P2 Locomotive Company and related matters

Surprised given how much work is required on P2 short term and planned maintenance for both plus the V4 ( if it happens) long, that it is described as a 'part time'role.
This is a good way of saying that the ideal candidate needs work all hours - part time for money and the rest of the time for Love.

 

I assume it was the line about "great success" that raised eyebrows?

In fairness to the trust, they will always be coy about salary, people always react badly when charities pay people the going rate (see any number of discussions on here of salaries of GMs, fundraisers, and staff in general).

An engineering director need not be fulltime. If you think what a big 4 CME covered, the idea that building and running 3 locos would be a fulltime role for such a person would be eyebrow-raising.

An engineering director could be a hands-off expert in the field who spends one day a week on the project amongst others, or they could be an operational person who is more directly involved at the coal face (so to speak). I assume/hope that the trust is trying not to be prescriptive to avoid ruling out the best candidates.

 

The phrase in question was subsequently removed.

For me, they desperately need a competent creative Engineer to complete the design of the valve gear, with all that that involves.

In addition they are looking for a Director of Engineering to do just that, plan and prioritise, control budget and resources etc etc.

I seriously doubt these are one and the same person.

 

I think you could (at large cost) get a consultancy in to design the valve gear, so you don't have to make a permanent hire for it. There is a good argument to reccomend that, in that you don't take on the cost (and on-going cost) of the finest valve-gear designer for a one-off job. And you have the Professional Indemnity insurance in case of catastrophic failure. But you'd need a good director of engineering to make it work...

 

Interesting development.

The project 100% needs good engineering leadership to be successful. That tends to come at a price.

Given the technical challenge of the valve gear, that they are asking for the engineer to complete certification for the P2, and that the candidate is being asked to also manage the A1, id expect this to be a salaried position. Thats a lot of work. You can see it now. The P2 milestone in your plan to fit out some critical compenents are scheduled for such and such a date, and the A1 decides to lay down on the ECML for some reason. Guess who has to step up and manage all that...communicate it out, and then get back on to a new schedule etc etc... That is not a volunteer level of responsibility.

No, paying out £60k plus is never going to be attractive to those donating, but to those I say, good engineering costs, and it reaps rewards in the medium and long term that are much harder to quantify.

 

It needs proper modelling, stress and a motion study. Its more than a simple on paper job to make it all that it can be. It requires someone to take the lead and empower a university or research centre to run with it as a proper piece of work with clear deliverables.

 

Good post... collaboration with a university had crossed my mind. Aren't the Hengist outfit doing that with local universities. It would be an excellent exercise for future engineers...

 

Being a "Wednesday's Child", I am now seriously beginning to think this locomotive will never be completed.

 

Universities would be looking to be paid for this kind of work. There are very few (if any) Universities who can afford to subsidise a research project. They are all struggling.

 

Yes indeed they are!

The latest copy of the Hengist Herald makes heart-warming reading for those of us with a foot in both camps. If only the A1 Trust was as well managed.

I would urge anyone who is not already doing do to support the Clan build, for £5/mnth it’s very good for the soul.
https://www.72010-hengist.co.uk/take-action

 

Depends. There's a publicity bonus being associated with something as generally beloved as steam trains, and that can assist with the all-important matter of student recruitment.

 

Universities are increasingly looking to recruit international students (higher fees), I don't think being associated with steam locos has the same pull for international students as it would for a relatively small number of local students.
Being associated with a steam loco might interest mechanical engineering students, but it is unlikely to be of much interest to nursing, chemical engineering or biomedical science students.
There are cheaper ways of looking at student retention.

 

Further to my post above regarding university collaboration , here’s a snippet from the latest Hengist Herald - it speaks for itself …..


“University Technology Centre (UTC) Sheffield have also been helping us modelling the Cannon Axlebox Internal components from our AutoCAD drawings, to then assemble in the Cannon Axlebox to produces an arrangement model and drawing.

The students are enthusiastic about working on the drawings for Hengist, enhancing their engineering knowledge and skills as part of their extracurricular activities.

Working on real parts! So much so they have taken on the task of CAD modelling of the Graduable Brake Valve, reverse engineering from the Arrangement drawing we have, in addition to working from the 7 drawings we have of the 49 parts to make the valve.”.

 

Well you will soon see l am right out of my engineering comfort zone but does the work done on refining the valve gear for Duke of Gloucester have anything to offer ?

 

No I’m afraid not. Totally different type of gear. .

 

Perhaps worth exchanging notes on material grades and propshafts/gears but not much else...

 

Not really. Apart from the childish delusion that any type of steam locomotive valve gear has significant advantages over Walschaerts.

 

Really?
When a rotary gear offers a sealed lubrication advantage for a start off?

 

I would think there would be a draw for mechanical engineering students investigating and updating existing designs before following through to the finished article. The workforce at CTL Seal seem to gain experience from having the 2 locomotives in house.
There is a tribology engineering exercise to be had somewhere in this project, as well as the inevitable electronics network to be designed and fitted in the (near?) future. (Tribology as in lubrication)

 

Bulleid modified Walschaerts valve gear has sealed lubrication to most of the valve gear.