If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Brighton Atlantic: 32424 Beachy Head

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by Maunsell man, Oct 20, 2009.

  1. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Perhaps we should ask Dr Strabismus (whom God preserve)...

    Tom
     
  2. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
  3. S.A.C. Martin

    S.A.C. Martin Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2010
    Messages:
    5,591
    Likes Received:
    9,325
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Asset Engineer (Signalling), MNLPS Treasurer
    Location:
    London
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I can’t wait to see this. Every time I go down the Bluebell I am looking out for a glimpse of the work being done.

    It is going to look amazing on the Pullman trains one day.

    Well done everyone involved.
     
    240P15 likes this.
  4. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    -I'm guessing that the engine will once the boiler is ready for hydraulic tests and steam test will be moving into the workshops for final assembly so as to not waste too much boiler life once the ticket becomes live , what's the situation with the tender tank ? as I'm assuming this will now gain more importance if the loco chassis is finished, boiler work leading up to the hydraulic tests is done, your going to need the tender to be ready to move when the engine is ready to have the boiler refitted .
     
  5. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2012
    Messages:
    1,511
    Likes Received:
    2,706
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Western Atlantic
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Thanks very much for posing that; updates arrive sufficiently infrequently that I don't check its site, but this was a great update; really getting there!

    Another one I don't check is the Bluebell Standard (84030), which I see also has a recent update; I didn't see a thread here for that one, or I'd have posted a note there..

    I'd have though they'd want the tender completed and ready to go before they start the clock ticking on the boiler?

    Noel
     
    andalfi1, 30854 and Gav106 like this.
  6. Midlandsouthern

    Midlandsouthern New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2018
    Messages:
    152
    Likes Received:
    76
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Lichfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Will be a beautiful machine when finished, really add something different to the bluebells fleet, not to big or to small either. Nice seeing it looking more complete as time goes on
     
    andrewshimmin and 240P15 like this.
  7. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The tender frame was being used to store the tubes before fitting, and as is clear from the report, the access to tube the boiler means that construction of the tender body can't start until the boiler was tubed (at least not with everything in its current position). Last I heard, the tender tank will be assembled in house from pre-prepared sheet.

    With regard the boiler ticket and ticking clocks: as I understand, the boiler can have a hydraulic test without any clock starting.

    There are spatial constraints to the next steps. As I understand, the tender underframe will need to come out of Atlantic House, followed by the boiler (which is behind it in the building). They will come out essentially at right angles to the main track layout, so will probably have to be turned; therefore that move will need to co-ordinate with an external crane hire: normal practice is to line up a number of jobs that need doing to maximise use of the crane over the course of a day.

    The boiler can then have its initial tests as described.

    There will then need to be a second external crane hire, in which the chassis comes out of Atlantic House and the boiler and chassis are united. The whole lot will then probably go back into Atlantic House to finish assembly. Atlantic House has no overhead crane, so the union of boiler and chassis will have to be done outside.

    Tom
     
    jnc, 30854, Kinghambranch and 6 others like this.
  8. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2012
    Messages:
    1,511
    Likes Received:
    2,706
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Western Atlantic
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Thanks for those details.
    So, when does the clock start ticking - the first time steam is raised in the boiler? (Which, from the images I recall, is often/usually/always? done with the boiler out of the frames?) Is the insurance rep always there for the first steaming, or can they show up at a later one?

    Noel
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2018
  9. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2008
    Messages:
    1,006
    Likes Received:
    466
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Semi Retired.
    Location:
    Haworth
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
     
  10. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Seems like a very prolonged way of doing things, I take it the bluebell don't have a working 45 ton steam crane then, to do the reassembly of chassis and boiler then a second possible lift to swing the completed engine 90 degrees onto the tracks unless your going to use traversing jacks ? with the boiler tubed then I'm imaging that you can start on the tender as the tubes are then not in the way so the tender could then go into the paint shop as its a wide firebox, can it be tested on the loco, some engines with wide fireboxes can be hydraulically tested and then steam tested in situ or with the boiler blocked up to clear the foundation ring ?
     
  11. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,068
    Likes Received:
    5,164
    Or in other words, given the choice you wouldn't start from there ̶ nor, probably, would the Bluebell if they had the choice. But they are where they are, and they do have a coherent and manageable plan to get from there to where they want to end up, with a lovely loco which many of us are keen to ride behind.
     
  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Martin - there is no operational 45 ton crane. There are overhead cranes in the main workshop that could conceivably be used to unite boiler and chassis (they were used for 847, so I can't imagine there is any weight issue with 424), but you still have the issue that both boiler and chassis have to be turned by 90 degrees first. So at least one external crane hire would be needed regardless. In practice, there are other jobs that will also require an external crane (unloading 34059's boiler when it returns; rewheeling 84030 etc.), so in practical terms, the job to manage is simply about lining up sufficient lifts to do on one day.

    After the boiler and frames are united (and I appreciate we are getting ahead of ourselves here) there is still significant work to do, such as making and fitting the boiler cladding and any other final assembly tasks, painting etc. The preference I think will be to do those inside Atlantic House. They could be done in the main workshop, but at which point you take one of the two roads there out of commission, while leaving the valuable space of Atlantic House empty. Covered space for overhauls and repairs is at a premium, so in my eyes there is an advantage in keeping Beachy Head in Atlantic House for as long as possible rather than using space in the main works. There's no reason why it can't be painted there, as evidenced by the painting work already achieved on the chassis, cab etc.

    Tom
     
    Hampshire Unit and S.A.C. Martin like this.
  13. Lplus

    Lplus Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2011
    Messages:
    1,919
    Likes Received:
    991
    Location:
    Waiting it out.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Can the crinolines and cladding be made up and set aside before the boiler is steam tested and put in the frames? Even if only most of it can be done first it'll save time on the ticket.
     
  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I believe that in practical terms, the actual counting insurance test (which starts the ticket running) can be done with the boiler mounted, since with a wide firebox, the whole boiler can be inspected in steam down to foundation ring level while the boiler is fitted to the locomotive. So I imagine that the actual process will run something like hydraulic test (out of frames) - reunite boiler with frames - make and fit all the cladding, and then remove it again - formal boiler steam test - refit cladding - final painting and assembly. As with any loco, the objective is to do the formal steam test as late as possible, which is slightly easier with a wide firebox loco. Clearly the objective will be to have every component to hand before the steam test so that the last steps can take place as quickly as possible.

    Tom
     
  15. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Thanks james, that's very much how I would have envisaged it you could always once the boiler is in the frames and the insurance test done, and the engine is ready use a low loader assuming there is room to fit a low loader trailer outside Alantic house because if there was and you just happened to have an engine being delivered, or going away ,a simple spin round the car park and off load the engine onto the rail/ road siding may be cheaper if you can not get enough cranage jobs to make hiring a crane affordable.
     
  16. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Pretty certain that there would be insufficient space to get a lorry parallel to the axis of Atlantic House (at right angles to the axis of the yard) to do that.

    See here: https://goo.gl/maps/FenW3XwXqt82

    Atlantic House is the building part surrounded by trees above the words "Pellingford Brook". From right to left, the tracks in the yard are labelled Tramway and then 5-road down to 1-road; and 3-road and 2-road have pits. So I can't see there being anywhere near enough space to load a loco directly onto a lorry - hence the need for a crane.

    Tom (by the way ...)
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2018
    S.A.C. Martin and 2392 like this.
  17. BrightonBaltic

    BrightonBaltic Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    724
    Likes Received:
    242
    May I enquire as to the plan for extracting 32424 from AH when the time comes, if it can't be done by lorry?
     
    aron33 likes this.
  18. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,100
    Likes Received:
    57,416
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Both the loco chassis and tender chassis are on rails in Atlantic House. So when necessary, additional temporary rails can be laid across the yard for sufficient distance to allow either loco or tender to be rolled out, and then using a crane they can be turned 90 degrees and placed onto one of the roads in the yard.

    Tom
     
    CH 19, 30854, aron33 and 1 other person like this.
  19. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    What's going to happen to Atlantic House when Beachy head moves out for good?
     
    steam_mad likes this.
  20. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2009
    Messages:
    1,703
    Likes Received:
    1,727
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired.
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I would presume for the construction of their next Loco.
     
    240P15 likes this.

Share This Page