Maintenance Update

It was only 2 degrees when I arrived at Todders, just before 9 am.  2807 was not over the pit, because 5542 had been clearing out its ashpan, so I couldn't get underneath to make a start at dismantling the steam heating pipe.  There was 10 psi on the "clock", so I opened the steam heating valve in the cab to see if that was enough to push through the pipes.  Opening the valve at the front of the loco (visible in the attached photos) there were gurgling noises, and soon some yeuky water spurted out.  It took about 15 minutes in total, but it cleared the water in the front pipe and steam finally trickled out.  It struck me afterwards that it was a good thing to have done, otherwise there is a good chance that David & I would have got wet when undoing the front pipe (because it's the low point).  My real thought was that it would warm up the pipe, because it was a tad cold out there!

I also noticed that the steam trap beneath the tender was pushing out water (good!) and I opened the rear valve for a short while, and as soon as I closed it, a small trickle of water came out of the bottom of the valve, which demonstrates that Bruce's idea of drilling a drain inside the valve works!  This idea came out of last year's problem of a small amount of water trapped within the valve when it closes froze, and modified the shape of the internals!

Anyway, the 5542 chaps shunted us over the pit, and David & I began undoing the nuts & bolts and removing the front pipe section. David cut the pipe, then we offered it up and marked where we thought it should be welded together.  Lots of trotting back & forth between loco and our work bench.  The first attempt at tack-welding the pipe together somehow appeared to get the bolt hole roughly 45 degrees out of line!  Back to the drawing board.  We figured it was more sensible to hold the pipe in place on the loco and tack-weld it in situ.  G-clamp and rope did the trick.  David found a huge (and heavy) 3-phase extension cable, such that power could reach our welder, and he did the job properly.

I was little more than a gopher, most of the time.  On Saturday, the "A Exam" revealed several minor items.  Three loose nuts on the running board.  One missing nut on a bracket.  Brakes not good enough.  GWSR chaps came and started fixing these.  One could not figure out how to hold the head of round-headed bolts (on the running board).  I fetched our molegrips and fixed two of the three.  The third would not grip - it's clearly not going anywhere!  I also fitted a nut to the offending bracket (there was already one nut & bolt, so it was not in danger of going AWOL).  We left the GWSR chaps to grovel in the grease, adjusting the brakes!

David finished the welding at about 2 pm.  We put new insulation round the pipe and fitted it back in place.  We stopped for lunch and then called it a day.  Oh, and it snowed on us several times (not hard, though).

I still don't know when 2807 will be in service.  I deduce that we shall be in light steam this week as a standby in case 5542 or Foremarke fail.  Oh, and the trial run to Laverton on Saturday at 4.30 was a success.  Nothing ran hot.  Nothing fell off!

TTFN

Roger