Wonderful Welland...

Hi guys. We have here another nice post about a sunny day out. Regular readers will know that in my pre-MTEW organising days, I didn't really visit many steam rallies. I am a railway man through and through but, I must admit, in recent times, owing mainly to seeing and searching for so many engines on behalf of my April event, I have started to appreciate the traction engine a lot more. This was evident last year with our visits to Cromford and the world famous Great Dorset Steam Fair. Today, following on from recommendations from many people I've met through the traction engine circuit, I decided to visit the well known Welland Steam Rally near Malvern. Welland attracts exhibits from far & wide and this year saw a particularly strong line up due to the shows 50th anniversary. Welland is about 60 miles from home and so I set off at about 8am, arriving at the show in warm sunshine at about 9:30am. Having queued in and bought a ticket, I ambled through the gate and into the first field. A sight that greeted me straight away was 0-6-0 Haydock Foundry tank "Bellerophon" from the Foxfield Railway. Welland has a standard gauge demonstration line and "Bellerophon", coupled to a Toad Brakevan, would be giving rides throughout the weekend: great stuff. All around the 0-6-0 stood engines steaming up ready for the day...

Having enjoyed a breakfast bap from one of the many food stands, I decided to take a stroll through the miniature engine section. 28 varying miniatures were on display, none of which I might add had been to my do at Market Bosworth. However, one of them that I had already actually been in talks over via email was a beautiful 6" McLaren, modelled as "Boadicea". This engine will hopefully be joining us in April for the 2015 event and was a wonderful thing to look at...

Walking around the show there were various examples of traction engines, steam rollers, steam lorries, portables, cars, tractors and motorcycles. There was a huge variation of things to see, most of which were in action even on this, the first day of the 3-day event. The Garrett single below was, so I was told, on a visit from Ireland in 'just outshopped' condition. Wearing a shining red livery it did look the bee's knee's...

Here we see Mr Gregory with his latest acquisition; a lovely Fowler Agricultural named "Blackjack"...

Over in the working field there was a 2ft gauge railway as well as ploughing engines and a road making display carried out by an Aveling roller. Fowler ploughing engine "The Chief" of 1874 vintage, stands awaiting action...

"Blackjack" is seen here lining up alongside a Fowler roller and a very nice Burrell...

I was particularly impressed with the Hovis steam lorry which was a nicely painted Sentinel under-type wagon...

"The Hovis Sentinel Lorry with an Aveling Roller Going Mad Behind"

Down in the vintage fairground, as per tradition, there were a good few examples of the popular Showmans engines. Big names included "Ex Mayor" and "Carry On" to name but a few. Here are just five of the engines lining up in the fair...

The wonderful blue livery of "Ex Mayor" makes her stand out in the fairground. Built in 1925, "Ex Mayor" is a Scenic Showmans. The term Scenic denotes the use of two dynamo's on the engine. One dynamo 'excites' the other and helped to start the heavy new Scenic rides that were coming into action at the time of "Ex Mayor"s build. The Scenic Showmans are probably regarded as the final and best development of the Showmans Engine and they are almost certainly the most powerful in terms of generating...

"Burrell Scenic Showmans Road Locomotive "Ex Mayor"

Leaving the fairground behind I decided to walk back over the scorching rally field to have a closer look at "Bellerophon". As I got nearer the mutterings from the enthusiasts got more and more numerous. A railway in their midst was certainly not to certain peoples interest I would gather. The Haydock 0-6-0 was referred to as, "the train". "The old train is going well, ay" was a popular line! Now, I must say, what a beautifully elegant engine this is. Built in 1874 and one of the oldest standard gauge steam loco's in regular use, "Bell" (as she is affectionately known by her crews) employs interesting outside Stephenson's link valve gear and has a Well Tank. She is a very nicely proportioned engine and I really like her...

As I got nearer to the temporary 'Pallet Platform' I realised that I recognised certain faces that were part of the 'railway crew'. Sure enough some of the Foxfield lads included some of the Pontypool guys who I met when I went with "Sir Gomer" to Wales back in 2011. They were only too pleased to enthuse about both "Gomer" and "Bell"...

I then found myself offered a footplate ride on "Bell" which I snapped up. I was pleased even to see the engine let alone ride on her footplate. Great stuff!...

"Getting Away from the Bottom"

The loco rolled easily down the fairly graded demo line before coming to a stop at the bottom on the handbrake. The driver then gave her a bit to get her going but she didn't need much with just a Toad behind. The loco is used to pulling heavy trains up the 1 in 19 of Foxfield bank and so a Toad up a field is hardly anything to write home about. The large boiler on "Bellerophon" is complimented by a large firebox and I was told that steaming is never an issue with her. What a lovely old engine...

"A Last Look at Bellerophon"

Having thanked the Foxfield guys for my footplate ride with "Bellerophon" I headed back over to the working field where 0-8-0 side tank No15 of 2ft gauge descent was working on the road making railway. No15 was shunting wagons loaded with heavy stone up and down for the public's entertainment. This large tank engine was visiting from the North Gloucestershire Railway at Toddington...

Having chatted to a few more people that I knew about the place, I headed down towards the arena in anticipation of the "Miniature Steam Parade". Some of the miniatures were already gathering ready for the off...

By about 2:30pm the heat was getting to me and I decided to head off for home. My final view was of the miniatures gathered together in the arena...

"The Miniature Ensemble"

All in all guys a great show and I was very pleased that I visited Welland. Maybe one day I will visit again, who knows. I was certainly impressed with the various displays on offer as there was lots to see. It always seems hard to write a post about a steam rally as you just can't include words and pictures documenting everything as there's just too much. I hope though that in this post I've managed to capture Welland in a good light and show it off to be a great event. Cheers guys, Sam...

CMES July Steam Day...

Hi guys. Despite "Achilles" still being cosmetically indisposed, I was still heading along to the CMES July Steam Day at Ryton Pools today. There were four smartly turned out locomotives in steam on the 5" gauge line and a good time was had by all. Passenger numbers were fair and the weather was fine. First to be mentioned is Mike's Midland 7F 2-8-0 No9673. Mike spent over 25 years building 9673 and it shows as she runs like a sewing machine...

After a couple of laps with his engine, Mike kindly allowed me to drive the 7F for a couple of trips. Here is a cab view traversing the track on an ECS run...

The 7F was just a breeze, especially with a bit of a load on. The footplate extension controls made her easy to drive for a large 5" tender engine and the free-steaming boiler and large firebox gave trouble-free running. She really was a pleasure to drive and a beautiful loco...

Second in steam was Brian's stalwart LBSC 'Pansy', showing off the model engineering world's favourite take on the Great Western's popular 5700 Class 0-6-0 Pannier Tank. I must admit in full size I have quite a high regard for these engines. They are sure-footed (when the tanks are full!), powerful (7 or 8 coaches no problem) and are fairly nice to work on for a Great Western engine. This 5" example is No5717 "Victoria". The engine worked well today and put in some great performances...

"A Portrait of Victoria"

Third in steam was another Western: Dave's 4-6-0 Manor Class. This is another sizeable engine in 5" gauge and was certainly pulling some heavy loads today...

Last but by no means least was engine number four: 0-4-0 Sweet Pea "Donald". This relatively new engine, finished in a shining blue livery, was driven by owner Stuart and was running well on her first ever public outing. I always feel that Sweet Pea perhaps gets a bad press in the model engineering world but I've never known one that didn't steam well or pull well if handled correctly. They make for an attractive and chunky engine in 5" gauge and "Donald" was certainly finding the work no problem throughout the afternoon...

"0-4-0 Sweet Pea with Tender, "Donald"

Stuart kindly let me take the engine for a lap around the track on a passenger train and, due to my affection for the Sweet Pea type having learnt on them, I snapped up the chance. The first live steam engine I ever drove was a Sweet Pea, all the way back in 2004. Perhaps if I hadn't have done that then I wouldn't be driving things like 3803 now ay, 10 years on. Who knows?. Anyway, "Donald" steamed well for me and was a pleasing engine to drive, being the first Pea I've driven that had the optional tender for extra and cooler water capacity for use with an injector. Another very pleasant experience and another very nice loco...

Later in the day Dave even let me take the Manor for three or four laps. Though fairly quick to pick her feet up if you let her, the Manor was responsive, free steaming and pleasant to drive. Even with some very heavy loads you had no doubt that she was going to steam beautifully and march along without a problem. The builder of this engine certainly knew what they were doing and she is a real pleasure. Its amazing the difference big wheels make with a 5" gauge engine as doing track-speed with the Manor seemed to be slow for her with her big legs just gradually edging around. Thanks Dave, another great experience...

"The Manor at Ryton Halt"

All in all it was a very pleasant afternoon and it was a great pleasure to drive three of the engines that were running, two of which I hadn't driven before. Sometimes, when you haven't got your own engine with you, it gives you the opportunity to get the chance to drive other peoples loco's now and again which is always a pleasure. Thank you to Mike, Stuart and Dave for the experiences: great stuff. Cheers guys, Sam...

Achilles Report No60: The Saga Continues...

Hi all. Well, lets continue with the saga! After a day at Market Bosworth on Sunday, Monday saw me returning to the evening shift at work for a week, leaving the midday/afternoon segments of the days for working on "Achilles". Therefore, Monday was spent heavily rubbing down the removed smokebox and attempting to get a good surface finish back onto it. Once stripped and cleaned, the smokebox was given two good coats of the HT paint that it had before, a kind of grey colour to contrast the blue and black. The several coatings of oil that it will get in the future will soon sort out the finish and turn it darker...

Eddie had kindly repaired the superheater whilst we were on holiday. The process had involved replacing the main steam pipe and steam header, and silver soldering it to the superheater elements and the wet header too. Eddie had admittedly made a great job of the lot and I am very grateful for his help. A new steam gasket was made for the wet header on the Monday and the superheater refitted carefully. Now that this is back in place, the smokebox can soon go back on...

The cleaned and repaired superheater in place...

On Tuesday, having refitted the blower pipe, the smokebox was refitted carefully. With the smokebox bolted on, the bolt heads were carefully sprayed in order to keep them in line with the colour of the smokebox. The snifting valve was also cleaned and serviced and had a new ball fitted for the first time in almost 30 years! The ensemble is here...

"Tuesday - Smokebox and Boiler Reunited"

On Wednesday the boiler was reclad and the boiler bands put back on. I must admit I was nowhere near happy with the finish. Unfortunately, due to all this on-going work with the engine, the repaint of the cladding was very much rushed in order to try and make the engine ready for Sunday's run. However, dare I say it, its only the top of the cladding that matters in a desperate situation such as this!...

The boiler was placed back into the frames later on Wednesday afternoon and the steam pipe did fit very well...

"Well Done, Ed!"

On Thursday the loco was looking near complete and the blast pipe was refitted with new gaskets between its base feeds and the cylinder exhaust ports. The smokebox was then sealed with gasket gel to fill the remaining holes where piping comes through. Obviously if the smokebox leaks then the vacuum that you are trying to induce is lost, thus hindering the steaming of the engine...

"Thursday - Getting There"

So, the moment of truth came on the Friday when "Achilles" (cabless but pulling!) went to the Onley Lane track at Rugby MES. Myself and Eddie were both running loco's but Ed brought a 7.25" gauge loco so we each had a track to ourselves in effect. Once steaming up, "Achilles" would not move. "Damn!". The steam pipe was leaking heavily. However, upon inspection, an extra good tightening when hot sorted this so that we only had a hiss left rather than a roar. This hiss is coming from somewhere else. I inspected the whole interior of the smokebox and could not find a precise place where it was coming from. However, when under pressure with the regulator wide, rather than standing still, "Achilles" was now determined to move and pulled hard against me so that I could hardly hold her back. I think the rings are blowing past slightly on the pistons, but only when you have almost full regulator with the engine pinned to the spot by all of your weight! So, I decided to try and go for a run. Well, she steamed well, pulled well, sounded well and the water pump worked fine. However, as is sods law, the rushed job with the cladding was more than evident when the paint rippled and a boiler band slipped back causing damage. I was annoyed about this, don't get me wrong, but I was still so glad that the loco worked now, and well. She managed to drag me up the bank with the handbrake on the truck hard on whilst blowing off at both valves...that's a fair test!

A decision could have been made at this point to fit the cab and just run the engine rather than worrying about the cladding damage but, after all this, there is no way that the engine is going out scruffy! So, within 25 minutes of arriving home, the boiler lay back on the floor...I'm getting quicker!...

"Friday - Boiler Removals Whilst You Wait"

So, the cladding now just has to be repainted and the boiler dropped back in. To be honest, the boiler comes out in 25 minutes and goes back in in about 45 minutes so I'm sure she'll be fine next time out. She steamed very well today and everything worked except the cosmetics so here's hoping we've sorted the fault. The rings passing at full regulator with the engine pretty much locked up will not worry you on the track with her as the steam will probably overcome most train weights or produce a slip instead as its not often you work an engine that hard at full blowing off pressure. Fingers crossed she'll be done soon and this nightmare will be over! Cheers guys, Sam...

Shackerstone Working Day...

Hi everyone. Today was spent at Market Bosworth helping the team with the demolition of the Portakabin there. The building came a few years ago with hopes that one day it would be restored but, allas, with not enough volunteers available to take on such a task its condition has deteriorated badly in the last 12 months. Therefore, it was decided to demolish it. I was at Market Bosworth from around 10:30am until about 5:30pm tonight before heading for home. The JCB and the large team of helpers did a sterling job and by the time I left the first main section (with all internal bits removed and gutted) was ripped apart. The worst is now over and the portakabin will be gone in time to stand engines on that ground for the upcoming Rail Ale festival at the end of the month. The site will be so much improved without the building. A very worthwhile day. Cheers guys, Sam...

Return to Cleethorpes...

Hi all. Today, whilst holidaying in the area once again, myself & Maisie took in a round trip on the 15" gauge Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway. The railway runs daily during the summer months along their 2-mile long section of narrow gauge railway. We arrived at the headquarters station of Lakeside at around 11am and duly caught the next Kingsway-bound train. All services on this sunny day were in the capable hands of No24, an American style 2-6-2 tender locomotive, built at Fairbourne in 1990. The big black engine was due to arrive at Platform 3 from North Sea Lane shortly and so, with a few minutes to spare, I had a peek inside the museum. Inside are some very informative displays and some very interesting pictures of the railways fleet in bygone days. Cleethorpes takes pride in looking after the ex-Sutton Miniature Railway stock, made redundant when the line closed in the 1960s, and the two steamers were on display today, with the blue liveried "Sutton Flyer" standing alongside a much more forlorn looking engine, known as "Mighty Atom"...

SMR No2 "Sutton Flyer" was built in 1950, unlike her older sister "Sutton Belle" who wears an attractive red livery and was built in 1933. The two Sutton Atlantic's make for a nicely formed engine in 15" gauge I believe and would be nice running around your garden if you happened to suddenly become a lottery winner! Here, "Sutton Belle" rests in the museum, only inches from her sister...

With a shrill chime whistle having been heard, I walked outside to see No24 hissing in with the next train. We boarded an open but covered coach and, with tickets clipped, the train got away towards Kingsway. No24 barely murmured as she pulled away, the fairly lightly loaded train seeming no effort for her at all. In fact, as the engine slipped along the cycle path section the regulator barely seemed to open. The blower was used regularly too, presumably in an effort to maintain draft artificially as the loco plainly didn't need to chuff. The American styling brings out an attractive but very large locomotive in 15" gauge and perhaps No24 would be better with a train twice as long! Kingsway was reached easily and in quick time, before the 2-6-2 was shunted back for oiling up...

"A Portrait of No24"

The Driver applies oil to the motion on the 1990-built 2-6-2...

A side-shot of this impressive locomotive...

No24 duly ran round, ready to take up her place at the head of the train for a chimney first run to North Sea Lane via Lakeside...

"2-6-2 No24: Built 1990"

Having steamed easily along the cycle path section and got away smartly from Lakeside, No24 ran easily along the 'extension' towards the terminus. The gradient here was again no trouble for her and the engine barely uttered a sound...

"Sea Views nearing North Sea Lane"

At North Sea Lane, No24 duly ran round again...

I couldn't help thinking as I looked at her, that No24 is probably much more useful for heavier work. With a sizeable boiler, hefty looking motion and large outside steam pipes, she is no doubt a powerful engine that would really go if you wanted her to. The light train of today just seemed child's play for the American engine but I guess that oversize nature does make the job a lot easier for the Driver. She did give us a very smooth run and was very impressive to see...

After a quick coast down from North Sea Lane, No24 came to rest in Lakeside's Platform 3 where she took on water prior to the next departure...

"Journeys End"

Well, another very enjoyable visit to the CCLR has been made. No24 was a welcome change to see in service and was doing some sterling work today. I'm sure her large stature would make her a formidable engine if the stock was heavy enough! Best Regards, Sam...

Achilles Report No59: It Never Rains...

Hi guys. So, here we are again, a single victory lap a couple of weeks ago was swiftly followed by an unexpected (though I should have known better) visit by the fickle finger of fate. "Achilles": freshly painted and going very well: was failed following the run with a steam leak on the main steam pipe, between the wet header and the steam chests. Though annoyed, there was a suggestion that perhaps the job could be done; very carefully I might add; with the superheater unbolted and dragged forward from the flu's. Unfortunately, the fickle finger of fate was again in good form and ensured that the superheaters actually sat 1/2" higher than the top of the smokebox door ring, making them impossible to remove without the boiler coming off. Regular readers will remember that, throughout this repaint, I have not wanted to remove the boiler as it would disturb more bits & bobs than I thought necessary at the time...including the now broken superheater. The next plan was to attempt to fix the leak: caused by a loose nipple: in situe, with the superheater pulled right out and the pipe bent carefully outside of the smokebox. Though unorthodox, the repair would have been theoretically possible, with the smokebox being able to stay on the frames and the tanks and cladding untouched. This method was the one we attempted to use. However, in order to complete the well known phrase "trouble always comes in three's", the finger of fate ensured that the steam pipe also had a hairline crack in it right where it joined the superheater header. Unfortunately, there was no way to perform this repair without removing the smokebox, and thus the boiler. Therefore, in the words of many locomotive owners country-wide, I utter the violent outburst of..."BUGGER!". At this point, my immense feeling of disappointment was almost too much to bare, following months of blood, sweat and tears that have gone into turning this locomotive around. However, Eddie assured me that it is the way of things and to perhaps shelve the project for a while to regain the vital enthusiasm. On June 23rd, the locomotive had had the wet header undone and the superheaters brought forward, though after 25 years the latter were very reluctant to move. The pipe was bent out of the smokebox to try out a potential repair plan involving well-placed oxy acetylene, though the crack in the pipe was soon discovered...

Following a visit to Eddie's with the very much broken locomotive on June 25th, neither of us could even attempt to find a solution that didn't involve removing the boiler. The locomotive at this point received various name-calling attempts which perhaps cannot be repeated before the watershed, as is the way prior to a repair. Eddie's advice was to shelve the project for a while and let the enthusiasm grow back a bit first. So, the loco went home that night and languished in the workshop. On June 26th, I was so angry that the thought of taking the boiler off began to sound like child's-play and, within less than an hour...

"Boiler Off For First Time in 25 Years"

The boiler came out remarkably easily, and the plan I'd concocted during a very angry day at work definitely worked out fine. The smokebox has 6 holding bolts which came out easily and the blast pipe was undone easily from the exit ports. With the tank tops off and the two clack feeds taken off, all I had to do was lift. And, as if by magic...

The smokebox then has a selection of bolts of unknown size which skirt around its edge and, once they were removed, it just fell off without any sign of a struggle. I tell you what, hindsight is a wonderful thing. If I'd have known how easily this boiler came out I'd have taken it off in the winter and done these repairs. More "BUGGER" moments immediately ensued over a cup of tea, whilst I reasoned with the engine, almost trying to council her problems out of her - I must be going mad!...

Here is the radiant superheater and wet heater. The cracked pipe was broken off in a fit of rage by myself, and will now have brand new, proper thick-wall pipe attached and soldered into position to perform a full repair. If unsuccessful to the wide heating surface of gas (potentially melting other joints) it'll have to have oxy acetylene on instead to provide a more precise heat. The contract repair has thankfully gone out to "Three Courses Eddie" of Ryton...

The following day the engine was delivered to Eddie's where work immediately began. The required parts have since been ordered and I'm sure that, some way, we'll get to the bottom of this most annoying problem!...

A busy weekend then followed and, with no engine currently at my end, I just had the cladding to think about, which had unfortunately suffered some knocks upon removal. I could also not let it go back on with chips or boiler-band marks. I am very much aware that it will receive more when the bands go back on but I won't have to see them! Haha! On Tuesday I bit the bullet and set to with the paint stripper...

With the paint stripped and the cladding successfully 'flatted' with very fine wet & dry, it was ready for primer...

"Cladding Ready for Primer"

The following day the two cladding sections were in grey primer on their first coat...

Following flatting and a second coat of primer yesterday, today the two sections were flatted again with wet & dry and then received their three coats of blue: dust coat, main coat & top coat. They will now be allowed to dry and harden over the next 7 or 8 days. Section 1...

And the larger section 2: the main cladding section...

"Good As New? - I Hope So!"

So, that's it for now really. When the pipe arrives for the locomotive the repair can begin and I'm sure Eddie will find a way through. Then, I'll put it all back together and, before you can say "working locomotive" the fine fickle finger of fate will appear again and probably have the engine struck by lightning or something, but that is the life of steam engines...so I'm told. I am aiming for a return to work for a test on July 18th with a view to being in action on that Sunday (the 20th) but, as is one of my favourite phrases of late..."don't count your chickens". Anyway, we'll try our best and see where we end up, in our continuous fight to do what is best for the engine. I just hope the new toy (when she arrives) doesn't have many problems in the near future! Actually, that's a good point, I'll have to email the finger of fate and let them know that there is something else to point at...note to self. Best Regards, Sam...