Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

This weeks YouTube video looks at Ropley wheel drop. Is there any other preserved railways with a working wheel drop?

Thanks

 

Yes, the Bluebell has one … there may well be others.

Tom

 

NYMR has one in regular use. Plenty of videos on YouTube showing it in operation.

 

SevernValley at Bridgnorth and a basic one at Havenstreet

 

KWVR too

 

I did try my best to single handedly pay for the SVR’s wheel drop, the amount of Hobsons’ Twisted Spire ale that was rebadged as ‘Wheel drop ale’ I put away to pay for that…

 

Didcot.

 

Just like most MHR galas of the last decade then?

 

Ah. The amount of times I have suggested that sort of theme and its always ended up being something else (GWR, S&D, Freight).

Although if Manston was booked I don't think Dover would be the 1st thing they'd think of.

But since its a long way off, it might be possible.

 

Well, from a few friends of mine at the Watercress Line [I know, I have friends ], it hasn't been very.... reliable.

 

Whitehead (RPSI)

 

Many railways have a set of synchronised jacks to do the same job in the opposite direction, and probably most of the railways with wheeldrops have both options - each has its own advantages.

 

It was, I believe, Sir John Aspinall who commented on the Midland Railway's use of sheerlegs, as opposed to the Lanky's use of wheeldrops. It went along the lines of which was better, to lower 5 tons or lift 45 tons?
It has to be said that a wheeldrop is more use for the small movements required when changing a spring, for example.
Pat

 

Rubbish. Complete and utter tosh. The item which has given consistent trouble is the fireman's side injector. Most of that though was in the early days before it was understood by everyone the "understanding" it needs. It has steam operated water valve on the same handle as the steam to the injector. However it is not an on off lever. It requires subtle technique

The reason 925 has sat out a few galas is that she didn't fit the theme and was spare engine. We have been fortunate in having more engines than we needed a few times. That's it

 

I heard from crews that she is a very strong and capable loco.
On a couple of occasions (when she was still in her SR livery) I have enjoyed listening to her enthusiastically roar up the grade to Medstead from the yard at Ropley with six on the drawbar. Glorious sound from the Schools. I hope that she is not out for too many years.

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

21B, green five, I am only reporting on what people have told me, in truth, two loved Bulleids and one loved Black Fives, so they would say such things about Cheltenham.

 

They say only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun........

If that's true, then muggins 'ere qualifies on two counts...... being English & mad enough to venture atop the hill whilst others had decided that helping mates hang doors or have a jolly round Arlington Fleet services...... even the bakers questioned the fact I'd only ordered one breakfast roll!!!

Any road, first job before it got too hot (yeah, right!) was to get as many planks into second undercoat, in the end they totalled three dozen, plus the vent plate, which took most of the morning, finishing just in time to catch the first down train to Ropley & collect the first new gusset plate that the lads in the ULS had kindly agreed to make for us, so that it could be trial fitted & the go ahead given for the next two...... but on seeing it.it was a case of it looked spot on , so the ULS can now fettle the other two we need, so that once the new angle iron arrives, it can go straight on.

Once back atop the hill, it was a case of more painting, this time finishing off the London end corrugation, and then the insides of the uprights and angle irons until I ran out of paint!

After that, the gusset plate was plonked into place, and after a bit of fettling from us on the wrap round, it'll fit right snug. then it were a case of measuring various things for either replacement or to see if things would fit.....

By which time I'd had enough of the stifling heat & humidity, so it was time to head home & evapourate neck oil!!!!

Some pics from yesterday at Ropley.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52285189799/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52285411500/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52285412110/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/52284933008/in/dateposted-public/

Planks basking in the sun.



London end corrugation finally into first undercoat.



A thing of beauty, and one mans skills - the new gusset plate getting used to its new home.

 

Dear reader,

After many, many months of threatening to provide me with his ramblings, my Ropley Spy has finally remembered where he left his quill & parchment!

So, for your enlightenment, the words and pics below are all his, and not mine - but be warned, if you read it, you've agreed to part with £15 and become a memember of the ULS!!!!

But seriously, they are a good bunch & new memebers are warmly welcomed. https://uriesociety.co.uk/membership/

So without further ado......

Well that’s another day/week/month/year flown by! As DD keeps reminding me, I haven’t sent him an update in eons so this is long overdue, particularly as he’s paid his renewal so I can’t even hold that gun to his head!

To do a full list of everything we’ve been up to since last time would take forever and no doubt bore everyone senseless so how about I just give a quick summary, outline where we are now, and commit to get back to monthly updates….it’ll only cost you 15 quid each!!!!!

Tender Chassis

The tender chassis has made huge progress since it was moved up to our site towards the back end of last year. For those who don’t know the full picture, the chassis we’re using was purchased from Woodham Bros off 30825. However, some years later the group acquired a Hampshire Unit testing station from Eastleigh works which was found to be sat on a genuine Urie tender chassis. A 5,200 gal tank had been fabricated for the chassis from Woodhams, with a genuine article in our hands this was picked apart and rebuilt as a Urie 5,000 gal tank. The tender which previously ran with 506 is beyond salvation so the latest construction was put behind the loco in 2019. When the time comes it will go back to the correct engine, 499, and the one we’re working on now will eventually sit behind 506. Clear as mud??

Towards the end of last year the tender came into the project plan. First off was to move the remains up to our site then create, as best we could, a weatherproof working environment. Enter our Barry armed with some old timber, tin sheet and a plentiful supply of scaffolding, and voila…..Stratton’s latest erection keeping us all dry!

So, to the real work. The tank was shot and scrapped almost immediately upon acquisition. Detailed inspection of the chassis itself revealed a badly wasted front half with the rear part salvageable. A new front was built and bolted together some 20 years ago. Much has changed since, on the downside we have found some quite nasty corrosion to the ‘new’ front, on the plus side we now consider ourselves to be riveters extraordinaire! The current state of play is:

• New rear bogie pivot plate cut, drilled and riveted to the frames.
  
  
• Hole cut for bogie pivot and new casting drilled
  
  
• Other remedial works undertaken to rear frames, this part now virtually finished
  
  
• ‘New’ front section completely picked apart
  
  
• All steels cleaned and inspected, weld repairs where necessary
  
  
• Identified bogie pivot plate and top plate need replacing…..too much corrosion from all those years stored outside
  
  
• All salvageable components bolted together with accommodation bolts
  
  
• Weigh shaft assembly completed and trial fitted (easy to do that now as everything is upside down). Bolts for the wing plates and steel for new trunnion bearings is to be ordered soon.
  
  
• New front bogie pivot plate drilled and pivot hole cut, awaits final fit of the new casting
  
  
• New front top plate drilled, cut and bolted to frames.
  

All that awaits us now is a fair few weekends of riveting. Once both sections are finished they will be pulled together, riveted and welded then the full assembly turned the right way up – we’re told the Ropley steam crane will manage this quite happily.

Loco Frames

A serious amount of the heavy work is now finished. All the running plate, both sides, is complete and riveted to the frame angles and valence. The new vacuum reservoirs have been hung but nothing has been started yet on the pipe work. Work to the inside of the cab, including the top of the dragbox, is underway to remove all corrosion and get the steelwork up to black undercoat. The reverser bracket has been cleaned up, nothing major required on that. We have removed the L/H toolbox to gain access for a bit more riveting but the pain incurred far outweighed the gain….so we won’t be taking the R/H one out. Underneath the cab the L/H footsteps have been removed for repair; there is actually more wastage than we banked on so the whole assembly has been picked apart for weld repair, straightening and rebuild. Much of the steelwork underneath the cab has been cleaned up and painted, the pain outstanding is the underside of the dragbox; this will be a few hours of heavy needle-gunning so a rota will be drawn up – apparently if I go first, I can’t be ‘talking about it’ or hassling people for money….so everyone’s a winner! The tender rubbing plate has been removed and the studs replaced. Some wear to the beam has been partly built up with weld, still have more to do. The last job I can think of is that the rivets have been burnt out from the brake hanger pins as these are to be replaced.

Up in the shed the front bogie has been completely stripped down and repair work started. Horn ties have been ground and bolted back to the frames, a team of weekday volunteers are readying themselves to do the horn faces. The Frames have been largely needle gunned and primed, new side control springs are on site as is new white metal for the axle boxes.

Boiler

Forgive me if I repeat myself here. All marked sidestays removed, new halfsides and throatplate cut and fettled. The decision has been taken to replace the crown stays so all nuts burnt off. Copper patch screws and steel rivets have been removed from worn lap areas in all corners of the firebox. Most recently the worn laps on the front and rear corners on the L/H side were cut out (boiler is currently lying on that side for downhand working) and new copper laps formed. This is now in abeyance whilst we wait for the copper welder to attend…..he will weld the laps plus oversize stay holes on the L/H side after which the boiler will be turned to allow the same work to be done on the R/H side. The dome studs have all been removed, a job coming up for the ULS when (if) the rainy season comes is to remove the longitudinal stays.

So there you have it, a very brief summary of where we currently are with 499. Some years ago the engineering team cut the front frame sections off and took a huge step into the unknown. We’re now out the other side and there is a huge air of confidence that she will steam and that date is coming into view. The limiting factor is no longer skill sets or labour, it is simply money. Since the beginning of this year the cost of just about everything has skyrocketed and that does of course have an impact on us. Just one example, we’re going to need something like 1,000 copper stays….and the current market price for what we need is £35 - £40. Yes, I do go on about money but for one reason and one reason only…to get the job done. Running 499 and 506 together will be the ULS legacy and we’re ready now to make that final jump. Fairly soon our website will be able to receive donations and memberships electronically, we’re also looking into a just giving page, or similar. If you have a spare pound, or maybe more, would you consider donating that to us. I assure everyone reading this that NOTHING will stop us completing this project but money does control the timetable. Your donations go directly into the loco, we have very little in the way of admin fees as just about everything is done voluntarily, behind the scenes stuff as well as the metal bashing. So please, if you have any money to spare, give us some thought and help bring forward that day when you are stood at your favourite vantage point watching 499 steam by for the first time. It’s going to be a proud day, it’s going to be an emotional day, and relatively, it’s not that far away. Together we WILL complete this journey.

Thanks for reading one and all, I will get back to monthly updates now.

Riveting tender rear bogie pivot plate



L/H toolbox removed, cleaning up reverser bracket and inside cab



Removing dome studs


burning out crown stay nuts

 

My one experience on 925 left me impressed, once I'd got used to it. Three trips on the Bluebell to East Grinstead; my sense was that it wanted to run and run; and steamed very freely, with six coach on our grade. The only thing against it was that the cab feels cramped. I think subconsciously I'd got on thinking it would be like an S15, whereas a second's thought should have made me realise it would be much less roomy, with the cab roof in the same place but the floor at least a foot higher; and the side sheets sloped in. But as a loco for pulling - it was impressive.

Tom

 

Just to add to the Ropley Spy's bit: this afternoon we test mounted the tender brake cylinder to check clearances - just enough and no more!
Pat