JINTY UP IN THE AIR!

Another first for the Spa Valley was accomplished 12th December, when cranes were used to lift ex-LMS Jinty off of its wheels for a bottom end overhaul.

In the past engines have been jacked up and rested on timbers inside the shed, but the work required this time necessitated the complete removal of the wheels from under the engine which would have been a lot harder under the usual method.

The loco will now undergo an axlebox overhaul with work expected to take around three months. Over the course of the 2005 season, it was decided that there was too much sideways movement in the axleboxes, resulting in some minor knocks. Therefore the opportunity was taken to use the annual closed winter period to put these defects right before they become worse. The last three or four weeks has seen the engine stripped down to a point where the lift could be contemplated.


The lifting of the engine required two cranes due to its odd shape and the difficulty in finding the balance point. It was lifted and the wheel sets removed, and temporary accommodation bogies placed under it, so that the Jinty could be returned to the shed. The lift has saved a large amount of time as the jacking of the engine would have taken a number of weeks. The lift took around 10 minutes from lifting it from its wheels to placing it on the bogies.

At the same time, Samson's boiler was also moved a few feet so that work can continue on this.

It is hoped that the Jinty will be back in service for the beginning of next season, before which, another crane lift will probably be required to place the loco back on its wheels.

SOURCE... SPA VALLEY RAILWAY see pictures here