Dr Syn

Hi All,

I'm new here but hope someone can help with an answer.

I was visiting the RHDR today and was asking one of the drivers how the overhaul of Dr Syn, one of the Canadian pacifics was getting on. He told me it was almost complete and that the overhaul team had only this week lit the engine up. Nothing unusual here, but then he told me that in order to harden the paint they had lit the enigine up with no water in the boiler!

I just couldn't believe it! so I asked th driver to repeat what he had told me, he said it was true and that one of their senior drivers had been inolved in the operation. He did say that when they filled the boiler it had subsequently suffered from some leaking tubes.

Now I've worked on a few standard gauge locos and done some boiler work (re tubing and riviting) in my time, but the one thing we NEVER did was to light a fire in a boiler with no water in it.

Can any of you narrow gauge or Romney types tell me if this is usual practice with small loco boilers, I just can't belive it!


John

 

Mayhap he was pulling your leg ....?

 

Hi John,

I was at Hythe RHDR on Monday, I spoke to a driver about this incredible event. He confirmed that it was embarrassingly true that Dr Syn had been lit up dry. Even worse was that this was done deliberately and I quote " to harden the paint" . He told me that it got hot enough to melt the fusible plug. However the good news is that following the re rolling of the superheater flues the boiler seems to be OK.

I'm a mechanical Engineer by profession (although not associated with steam)and try to keep up with goings on on heritage lines, like you John I've never come across any mention of this procedure on a heritage railway.

Perhaps it's peculiar to the RHDR?

Maybe an RHDR person can shed some more light on this?

Colin

 

Sounds like some bizarre take on stove enamelling to me!

 

Yep I have heard of this taking place years ago, but you remove the washout plugs, safety valves and smoke box door to allow for the air and dampness to get out from inside the boiler it helps dry a boiler out before they put it in long term storage, but as no one has a boiler this day and age that needs to go into long term storage it does not get done, they also used nitrogen or some sort of gas once the valves, mud holes and smoke door have been refitted and sealed (I think either using a Tallow or Bees wax for a seal) and it was pumped in it helped stop any rusting of the boiler).

But as I say it was used for long term boiler storage so I guess that it could not be used now as someone would have to write out a risk assesment and put a H&S proceedure in place.

Colin

 

Totally confused about this!! If you remove the washout plugs, etc, then that provides a way for air (and water in the air) to get back in and defeating the object. It is a known practise to seal the boiler up and then put a lighted candle or similar into the boiler before inserting the last plug. This burns off the oxygen within the boiler and prevents corrosion. Nitrogen purging would work but you would only have one plug out for an inlet and one out for an outlet during the purging process and replace them on completion. I'ver also come across locos that have had trays of desiccant placed in them (and then boxed up) to remove any moisture.
As to drying out a boiler with a fire in the box, I've never heard of this. Nor, for that matter, a similar trick to harden the paint!

 

Hi Steve

Sorry to confuse you, but I am only repeating what I was told and since then I have been trying to look up that method on how to a store a boiler for the long term, so far I haven't come across it. So I am now wondering if it is just an urban myth myself. I know I am not the first person to repeat something which later turned out to be false.

My Dad has just reminded me of an old saying, don’t believe anything you hear, only half what you read and all that you see.

Most heavy engineering has always been hard and I have seen some very poor workmanship in my lifetime and I have also seen some right bodges as well. Safety standards have got better over time, but that does not mean that in the past it was all bad, I just think it has been a case of no one knowing any better.

Regards

Colin

 

I have been a volunteer on the RHDR on and off for around 15 years (although not in the loco dept) and I have not heard of this practice being done before on the railway. In my own experience of steam engines (mostly standard gauge) I think that if this event had happened, you would be very lucky, just to have leaking tubes and a cooked lead plug. There could be longer term problems caused by possibly lighting her up dry.

You could have warmed the boiler with water in which would have helped harden the paint and be kind on the boiler.


On a different note Dr Syn this week has been doing some running in in the evenings around new romney and out on the main line.

Brendan

 

If what has been reported is correct, it seems an amazing mix up of priorities. On the one hand a paint job that, after all, is just there to stop the steel from rusting against an expensive-to-repair (and maintain) and easily damaged (in this context) locomotive boiler.

 

I can tel you that The yn i undertaking running in trials which are going well.

I'm not sure how to upload snaps, but if this works here's ashot I took tonight.

Looks pretty smart too.

Alan

 

Except for that ridiculous chimney. It is about time that was replaced with an original "Churchill" type.

 

Nice shot Alan, Its been far too long since i last saw Dr Syn in steam and even longer since i last travelled behind her.

I can't wait to hear that A4 chime along the marshes.

 

I have come across the use of Nitrogen in locomotive boilers in Japan.

The Nippon Institute of Technology are very concerned to preserve the fabric of the boiler on Dubs 0-6-2T 2109 built in 1891. When it is not in steam it is stored with nitrogen in its boiler.

Article is here:
http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr33/pdf/f44_tan.pdf

 

Hello all,

Below are a couple of links to some photos from last Mondays test runs and today's ceremony at Hythe, plus some various images from along the line:

http://www.thestig.co.uk/syn - Testing

http://www.thestig.co.uk/drsyn - Public return


Steve

 

Nice shots steve, couldn't have asked for better weather yesterday.

 

Cracking shots there Steve! Doctor Syn looks amazing, a credit to all involved in the overhaul

Indeed, just a shame the sun went in just as Syn was rounding the curve into Dungeness station

Here's my take on Doctor Syn's return:

http://craigrailpics.fotopic.net/c1898379.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HyFxJrDTpE

 

Over the October half term I saw 'Dr Syn' running. It looked really rather smart! Here are links to pictures and videos:
http://rasdvphotos.fotopic.net/c1921351_1.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHdl-yqOV4o