Steam Railway Mini Magazine

More documents

Recommendations

Info

InTheWorks LONG TERM RESTORATION PROJECTS SWANAGE S&D STAR RISES AGAIN Steam Railway brings you the latest progress on the youngest preserved Bulleid ‘Pacific’ Enthusiasts may view the Somerset & Dorset through rose-tinted spectacles, but it wasn’t always so pleasant for footplate crews, as Peter Smith relates in his books Mendips Engineman and Footplate over the Mendips. In one of the most dramatic sequences, he graphically recalls the terrifying pyrotechnics when ‘West Country’ No. 34105 Swanage blasted half its fire out through the chimney in an almighty slip inside Devonshire Tunnel, while simultaneously trying to asphyxiate him and his driver Donald Beale in the narrow single‐line confines. Like Ivo Peters’ narrow escape from a blowback (see pages 62-63), it’s a sobering reminder of the harnessed power, and the dangers, of the steam locomotive. As the S&D’s most important anniversary rolls around, things are more serene for No. 34105. It’s been out of action at the Mid-Hants Railway for almost two decades, but with an overhaul well under way, the youngest surviving Bulleid ‘Pacific’ will soon be once again climbing through delightful scenery on a single-track crosscountry route. Well-earned TLC Life for Bulleids on the S&D was pretty hard, with tales of valve gear chains stretched on the gruelling banks and oil-soaked boiler lagging set alight by hot brake blocks on the long descents, but retirement wasn’t exactly sedate for Swanage either. First steamed in 1987 after an 11-year restoration from Barry condition (during which Donald Beale visited for a reunion), it completed a full ‘ten-year’ boiler ticket before being ‘stopped’ due to the condition of its axleboxes. When asked what needed doing to the ‘bottom half’ this time, Project Manager Steve Humby replies simply: “Everything.” “It’s fairly well-documented that there were problems with the track on the Alton extension when it first reopened,” he elaborates, “and that gave it quite a hammering. “All the horn guide liners had worked loose - they’re secured by one bolt while the rebuilds had six. The horns were worn, and we’ve built them up with weld.” Like many ex-Barry engines in their first ‘ten-yearly’, he describes it as “the first major Swanage at its namesake town. No. 34105 makes a striking presence on shed at the branch terminus, during its visit to the Swanage Railway on March 20 1993. J.R. BAGSHAW DID YOU KNOW..? A crest was originally produced for No. 34105, incorporating the Swanage coat-of-arms, but never fitted - until 1993, when the locomotive visited the Swanage Railway. No. 34105’s frames and cab inside Ropley works on March 1. overhaul since BR days - they were done on a shoestring first time, but now we’ve got the benefit of more experience and far better facilities.” Attention is currently focused on the centre cylinder, and one defect which could date back to when it was built - wastage on the mounting faces for the main steam pipes: “City of Wells had the same problem, but none of the other Bulleids do - perhaps because these were in the last batch, the pattern was well-used to start with.” The contract has been placed for a new liner in the centre cylinder, and the outside ones have been rebored. { NO. 34105 SWANAGE } Built:.................................Brighton, 1950 To traffic:...........................Bournemouth, February 25 1950 On September 6 1964:.....Eastleigh On October 4 1964:..........Withdrawn Arrived at Barry:...............February 1965 Left Barry:.........................March 1978 (Departure No. 90) 46 Issue 452 March 24-April 21 2016 www.steamrailway.co.uk
Asked what needed doing to the ‘bottom half’ this time, Project Manager Steve Humby replies simply: “Everything” { HOW YOU CAN HELP } Swanage was saved from Barry by a group of MHR members who had originally set their sights on Stanier ‘8Fs’ Nos. 48518 and 48624. Today, the MHR Preservation Society is a significant shareholder and is funding the current overhaul; donations payable to MHRPS can be sent to the Railway Station, Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9JG, or made online at www.watercressline.co.uk The driving, bogie and delta truck wheels have had their tyres turned at the South Devon Railway, while the tender may need complete retyring. The famous oil bath and chaindriven valve gear are in bits: “The chain was new at the first restoration - most lost them at Barry - and it isn’t the original type, so we had to change the sprockets on the drive wheels. Only later did other groups persuade Morse [the original manufacturers] to start producing it again.” Underneath the firebox, the frame doubling plates were removed to clear corrosion between them and the frames themselves, and the distorted frames were straightened by Phil Candy, a former Eastleigh blacksmith. The smokebox, casing and cab sheeting will be all-new, thanks not only to outdoor storage but, ironically, to cleaning: “The casing was rusting even before it came out of service because it had been done with car wax and soapy water. Wadebridge has been cleaned with paraffin, and the oil content protects it.” A lesson there, perhaps - clean your engines the BR way, and not only will they look more authentic, you might save money on the next overhaul? What will also be more authentic is the tender - originally from ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35025 Brocklebank Line. To offset the effect of the longer chassis, it was given the high-sided ‘raves’ - dictating BR green with the ‘cycling lion’ crest - but while replacing the inner bracing, the opportunity has been taken to correct the radius of the top curve and the shape of the coal space. The latter isn’t just rivetcounting: “Because the sides were too steep, and back then we did an extra round trip each day, it would run out of coal!” Check every corner If the ‘bottom end’ was well-worn, the boiler held fewer horrors. Thanks to effective water treatment, the barrel is, according to boiler shop foreman Andy Netherwood: “superb - it’s got marginal corrosion on the outside, but the inside Top: Looking up inside Swanage’s firebox towards the tubeplate, showing the thermic siphons and their diaphragm plates on the throatplate, due for replacement. One of the foundation ring corners removed for replacement, showing where a crack was welded up in BR days. is as good as the day it was built. “Because there are so many Bulleids in preservation, we know where to expect problems, but this one hasn’t proved to have any serious defects.” The biggest trouble spot on O.V.S.’s ‘Pacifics’ is the thermic siphons - the arch tubes connecting the firebox throatplate to the crownsheet. These improve water circulation and provide additional heating surface, but can be a headache at overhaul time - usually needing new sections welding in on the undersides. Swanage has already had this done in BR days and requires it again, as well as replacement of the diaphragm plates connecting the siphons to the throatplate. Another maintenance trade-off comes with the firebox foundation ring, which consists of a U-shaped channel instead of the thick steel casting found on most engines. As well as saving weight, this was intended to reduce stress from expansion and contraction - but still suffers from cracking in the corners. One of these, Andy points out, had already been welded by BR, through the washout plug above it - but all four corners will now be replaced with new pressings ordered from Buckfastleigh (which is also making the new siphon sections). The firebox tubeplate is to be replaced, but the smokebox tubeplate is acceptable for re-use, and Andy says: “Virtually none of the firebox plate needs replacing - there’s less cracking than we expected, and what there is we can weld up in situ.” ‘Spam’ shortage Working in parallel with the boiler of Urie ‘S15’ 4‐6‐0 No. 506 - now the main job in hand after the boiler from ‘4MT’ 2‐6‐0 No. 76017 was steam-tested in February - Andy estimates that there is another 18 months’ work on Swanage’s boiler, while Steve reckons that the frames are a year from rewheeling. With fellow ‘Spam Can’ No. 34007 Wadebridge having reached the end of its ‘ticket’, this Southern Region time warp now faces the prospect of being without a working Bulleid. It’s good to know that it won’t be for too long, and the return of Swanage - and Canadian Pacific in 2018 - will be very welcome. www.facebook.com/SteamRailway March 24-April 21 2016 Issue 452 47
Page 1: IT’S A GIFT! NRM LOCO IN ‘STEAL
Page 5 and 6: LBSCR ‘E4’ 0-6-2T No. B473 recr
Page 7 and 8: 3 CHIEF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS rest 1
Page 9 and 10: The NRM’s £11m Locomotion museum
Page 11 and 12: BUTLIN’S A classic view showing N
Page 13 and 14: BUTLIN’S Eleventh hour rescue Roy
Page 15 and 16: BUTLIN’S No. 45543’s name, ulti
Page 17: ZZLE ‘County’ sees daylight at

Steam Railway Mini Magazine

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?