Bluebell Motive Power

As well as LLangollen, Bodmin has far more locos than there is work for.

 

Reading WNXX forum today. Someone has reported information about the Bluebell AGM. Reading the post below from WNXX forum the class 33 Should be ok.

 

I understand that the prairie failed this afternoon and that a diesel had to be substituted.

 

Swordfish also failed around 4 pm .

Chris:

 

That ties in with the information given about a week ago - AFAIK, the material affected has been used for stays, which has resulted in a number of locos being withdrawn for the stays to be checked ultrasonically, one outcome of which was the failure of 1638.

I understand other railways have suffered the same problem with material supplies, but I do not know which ones.

Tom

 

Apparently it is serviceable.

Tom

 

What is Swordfish?

 

Serviceable

Tom

 

BRCW type 3 (33103)

 

Thanks

 

Wrong! The widest piece of rolling stock we have is the under frame upon which the body of Constance sits.

 

The West Somerset Railway.

 

Didn't the WSR have a problem about wheel flange wear on locos a few years ago?

 

Yes, but it wasn't a motive power availability problem ! A contractor's rail grinder used on the line a few years ago left the rail edges in poor condition on the curves, so these had to be retreated and hand dressed. Until this was done diesel locos were used in place of the longer wheelbase steam locos for a few weeks to avoid excessive flange wear.

In fact the WSR has been notably successful in maintaining a reliable fleet of locos (usually 5-6) in more or less continuous service without major stoppages, other than washouts and annual winter maintenance plus occasional piston and valve examinations. Many locos last the entire period from one major overhaul to the next, eg Mogul 9351 which has just passed the 90,000 mile mark in a little under nine years and could be heading for 100,000 miles before it is withdrawn for its 10-year overhaul. I put it down to a good maintenance regime, not having too many locos in service, and concentrating on relatively simple 2-cylinder locos of class 4MT, 5MT, 7F and 8F (*) which can handle the loads without problem. Good water quality also helps, as does keeping engines in service for 28 days continuously between washouts to minimise the number of heating and cooling cycles. Broken springs used to be an occasional problem but track quality ensures that these are now relatively rare.

 

Tom: Sorry to hear about the motive power problems. We have been there on the SVR, and it's not good.

Hope things soon improve.

Is the GW Prairie problem serious or easily sorted?

46118

 

Haven't been at the railway to see for myself - I've heard several rumours but nothing definitive or official, I'm afraid.

Tom

 

How so? It's sitting on a standard SR underframe. Are you sure you're not thinking of the tallest...
Richard

 

More from the PLC AGM - second hand I wasn't there, but reported from a reliable source that apparently it has been agreed that the better finances mean that Archie's boiler can be sent away for overhaul when a slot can be found with the supplier (but the implication that the loco could be back in service by the end of 2014).

Tom

 

It's one of those things, isn't it? Everything seems to be at crisis stations right now but by 2015 (if everything goes right, touch wood) we'll be laughing with the plethora of power available to us.

 

iam sorry A1X, but i dont see how in 18 months things are going to be fantastic. ok you might have a standard tank running, but i expect 'Archie' will need it's firebox renewed at considerable expense and that is going to take quite along time to complete and fit. what else will you have to pull 6 coach trains without double heading up the gradient between kingscote and east grinstead on damp mornings? there is precious little in the pipeline for completion to 'full overhaul' standard in the next 18 months, especially given the claims on workshop staff to keep the current inadequate working fleet in some sort of reliable order without resort to diesel haulage. i suggest come september the Bluebell arrange for a long term loan of the IOW's IVATT tank!
cheers.
julian