|
Work in progress - May 2011
We have been pushing on with several projects since the last "news" piece.
On "Pluto" (F C Hibberd 3777, 4wDM) presently resident at Peak Rail, work has ben progressing on the vacuum brake installation. Externally the front-to-back pipe is in place, with the end pieces made up temporarily (see picture below) but currently off for painting.
Up in the cab, the holes left when the vac brake dummy handle was removed (c.1993) have been used to carry the new dummy handle, and replicated at the other side for a second dummy! One bracket was trialled (below) for photography - it too is now painted and awaiting permanent installation.
The original installation used a different vac brake valve to the one being fitted this time, which is to be mounted centrally under the superstructure rather than under the right hand side of the desk. Anyone familiar with the layout of latterday Planets - i.e. that underneath the desk is monopolised by two long air receivers that defy you to add anything in - will understand why we are opting for an easier life! The bracket to carry the new valve was fabricated yesterday (Sunday 22nd): Andrew continuing to develop his MIG-welding skills.
At Scunthorpe, work has continued on D2128. A minor change to the grand strategy is that having removed the long handbrake linkage from up the right hand side of the loco, rather than install a spring-apply/pressure release parking brake caliper and have a cosmetic handbrake wheel, we will instead be installing a manually-applied caliper using the old handbrake wheel/linkage, but the handbrake shaft is gone and with it the opportunity to stiffen the mount on that side by filling the holes left for it has been taken up, and the mount (painted after the photo below was taken) is now substantially stronger.
Although no date has been set for the engine installation, Andrew is planning this 'sooner rather than later' and the engine monting brackets and rubbers are all complete and on site at Scunthorpe. On one of the recent sales of the assets of the former Jarvis rail maintenance company, Andrew was successful in purchasing a reconditioned radiator intended for a GM vee engine which is in better condition - and better suited - than the radiator previously planned for the loco. This radiator arrived at Scunthorpe on the 11th May and has since been measured in detail as the next stage in the re-powering of D2128 will be the front end drives for cooler group, compressor and exhauster. The rad is shown here in store at Scunthorpe...
Although it will be apparent that much of the work so far has been of the "big mechanical lump" variety, the future control system has not been ignored. Andrew intends re-using the lower of the two half panels (that which carries the air and sundry gauges) but the upper half has been so modified by successive operators that it is to be replaced by a new one. This was laser cut during April, and is shown (below) trialled in place (to check the radius stops lined up with the slots in the frame) before being drilled for hinges and mounting screws. Gauges, switches and indicators are all in stock, so it will be populated and cabled after painting, but probably not finally fitted until attention has turned to titivating the cab.
For anyone interested, the old, displaced instrument panel will be sold, either through e-bay or by direct sale by contacting Andrew.
Progress on Sentinel 0-6-0DH "Tom" has been concentrating on the wiring. It seems that at some time, the Thomas Hill-fitted relay box (other examples of which are to be found on "James", "Jack" and "Charlie") has been filled with water to a depth of an inch or more! This has not helped matters as the "choc block" terminal screws refused to undo and mounting screws sheared! New "choc block" has now been installed and the re-cabling is proceeding. The fuel pump has been removed and sent for overhaul - after 14 years of dis-use it was felt that firing Tom up without being 100% confident in the pump and governor was not sensible! Preliminary reports on the pump is that it has no major defects but was ready for attention.
Back at Scunthorpe, "Beverley" has seen its new silencer fitted and the torque converter cooler matrix partially re-plumbed. We will decide soon, but in all likelihood the converter will be re-arranged to run off hydraulic oil rather than engine fuel - changes in gas oil specifications coming in during this year make this less and less suitable for converter operation. Beverley's engine was stopped with a possible oil cooler leak which required removal of dynamo and supercharger to access one mounting bolt. Andrew is debating whether to refit the original cooler with a new tube-stack, or substitute another cooler with more capacity - a decision no-doubt influenced by work he is currently involved with in slightly larger Cummins engines on the main line!
The exhauster for Drewry 72229 has been largely re-assembled and the possibility of re-fitting it at York in the near future is likely.
The search for a new power unit for D9500 continues - a lead on 3 rebuilt Rolls-Royce DV8s pursued only last week was just too late, as they had gone for scrap days before. Although Andrew is well aware of the amount of work entailed on the loco, he is adamant that he does not want to get so far and be stopped by lack of prime-mover, or go for a 'first engine to come along' to the long term detriment of the project. D9500 remains in store for the present.
Which leads us neatly back to 14 901, which, having gone as 'Thunderbird' for Gwili service has found itself as principal loco after Gwili's regular Austerity "Haulwen" was withdrawn unexpectedly with tube problems and hired-in "Jennifer" failed with other minor issues. Not that 14 901 has been entirely without incident - a loss of electrical power after one run being traced to a stud on a battery terminal coming completely adrift. Incidentally, the complex history of 14 901 means that we are quite used to inaccurate reporting (regular visitors to this website will remember that we teased Pip Dunn of Railways Illustrated after he repeatedly asserted that the loco was Dorman-powered) - but the latest paragraph in Rail Express (page 39 of the June issue) claiming that 14 901 was converted to diesel-electric when in industrial use - takes the biscuit. We presume, yet again, the possibility that the loco has a Rolls-Royce DV8 out of a class 17 is not only being perpetuated but is now being extended to include the generator as well! We will be composing a suitable missive to the Editor, suggesting he comes and reads a little of this website.
|
