MHR Restorations and Overhauls

Yesterday, the U boat (31806) boiler was craned back into its frames about 2:30pm, without any major hitches, just a bit of fiddling with the ashpans, and fitting it around a service trains and a footplate experience.

76017 managed to get its boiler off, the ashpan is clearly life expired.

Things are now on the home straight!

Regards

 

Whose crazy idea was it to swap the turntable for that wreck of an 80000 tank from Barry?

 

The standard tank will provide a useful addition to the MHR fleet once restored, there are also very few places the MHR could put a turntable anyway.

Both the turntable and standard were sitting around for years at their locations not serving any real purpose. Now that has changed...

 

How can you say its crazy? A turntable that would have probabally never been restored and used, for an engine that has always been top of a wish list for most MHR members , it would have been the only way that they could have gotten hold of a std tank for that price, people just dont sell them , they are too usefull and where it matters isnt that much worse than any other ex barry engine to restore and as 76017 is stripped down, parts could even be used as patterns for use on the tank where there are common parts its actually a very good bit of business for the MHR, you swop something of no use, for something that once restored, will be very usefull.

 

Also, as far as I can ascertain, the MHR is now the only railway that has all three Standard 4 designs present, so well done for doing the swap. I believe it was also a Guildford engine, so it has historic links with the area.

 

You're not very good at ascertaining then, the NYMR has 76079, 75029 and 80135, all owned by the railway, with privately owned 76084 due in a few years time.

 

Things are all go at MHR atm.

850 is in the main shed still in its stripped state, with valves and cylinder covers off. Waiting for work to commence ready for its return to the mainine. Lots and lots of work to be done on it. So will have to wait until 73096 and 31806 are out most probably.

76017 main frames are in the main workshops, its boiler is in boilershop and cab and ashpan are just over the second road into the cw workshop.

31806 has got all of its lagging on. All hands to the deck to get it finished. Annealing of copper pipes is happening to soften them for refitting and service.

73096 stilll awaits a piston rod, which should be around by the end of the week (fingers crossed).

30075 was having an annual exam done, but it apparently needs new washout plugs. Being a european loco, the threads do not fit anything we have available and no one know quite what to do.

5224 soldiers on, but in july it leaves service. Which leaves only 2 locos in service. 34007 and 92212. Pressure is on to get 73096 and 31806 out, else we wont have sufficient locos to run the services.

The boiler dept are now training the apprentice with repairing 506's boiler, 30499's frames are coming up soon to be overhauled for 506's boiler.

The floorboards in the LSWR coach have all been stripped now! yay!

Black 5 has some rods fitted, but continues, like work with douglas does, as and when volunteers wish to.

The fleet is currently running very low. It is pushing it to keep using 5224, it is emergency use only. 30075 is out because of the washout plugs problem. But 34007 and 92212 are working well, but in two months time we need 3 locos on weekdays, and 5224 will run out of boiler certificate.

So the hope is to get 73096 out within the next 2 months, and 31806 a month or so after. Then work on 850 can commence (i believe) and on 76017 and maybe douglas. 45379 will come out when it comes out.

Thats the jist of all that it going on,

Regards

 

Thanks for the info LN850, as according to the Beano 45379 will be in traffic by July.

Perhaps they are gonna send some chaps down to Ropley from the editorial office to help out!

Also 80150 is acording to words from Colin Chambers likely to be finished by 2018. We`ll see.

Anyway regarding 80150, any word on when she is likely to touch down at the MHR and have they started to extract the turntable from the undergrowth yet.

 

Im not sure if 45379 will be out by july, no one seems to know, (or care for that matter, please dont take this in the wrong way) when it will return.

73096 ismore likely to make july. 45379 needs its motion completely assembled and will need extensive testing, though i expect that will be down to franks team to test it, as weekends there is no space to test locos.

 

What is to happen to 5224 after the Boiler Certificate expires? Is she to remain on the line? What is the latest news on the Black 5? Also hasn't 73096 only got a year after she re-enters service of running?
This means with 34007 and 92212 in service will mean (Hopefully) with 73096 entering service in July, that the MHR should be ok?
With regards to 30075. Can something not be found from speaking to other lines that have the USA tanks?
Also with regards to 35005. Does this mean she has been pushed way back into the queue for overhaul? Obviously once 76017 and once Swanage have been overhauled?

 

I believe 73096 has about a year of service on its current 7 year ticket.

However bearing in mind that the loco has effectively been stopped for 14 months, it would subject to its yearly boiler exam next spring being ok, be likely to be granted an extension as has happened before on the MHR and elsewhere.

Also bear in mind that just about a fortnight before the sad cylinder demise last year, it had just passed its previous inspection.

 

5224 will have its wheels dropped, and have work done on its wheel bearings and then go back to crewe to have the rest of its overhaul done.

Black 5 is having its motion being assembled. It looks like it is very near to completion. Check the website out for the best pics. But it is worked on weekends only by volunteers.

73096 does only have a year after this october left on its boiler, but we may push for an extension as it has been inside, warm and unused for a year.

3 locos is what we have atm, but we really need 4 or 5 locos to cover as standbys and on service 2 weekdays we need 3 locos, 2 on service trains and 1 on footplate experience.

30075 isnt like other USa tanks, it was built and lived in europe, so all of its fittings are done to european standards. But i imagine work will be done and all potential resources will be used.

I think 35005 is being pushed further back in the overhaul queue, but she is knackered and she is expensive to run on a heritage line.

 

I do understand that 35005 is expensive to run, but I feel she is well suited to the line; especially With the mainline connection.
So does this mean that 5224 will be going back to the MHR after the overhaul has been completed?
With regards to 45379; I do know the progress and I can understand it is a slow process with just weekend volunteers (Lets just hope she in steam in a few months time)
Does anyone know what the differences are with 30075 and other USA tanks? Boiler fittings etc??? My idea is that the KESR has 2 and could possibly help out where to source the vital components needed?
With regards to 73096; I can definately see an extension on the ticket with the amount of work that has been done on the loco since being out of service. And possibly a quick overhaul once the current ticket has expired?

 

The 4-5, possibly 6 locos available for traffic at any one time requirement, shows why Ropley need to outshop at the rate of approximately 1 loco every 16-18 months.

If we look back at since 2007 they are currently meeting that requirement, with 60019 in 2007, 92212 in 2009 and 31806, 45379 in 2010.

However there will now inevitably be a lull until at least late 2012 at the earliest when 76017 and 30506 may be outshopped.

I forgot to mention Douglas as who knows when that might come out, especially if the newly overhauled boiler goes back on Thomas.

 

Don`t think an overhaul will follow as its owned by JB or his son.

 

Not to mention 30828 and 30506

 

This is one of those problems with engines being owned by other parties. I still think there is a chance of these locos remaining and being overhauled on the line. 73096 is renowned as a very popular loco with crews. And there are a few years yet.

 

Not if JB has anything to do with it won,t.

Regards
Chris:

 

A thought

Engines only have a life, if they have a home and a programe for continuous use and refirbishment,that people as a group support and feel happy with.

After all steam locos are only a full or partial assett when in use and in ticket, with the attatched support system to run them.

Everything in life is continually changing, what seems the norm today, may have changed by tommorow, this includes movement of assets and fleets of motive power.

 

I cant see the standard 5 being given another overhaul at ropley , but then no one knows what either JB or his son, will do when left with the reality of what to do with 5 engines does he have the money to move them? would any railway want to take them on, given the problems that would go with the engines, all will need extensive overhaul and who pays? 30828 is being worked on by its owners, i dont know how much assistance they get from the MHR so its going to be a long job, unless once 30506 is done everyone goes onto it, but i think that the urie boys want to start 30499 as soon as 30506 is out
there is more likilyhood of seing one of the MHR owned engines being restored before any that are owned by any 3rd party either the standard tank or the 4-6-0 my money is still on the 80xxx going straight into the shops as soon as she arrives
30075, doesnt the railway have the other engine of this class here, i take it the faught lies with the thread of the washout hole rather than the plug the KESR pair are ex southern imports and so would have over the years have been fitted with standard engilish fittings cant the washout ports be welded and re cut to use normal stock sized wash out plugs ?