Industrial Loco Updates

Can anyone tell me what the current status and location of Hunslet 3715 Primrose No.2 is?

I am told it has left Embsay but I haven’t been able to find out if this is permanent or for overhaul, and where it’s gone. Thanks!

 

They're hiring 5553 from the Waterman Trust.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke looks like a locomotive again. Still some way to go and don't ask when it will go into traffic, but it was a very good day.

Tim

 

Yesterday (27 Feb) AB 1719, Lady Nan, successfully passed its annual steam test inspection with the boiler inspector.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

I collected the two new steam pipes for The Duke from Newtons of Cromford during the week and then brought them to Wirksworth on Saturday. For the moment we are keeping the old copper one, which was used to make a template, we'll hang on to it until a new one is succesfully fitted, though I don't really have any doubts, Newtons have made a beautiful job of the shaping and welding. The steel pipes are likely to last for about 15 years each, and the main cost is the steel stock pipe which was long enough to make two, so we will have one on the shelf laid up in grease ready for the day.

The pictures taken by Tony Joyce show the old one and the spare new one on their way to storage, the old one had at least two splits in it and was suspiciously easy to carry, due to being paper thin in places.

Last weekend we attended Chapel en le Frith Model Railway show, the first in three years. Afterwards they reckoned it had the highest attendance in 40 years, and we made some very good sales, it isn't all doom and gloom out there. Pictures of The Duke with the tank on attracted a lot of interest, and one story is worth passing on. One chap said he'd had a driving experience on an austerity at Peak Rail, and it was clear he'd driven one before, so he was asked when that was, answer; when he was 12! His father was a driver for the NCB, somewhere near Nottingham and he used to go and help him, he had to stand on a box to reach the regulator. The austerity they had was a really good one and had been overhauled at Crewe; it could shift far more wagons out of the screens than the diesel shunters, 24 instead of 8.

Then one day it was withdrawn for scrapping. The scrapmen came and the first thing they did was to cut a hole in the tank, so that the water gushed out. He said it was the first time he'd ever seen his father cry.


Tim






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Links above do not work for me.

 

duplicate deleted

 

This may work better.

 

It must be an effect of perspective, but the one at the front looks longer than the one at the back!

 

If they have managed to get those flanges and drillings identical that is a credit to John and his team.

 

That works, thanks.

 

The contrast is partly perspective, but the new pipe is certainly meatier than the old one. The old pipe was checked against the new tubeplate and new elbow casting (supplied by Ribble Steam Railway), then used to make a template. The pipe is made out of one curve cut into two pieces welded together to make the reverse curve. These were tack welded and checked in situ again before full welding - hence the shiny bit in the middle, where the weld was ground flat. A very neat piece of fabrication, but Newtons are used to high precision work. Now we need some 3/4" engineering studs verifiably made from the right grade of steel.

 

The studs have arrived, Today I had a successful run to Ribble Steam Railway today; here is a selection of fittings to be run down to Wirksworth shortly for use on The Duke.
Top: firehole ring protector, a new casting. This is placed in the lower half of the firehole door to protect against the wear which would be caused by the fireman's tools.
Duplex vacuum gauge: two needles, one for the reservoir, one for the train pipe, purchased at Rowley recently.
Middle left: two Penberthy vacuum ejectors collected today. The one on the left has been dismantled to show the innards.
Bottom middle: non return valve for vacuum system
Lower right: displacement cylinder lubricator, either new or new old stock, purchased about 10 years ago. water is forced in, oil is forced out.

 

I’ve said this before but don’t install your ejectors in the alignment that you’ve illustrated them in. If you do, you’ll end up with water in your vac system.

 

I have an answer - Primrose is under overhaul away from the railway but the railway are under the impression its coming back to them once this is finished.

 

Does anyone know what the future holds for Hudswell Clarke 1366 - Renishaw Ironworks no.6?

Its overhaul at Tanfield has almost finished, but there is some differing statements online about whether or not it is headed to the Aln Valley Railway once completed.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

The locomotive is now back under cover, which makes the work much more efficient. The EVRA steam team are helping out during the week and have fitted the firegrate and are checking and overhauling the lubrication. Simon and Mick have been making up parts for the vacuum system, the backhead fittings are taking shape.

Here is a tip you may find useful: we needed lubriction corks, which have a hole down the middle with a cane plug. Initial attempts to drill a hole were a failure. Then I came across a telescopic aerial from an old radio, so I cut off the top 2 sections, and ground the end sharp. this can now be gently forced into a cork, and the thinner section forces out the plug of waste afterwards. It still needs a bit of development, but it works. Splitting bits of bamboo is fiddly.

 

Isn’t it much simpler and easier to buy caned corks? olley-cork.com.

 

Bagnall 2746 The Duke

Here is a recent picture of The Duke after 10 coats of paint. Work continues on the various items of piping, the run from the ejector to its exhaust is complete and the application valve has been mounted in the cab. Simon Scott has challenged us to get the locomotive into steam in time for the New Year Gala and has very kindly annealed several pipe components which will be fitted by the EVRA steam team shortly. I have delivered the nameplates which have languished in store since about 2001, with a bottle of Brasso, and these will be mounted shortly. There are still many smaller jobs to complete, but this progress is very encouraging.

Tim

 

A first view of the barrel for Warwickshire's (MW 2047) new boiler at Israel Newton's
Warwickshire Industrial Locomotive Preservation Trust website https://wilt.jimdo.com/7d-9-2023/7d-9d-2023-september-october/
For those with Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbi...m.1364396730823630&idorvanity=525132404750071

An order for the new boiler was placed with Israel Newton in March 2023, for delivery in 2025, with the group's intention to have it running for its centenary in 2026