Steam Railway Mini Magazine

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.
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March 24-April 21 2016 Issue 452 47