34039 Boscastle WC class

My understanding was that the rollers were stopped due to the high mileage she had done. She effectively needs a full bottom end overhaul so I've been told.

 

At the risk of diverting the thread, any idea what sort of mileage we're talking? There'd be a certain irony if it turned out one of the higher mileages in preservation came from a loco that hadn't actually moved a foot.

 

Wouldn't surprise me if it was...

 

Let's make some assumptions: 8hrs per day, 7 days a week, at around 10mph = 560 miles a week = c. 29000 miles a year. Does that seem reasonable? How long was she "running"? She'd certainly need a bottom end overhaul after 10 years of that.

 

I seem to remember that the wheels were turning at much less than 10mph, more like 3. Also I don't think you can really count this as 'real' mileage as the motion is simply being pushed round by the rollers, it's not actually doing any work so there is much less load on the bearing surfaces. IMO, if kept well lubricated it could be kept going ad infinitum.
Ray.

 

10mph is about 45rpm for a Merchant Navy. I seem to remember* Ellerman Lines wheels revolving very slowly, perhaps 4 or 5 rpm, so more like 1mph.
I was 5 or 6 years old, and that was 40some years ago, so I might be utterly wrong about the speed

 

Found some YouTube footage taken in 2003 that showed 35029 'under power'. Back of an envelope...
6 revs/min 6'2" drivers = 116'/min = 6974'/hr = 1.32 mph.

If we assume (risky, I know) they were on 56hrs/week all year round, that gives:
73.92 miles/week
3843 miles/year

35029 was delivered in 1975/6 so making a further reckless assumption that it was running for 30 years would clock up 115,315 miles.

In its 17.5 years of active service, 35029 ran up c. 750,000 miles - roughly 43,000/year.
What was the typical shopping interval for a MN when in service?

 

Could it perhaps be transferred to its own thread?
Genuinely interesting and outbreaks of intelligible numeracy to be encouraged?

 

I also requested this a few days ago but it was turned down

Keith

 

To bring things back on subject, has there been any recent updates on the boiler?

Edit: just looked back and sawflying Phil's update from last month

 

According to the latest GCR e newsletter "Rail Mail", the old tender tank is now "available to a deserving cause" to any interested party as it is being replaced by a new tank. I'm sure it would look good behind one of the long term project Bulleid's.... even on a scrap goods wagon chassis.

 

Why pay to move, then store and ultimately dispose of someone elses crap? If its dead its dead. No doubt every faintly useable bit will have been removed for reuse so just bin it and don't impose it on somebody else.

 

Thank you for the updates you have recently provided which I, for one, have greatly appreciated as I'm very much looking forward to seeing Boscastle in steam again. Do you know any of the people who manage the website? As you can see from here, it hasn't been updated since April 2018, which means that enthusiasts who are not members of the forum (or of the GCR) will not have any idea of the progress over the last year or so.

 

I suppose it depends on how much life is left in the old Tank, or how long you have, at a worse case, I suppose you could re construct the tank by cutting out the side, replacing the baffles, and replacing whats needed, if done as an on going project it may be easier for a group to afford than buying a new tank. I'm thinking 35011 here, assuming the present tank is the former MN one she ran with.

 

I suspect doing it that way would result in almost no cost saving over a new one, while increasing the likelihood that the end result would not be properly square...

Tom

 

I think it is a good idea to make it known that it is available, and then, any interested parties can decide if it could be of use to them, and at what price they are prepared to pay for transport etc rather than scrapping it and learning later that somebody could have used it, even if only cosmetically for a few years. Hardly "imposing it".....

 

I remember once Steam Railway magazine made a joke about Clive Groome turning the tender of the 9F at the Bluebell into a wine bar. Wine bar might be quite a stretch, but I bet you could make some sort of pretty interesting garden shed...

Incidentally, the P class side tank on display at Sheffield Park could have some beer taps attached and make a cracking bar to lean on if it’s ever disposed of...


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The new tender tank is due to be delivered August/September and work is continuing on the outer firebox at SDRE according to the latest "Main Line".

 

Here are a couple of pictures of the new tender tank under construction - and it is the authentic Boscastle style (The previous tank was a MN type).