December 2015 Engineering Report
Permanent Way
As I prepare this report Autumn Outdoor Week is in full swing, with work taking place at various locations. A separate report on the work carried out and the highlights of the week is being prepared and, deadlines permitting, will be found elsewhere in this issue, so will not be covered in this report. Before the week began some preparation work was needed, filling ballast wagons, collecting or ordering supplies and lifting and digging out of the short piece of track between the south carriage shed access point and the works headshunt point.
Routine work on gauge maintenance and bolt tightening has taken up a lot of the gang’s time, whilst some brambles and other undergrowth has had to be manually cut back where it was causing us or our neighbours problems, an extra job incurred while we wait for our flail spares order to be fulfilled by the manufacturer. The locomotive run round point at the top end of Nant Gwernol loop was found to have failed, with a badly corroded and cracked rail in the nose of the point. Fortunately this was not a part of the running line, so the crossing assembly was removed from the track and brought back to Pendre, whilst Loco No. 9 was left at Abergynolwyn so trains could be "top and tailed" between the two stations. On closer examination it was found to have been extensively welded and repaired some years ago and not really suitable for further service.
After a bit of measuring it was realised that the Guest House access point removed from Quarry Siding loop earlier in the year would be an almost perfect replacement, so the old point was removed completely, the replacement fitted, new closure rails cut and the point lever and linkages modified to suit the new set up. One of the planned long outdoor weekends was used to do this work, as it was perfectly timed, allowing the train locomotives to run round again just a week after the fault was discovered. Of course this meant that the programmed weekend’s work had to be deferred. Whilst some catching up has been possible during the Outdoor Week there is still work to do and more hands will always be welcome.
Further work has been carried out on the occupation crossing at Brynyrwest and the crossing is now usable for farm traffic and a lot safer for all users, but there is still some fencing, signage and landscaping work to complete. At Brynglas the surface of the County Council maintained road has been breaking up causing damage to the longitudinal timbers we had installed. We had been attempting to contact the engineer responsible when suddenly a repair gang began working on the road. They spoke to us and were able to give us just 24 hours’ notice to replace the badly damaged north edge timber before they resurfaced up to it. A good quality second hand timber was recovered from the Brynyrwest job and hurriedly fastened down; eventually this will require replacing too, as it is only just long enough for the job, but the crossing surface is now back up to standard.
Steam Locomotives
Loco No. 1, Talyllyn, is now awaiting the usual cold examination with all the boiler plugs, mud doors, the gauge glasses and the safety valves removed. The boiler has been thoroughly washed out, the blast pipe and blower ring have been removed and the inner firebox surfaces were cleaned after the firebars and ashpan had been removed. It was taken out of traffic at the beginning of October, but retained in steamable condition for another month to test out a repaired air pump. While this was happening the driver’s air brake valve was greased and lapped in, an air leak in the system was traced to a cracked malleable nipple on one of the air receiver connections, which was replaced with a steel fitting and the clacks and injectors were removed and cleaned, those on the fireman’s side being particularly badly scaled up.
Loco No. 2, Dolgoch, is also prepared for the annual cold exam, in a similar way to Loco No. 1; the smokebox floor has been removed as well. After eleven years of use it has almost completely corroded away on one side and needs replacing. The clacks on this locomotive are difficult to access and in order to check and clean the fireman’s side fitting the whole of the pipework on that side had to be removed. Before it was refitted the steam supply pipework to the same injector was removed and annealed. The flange which connected this pipe to the shut off valve on the boiler had been leaking and it required cleaning and truing up before it could be refitted with a new gasket. The valve itself was dismantled and the seat was found to be badly worn; fortunately a spare seat was available from stock, as these valves have not been manufactured for some years and replacing the whole valve would have involved modifying the pipework.
The driver’s side clack and pipework were then removed and both were checked over and cleaned as necessary. Before they were refitted a corroded thick-wall steel connector at one end was replaced with a custom-made bronze fitting.
Loco No. 3, Sir Haydn, is now standing in the Vale of Rheidol Railway’s workshops in Aberystwyth, where a start has been made on stripping the locomotive to assess the work needed to overhaul it. The boiler is ready for inspection, so we are making arrangements for a joint visit with the boiler insurer’s inspector, when the scale of work needed on this important component can be agreed. An appeal for funds to complete all the overhaul work was launched some time ago and the monies have gradually built up, but significant expenditure is now imminent and the time to contribute to this has arrived, especially if the locomotive is to be returned to traffic in time for its 140th birthday in 2018.
Loco No. 4, Edward Thomas, is running well and being retained as one of the Christmas service locomotives. The clacks have been removed and cleaned out, that on the fireman’s side being very badly scaled up. Unfortunately whilst this work was in progress the locomotive was moved and the unsecured fireman’s side overflow pipework became caught up in the motion and mangled beyond repair. A temporary length was fitted to allow the locomotive to be used, but this will need further attention during the winter. The driver’s air brake valve is leaking and will also require winter attention, whilst the steam pipework around the air pump was also leaking, but this was removed and refitted after checking over the connections and is now in good order.
Loco No. 6, Douglas, is also running well and will also be retained in running order for the Christmas period. The injectors had become a little troublesome, so these were removed and stripped for cleaning, a suspect cone in the driver’s one was replaced, the clacks were also removed and cleaned out, then everything was refitted and tested with completely satisfactory results, although crews must ensure that there is water in the tanks for really reliable operation.
Towards the end of the season the lubricator drive ratchet was sticking and not turning the pump shaft. The manufacturers were consulted and suggested a temporary fix, which worked, but they pointed out that the drive is designed to work through a maximum seven degree angle, which we are exceeding by quite a lot. The valve gear has been measured up to see if this can be used as an alternative drive source, as it has a much more limited movement that the crosshead connection currently used. The locomotive is leaning to one side, not a new phenomenon, but this will be investigated during the winter; it is more than likely due to softness in one of the leading springs, but may also be caused by problems with the buckle on the single rather inaccessible rear spring.
Loco No. 7, Tom Rolt, has also apparently had injector problems, but once again it looks as though the real culprit is a badly scaled up clack valve. As this is impossible to access without removing the water tank the injector was changed for a rebuilt one to achieve the best possible performance. This has been successful and has also proved that the work we had been carrying out on the injectors to make them fit for service had been successful. At the same time the linkage to the fireman’s injector water valve was removed and refurbished, but more work is really needed on this control.
New safety valves have been manufactured and will be fitted shortly, together with a new dome top cover plate, so that this can be steam tested properly before the next boiler inspection.
Diesel Locomotives
Loco No. 5, Midlander, has run well since the major gearbox repairs covered in the last report. The air brake feed valve began leaking through, causing problems when it was working a Tracksiders’ works train at the end of October. The valve stripped off Loco No. 8 was fitted in its place and after an initial hiccup, no doubt caused by lack of use, it operated correctly keeping the train brake supply at 70 p.s.i. for the rest of the week.
Loco No. 8, Merseysider, is to be sold, a price having been agreed with an enthusiast who approached us some time ago to see if the locomotive was going to be disposed of. The train air braking equipment has been removed, along with various other fittings and the large purpose made cast iron buffer beams have been removed from the locomotive and swapped for the old castings, which had been re-used on the flail. The ride of the flail seems to have improved whilst the original castings have been boxed up together with all the other spares we held for the loco and are ready for collection by the new owner.
Loco No. 9, Alf, is running well and had a few days in the limelight helping with passenger trains as mentioned earlier.
Baguley Diesel Locomotives
There has been some confusion concerning the identities of these two locomotives. It was always intended that the first locomotive to arrive at Tywyn would be No. 11, but as it was the first arrival it was stored at Wharf behind its later sisters. The last to arrive was incomplete and was partially dismantled and moved to Pendre, leaving the two running locomotives on the siding. When the locomotives were sent to Alan Keefs for re-gauging the one nearest the lorry, i.e. No. 12, went first and on its return was informally designated No. 11, as it was the first to actually run on the main line. This unintended renumbering also thwarted the original wish of the group who purchased the locomotives on behalf of the Railway, who wanted to name the prototype locomotive Trecwn as it was the first of its class and was specifically built for the long runs and steeper gradients found at that depot. This prototype was the second locomotive to be sent for re-gauging and so had unintentionally become No. 12, St Cadfan. This probably seems a bit academic when the two locomotives are identical in appearance, but in future the locomotives will be reported on using the numbers they were intended to have.
Loco No. 11, Trecwn, is the locomotive still standing in the workshop pending some of the outstanding modifications. Talyllyn drawgear is in the process of being fitted and the alternator, together with its wiring, has been removed and replaced with one which produces electricity in practical quantities and the heater hoses have been replaced. The key operated engine access doors have been modified and the locks replaced with simple drop handles, easier and safer to use when checking oil etc.
Loco No. 12, St Cadfan, has been in use over Outdoor Week and is performing well. The fitting of the replacement alternator, mentioned in the last report, did not proceed as intended and the old non-functioning alternator was still in place when the S&T department were using it for laying out cable after the season ended. On one of their trips up the line the bearings in this alternator broke up and it had to be removed; with so many qualified electrical staff on the locomotive the new alternator was quickly fitted and the problem of flat batteries on this locomotive has been completely eliminated. Earlier in the season a small hole appeared in the length of pipe leading to the condensate drain, causing air loss. It was removed completely and a cable operated drain valve fitted direct to the reservoir.
Carriage and Wagon
The open carriages have been taken up to the Guest House at Quarry Siding as usual to clear some space at Pendre. Open carriage No. 8 has stayed behind whilst some corrosion on one of the door frames is attended to. Carriage 16 has been taken into the paintshop for a full re-varnish, work which is proceeding quite rapidly; if time permits it will be swapped for Carriage 10 in the hope of re-varnishing this vehicle too before the New Year, when the paintshop will be out of action for four or five weeks whilst it is re-roofed. Carriage 22 continues to progress steadily, although there is still a lot to do. Since the last report the panels have been cut and fitted to the north side, leaving just the doors to overhaul and panel. On the south side the beading is all but complete and the first coat of red paint is being applied, whilst the end panels are cut to size and fitted, but not permanently as there is still some wiring and air brake pipework to be fitted behind these.
The first carriage brake working weekend has taken place. After some not entirely successful experiments with ex- London Transport diaphragm triple valves in the spring, a trail valve was modified and fitted to carriage 18, where it has been operating well. A further batch of valves has now had the same modification and the weekend concentrated on fitting these to carriages 10, 15 and 21 so a trial train could be operated, for which Loco No. 6 was steamed. This time the test was completely successful and we will now proceed to convert all our carriages over to using these low maintenance valves; hopefully this work will be completed over the winter. The wagon fleet has not required much attention, but good progress has been made on a replica end door wooden-bodied wagon, a type which has not been seen on the Railway for a very long time, but whose existence in pre-Society days is confirmed by photographic evidence.
Building and Civil Engineering
The last report gave details of planned work to the West Carriage shed roof and walls and this job has moved forward significantly, with the appointment of a contractor to undertake the work and a specialist asbestos removal contractor to deal with the asbestos insulation board ceilings in the paint shop and the joiner’s shop. This latter job has been added as the cost of actually getting the contractor on site and setting up the decontamination area is a substantial part of the cost, so it made sense to complete all the work needed at Pendre even though work on the North Carriage Shed is still a few years off.
The main re-roofing and re-cladding work will commence early in January and is scheduled to be completed just before the Railway re-opens for February half term week. Obviously this will cause some disruption and there is quite a bit of work to complete before the contractors arrive, clearing the buildings and the areas around them and moving a portion of the rolling stock up the Railway for storage.
The largest job actually undertaken this time has been at Ceunant Coch, where the stone and brickwork of the cattle creep and stream culvert has been repointed where it was deteriorating, voids in the culvert roof have been filled and the missing south side bridge parapet stone slabs have been replaced by casting a large reinforced concrete slab in situ. The north side retaining walls either side of the stream are in a poor condition, with one short length completely missing; the intact length has been reinforced with a concrete footing, dug in under the wall and cast in in stages to preserve the integrity of the structure. It is intended to replace the missing length with a series of concrete steps, each cast in on top of the next, which should be stable and reinforce the remaining length. It is not close to the Railway, so its collapse would not cause any problems, but it would be an even larger job to sort out, so we want to prevent this, if possible.
Smaller jobs have included replacing the door closer on one of the Llechfan lounge doors, replacing the Pendre mess room back door, painting the ceiling and internal window frames in the refurbished washing area and torching down lengths of roofing felt on Quarry Siding blockpost after a volunteer, who is quietly and steadily refurbishing all the blockposts, noticed light coming through the existing roof.
Work has continued in the locomotive shed to improve safety and clear obstructions in there; a fire extinguisher rack has been made up to tidy up the forest of old fire extinguishers kept just inside the shed doors, specifically for fighting lineside fires in hot dry weather; not that these have been needed this summer. The old sink has been moved from its location next to the firewood rack and taken down to the east end, where it is being installed alongside the component degreasing bath, where it will be useful for rinsing off and, on occasions, quenching components. Outside a door fell off the oil store, due to an old, but poor, weld on one hinge; both doors were removed and rehung on stainless steel hinges and the sump was cleaned out and dried before the oil containers were put back inside.
Plant and Works
In the workshops the Crowthorn lathe has been bolted down to a newly cast concrete bed; the opportunity was taken to break out the existing vertical steel beam which provided extra support to the main works lifting beam and also carried a small jib crane used to get jobs into the Granor lathe, but which has never been vertical making the jib crane difficult to use. This beam is now set up properly and has been cast into the new lathe bed, so should stay where it has been put.
A major tidy-up and re-organisation has also taken place with a new storage cupboard replacing the COSHH cupboard alongside the forge, a prefabricated forge unit stood on top of the old forge for white-metalling purposes, the removal of the work’s oddments rack completely, and the installation of a dual purpose COSHH & store cupboard behind the two Bridgeport Mills, where a homemade rack of shelves used to stand. Jobs undertaken have included the manufacture of special joggle fishplates for use in the Nant Gwernol point replacement, manufacture of more brackets for use in the South Carriage shed for storing corrosion susceptible steel and aluminium sections, fabrication of a plant wagon towing bar and the turning up of a new axle for one of the Matisa’s wheels.
A collection of lightweight standard-gauge permanent way trolleys was spotted for sale on the internet, and purchased. They are of two different basic types and one of each has been re-gauged for trial use; the rest will be modified in the light of experience. Further repair work on the flail has been delayed by very long delays in obtaining parts from the manufacturer. It was agreed to purchase a spare flail head to improve future reliability, but even this is now overdue and without either the repaired old head or the new one maintenance of the hedgerows and trackside cannot start in earnest. Both road vehicles have been running well and are making their contribution to the maintenance of the Railway or the feeding of members attending the AGM.
Electrical and S&T
The department’s biggest single job has been the laying out of a new telephone cable between Cynfal stream and Brynyrwest crossing, the connecting up and testing of this cable and the recovery of the much jointed old cable. Although it was known to be much patched even the regular staff were surprised at the number of unknown connections which appeared from the undergrowth, some of which were in very poor condition, although the actual weak spot in the cable, located by using fault finding equipment, was in a length of apparently undamaged plain cable.
This job was interrupted by the need to replace the alternator on Loco No. 12, mentioned above, and by contractors who were renewing the surface on the forest road which goes up the hillside at Abergynolwyn and crosses our track at Forestry Crossing. They gave us plenty of notice of the work and carried it out after the Railway stopped operating, but whilst preparing the surface they ripped up a steel duct running parallel to the railway alongside the crossing, which had cables running through it. A quick site visit confirmed that this was the original cable duct used when the crossing was installed.
When the crossing was renewed a few years ago this duct was found to be completely blocked, with the cables firmly trapped, so a new duct was installed much closer to the crossing, protected by the concrete slabs cast in under the rails and new cables were installed in this duct. The contractors were asked to complete the removal and disposal of the duct they had found. The completion of the cable job should eliminate a persistent fault in the internal telephone system which has been causing a few problems, particularly for Controllers who have been unable to complete the morning telephone test.
The electrician was called to Wharf when a fridge in the café kitchen was moved out for cleaning purposes and it was noticed that the supply lead had been damaged allowing copper conductors to be seen. This was quickly repaired, but if the damage is not new then it could explain why there have been occasional circuit breaker trips affecting the café supply during the peak season. Another time-consuming, but enjoyable task was the setting up of the lighting etc. for the Halloween trains and for the member’s barbeque and bonfire at Rhydyronen, involving the running of an evening works train to get the leads, lights and other bits and pieces on site. Elsewhere progress has been maintained on re-wiring the locomotive shed and the usual routine jobs including PAT testing and keeping the Railways lights on have been kept up to date.
Dave Scotson
