy duty compressed air powered drill attached to slowly turn the boring bar . A laborious task because it has to be dismantled , withdrawn and re inserted in each hole in turn !
Will be back at the loco depot next weekend for more of the same . That`s on top of stripping out the redundant cruise control unit on the C3 that was the cause of the broken speedo cable problem and doing the annual service oil and filter change etc. etc. Oh happy days !!

 

[Chuffer]

It`s been a while since the last update so here goes . A lot man hours has been spent on the frames and wheels needle gunning , linishing , priming , undercoating and gloss painting . Chassis Red on the inside and external faces of frames and gloss black on the driving wheels ( all 6ft 6inch diameter of them ! ) and the bogie wheels . All looking very splendid now . I spent all day today flatting down the previous coat of black undercoat on the running plates that run the length of the engine from cab to front buffer beam and applying a second coat of undercoat before the final gloss coat goes on . That amounts to about 30 feet per side so I have been up and down a portable access platform like a performing monkey today . These running plates get a lot of wear during the locos time in service as they give access to boiler fittings and all the upper lubrication points and the filling of the sand boxes that supply sand to the driving wheels for adhesion so require a thickness of paint for protection .
Another recent job was the cutting out of the piston valve liners that were down to scrapping tolerances . There are two per cylinder each side , one front and one rear that are shrink fit into the valve chest castings . The photos show the the liners split down their length to allow withdrawal and the valve ports can be clearly seen that are opened and closed as the piston valves travel back and forth to steam injection to the cylinders and exhaust on each stroke . The new liners will be shrink fitted using Liquid Nitrogen to give a tight fit when they warm up and expand . They liners will then be machined in situ to give a perfect fit for the valve rings . A somewhat bigger job than lapping in valves on a car engine !!
The boiler repairs plod on slowly but will make a big leap forward when the new boiler tubes are ordered ( lots of £££ ) and can then be fitted . Then there is the tender to work on ( known in the railway fraternity as a Maunsel `Water Cart ` after the locos designer . We have one four wheeled bogie refurbished and awaiting installation thus allowing the other bogie to be run out under the lifting jacks and start the process all over again .

 

[Mad4slalom]

Blimey chuffs! Epic work , bet you wouldnt flinch at a C3 trailing arm and wheel bearing now !

 

[Chuffer]

Blimey chuffs! Epic work , bet you wouldnt flinch at a C3 trailing arm and wheel bearing now !

I might flinch because I aint picking up the bill when things go wrong . It certainly takes the stress out of the work

 

[Chuffer]

Yesterday was another day of slow but steady progress on `Sir Lamiel` . The first job of the morning was to get the first coat of cream gloss paint on the interior of the battery box for the Automatic Warning System mounted high up on the running plate . After a second coat of gloss the Miniture Circuit Breakers can be re installed . These are a modern upgrade that replaces the old fashioned rewirable fuses that were once located in the fuse box seen on the right of the battery box . Also a quick coat of black undercoat on the hand brake clevis that I mentioned in a previous post in `What have you done Today `.
With those quick jobs out the way it was off to the machine shop to help colleague Mick load the massively heavy Super Heater Header casting into the machine bed of a vertical milling machine . This required a manually operated fork lift trolly and much grunting and heaving to get it set up on parallels and clamped to the bed for machining the joint mating faces and all the superheater element ports . The superheater header is mounted high up on the boiler front tube plate in the smoke box and collects saturated steam from the boiler and re cycles it via trombone shaped elements through the intense heat in the boiler flue tubes to `superheat` the saturated steam to `dry` superheated steam which has better expansive qualities and hence more power to the locomotive .
Meanwhile Dave was slowly but surely grinding all the scale out of all the small boiler tube holes in the boiler front tube plate to give a perfect fit when we install the new boiler tubes . Both the guys are spritely octaganarians and retired precision machinist and boiler smith respectively with the required skills and are part of our small but dedicated team .
Meanwhile I was sorting out the spaghetti like pile of copper lubricating pipework that feeds the six driving wheel axle boxes . We know that this pipework is at least 65 years old as that was the last time that `Sir Lamiel ` received a Heavy General Overhaul at the then British Railways Works at Eastliegh in Hampshire and may not have been replaced even then ! So they have had there monies worth and not worth annealing and rebending so will be replaced . To that end I was removing the oil reservoirs , and pipe couplings for cleaning and re use and measuring up the lengths of various diameter pipes ready to order new pipe . The lubrication on 100 year old locomotives is very basic and gravity fed to the axle box crowns and both sides of the axle box slides known as `horns` . This is achieved by the simple expedient of worsted trimmings that sit in the oil pipe feeder necks and draw oil by capillary action out of the reservoir to drip feed down long lengths of pipework affixed to the insides of the loco frames ( chassis ) to each axle box .

 

[Chuffer]

Here is one for you Jonny , it`s our resident Diesel Electric shunter on the railway Does it look familiar ??

 

[Chuffer]

Another day in the BIG TOY BOX today and small but significant step towards completion of the boiler repairs . A day of power wire brushing the surface rust off of Sir Lamiel`s boiler barrel and getting the first coat of black heat resistant paint on the prepared surfaces . Thankfully the weather was perfect for this outdoor work , no rain and not too hot as the heat resistant paint dries in the blink of an eye and the temperature had been 29 - 30 degrees as of late it would have dried before you got the paint off the brush !! Next jobs will be prepping and painting the underside of the boiler barrel , the fire box and then the same to the other side of the boiler . And I thought rust proofing the C3`s chassis was a laborious job !! The external surfaces of the smoke box ( chimney end ) will be hard graft as thick layers of old paint is years old . But then the gallant old Knight is coming up to his 100th birthday as shown on the North British builders works plate .
The replacement boiler tubes are soon to be ordered and their installation will be a huge leap forwards towards the boiler completion . Unfortunately we have detected a large crack in the chimney casting which may well necessitate a new pattern being made and a new chimney cast .

 

[Roscobbc]

Its amazing when you look at achievements like building steam engines, steam powered ships, early automobiles........they were all designed and built in the UK (and other respective countries too) - many of the materials were either mined and then smelted, rolled, cast, forged and hand beaten as needed in to raw steel and finished products. Yet today although we may have the knowledge to design the end product, except on a very small scale the 'hands-on' skills as used by time served engineers, craftsmen have in many cases been lost. Other than perhaps some very small scale localised schemes perhaps........where have all the apprenticeship schemes done?
Senior management in my old company have a workforce of engineers, toolmakers and other craftsmen all close to retirement age, all paid minimum wages. With no apprentices to eventually replace them when they finally retire all the management could thing of was to make sure all products had fully dimensioned CAD drawings so (supposedly) anyone could CNC reproduce them........... where's it all gonna go eh!

 

[JonnyC4]

Here is one for you Jonny , it`s our resident Diesel Electric shunter on the railway View attachment 27240 Does it look familiar ??

Very familiar. In the Netherlands, it's called a Hippel.

 

[Chuffer]

Its amazing when you look at achievements like building steam engines, steam powered ships, early automobiles........they were all designed and built in the UK (and other respective countries too) - many of the materials were either mined and then smelted, rolled, cast, forged and hand beaten as needed in to raw steel and finished products. Yet today although we may have the knowledge to design the end product, except on a very small scale the 'hands-on' skills as used by time served engineers, craftsmen have in many cases been lost. Other than perhaps some very small scale localised schemes perhaps........where have all the apprenticeship schemes done?
Senior management in my old company have a workforce of engineers, toolmakers and other craftsmen all close to retirement age, all paid minimum wages. With no apprentices to eventually replace them when they finally retire all the management could thing of was to make sure all products had fully dimensioned CAD drawings so (supposedly) anyone could CNC reproduce them........... where's it all gonna go eh!

It is a sad plight indeed Ross . Most of the heritage steam railways in the UK run apprenticeship schemes now but the old `uns of my generation are dropping off our perches faster than the new breed and are recruited in small numbers and learning the full skills required to fill the void . Several high profile boiler projects in recent years such as the famous Flying Scotsman and the new build Tornado that is now scarily 15 years old and just undergone its first major overhaul and boiler repairs have been outsourced to Germany , had a litany of faults in workmanship or materials defects and went £millions over budget . Where did we go wrong in the country that invented railways and took them world wide ?? The famous North British Railway works in Glasgow as shown on Sir Lamiel`s builders plate constructed thousands of locomotives not only for Britain`s railways , especially during the WW2 period when the strain put on our railways was huge but many other other countries all around the world . North British locos could be found at work on many nations main line railways both on standard gauge 4ft 8.5 inch tracks , Metre Gauge and narrow gauge from sugar plantations to coal mines , quarries and other industrial railways . Now we have zilch , even our modern trains companies in the UK are foreign owned by Alstom and Avanti etc etc !!