Gilbert reports:
“Today the locomotive was boxed up and steam tested to 223psi.
JC & JH supervised the boxing up process with JH re-fitting the washout plugs. When it came to No 24 they found an old broken stay had been dislodged during the wash-out and unsuccessful attempts were made to remove it through the plug aperture. Because of the ferrule there was not enough space to turn it and extract it, and the ferrule could not be removed from the cladding sheet despite strenuous efforts.
Between JC & JH they re-installed the mud-hole doors and then they commenced filling the boiler via the blowdown pipe.
The fire-grate was replaced (the side bars had been removed to allow access for the Boiler Inspector to the foundation ring rivets) and JC re-fixed the fusible plugs in the firebox crown.
Bruce re-assembled the safety valves and the feed-water clacks.
The gauge frame was put back together by Gilbert under the supervision of Jeff Lacey.
Jamie undertook greasing of brake pivots, brake cylinder mountings, and equalising beams.
Alex had her gang busy cleaning and polishing everything they could touch.
Amidst all the controlled chaos JP was busy carrying out the A examination. He found loose fixings on the damper door linkages and on the frame stretcher adjacent to the locomotive brake cylinder. All were tightened up.
By late morning the fire was ready for lighting and Jeff and Jamie managed the warming of the boiler. In view of our previous experience Bruce regularly checked the mud-hole doors and tightened them gradually to keep them sealed and seated. The boiler was warmed up steadily throughout the afternoon until the safety valves lifted at 223 psi.
During the test a slight weepage was noted from plugs 28 and 33. Once pressure has been released these will be sealed.
Whilst the testing was being carried out Bruce investigated the reported leakage on the LH Injector flange. This revealed that the flanged joints were sound but that leakage was occurring at the joint of the injector steam cap. Further investigation showed that the steam cone within the injector had come loose. The unit was re-sealed and re-assembled correctly.
The j-cocks were investigated and it was found that the LHS one was stuck, it was dosed with WD40 but it failed to unstick it and the unit will have to be stripped down during Winter Maintenance. The RHS one was moveable, this was also dosed with WD40 and was considered satisfactory.”
Bruce added:
“Good work today by everyone with a massive amount of jobs being done. Just a quick update at close of play.
The steam test was successful with all mudhole doors dry, but there were three plugs weeping slightly. (Two of them were the new ones) These plugs may be fixed early Friday morning, I think by Mark if he is available.
The safety valves blew off at 223psi first time and 221psi second time but did not go above 225psi
Interestingly at the end we were still producing too much steam to put the loco in the shed so we chuffed up and down the siding to use some of it up.”
This was far greater progress than one could possibly have dreamed! Great thanks go to the Loco Dept chaps & chapess.
Saturday 30th
Today was our AGM.
These interesting things came up :
- 2807 is definitely going to Llan on 9 Oct for 16 steamings over their gala, weekends, school holidays and Santa Specials. We’ll give details as & when we get them.
- GWSR is planning for Armistice Day 2018, and 2807 is the loco of choice.
Afterwards, some of the chaps went for a ride behind 2807 (which had been re-rostered to Train 2, which was more convenient time-wise).
Does anyone know if rabbits dig up and eat bulbs? There seemed to be a lot of holes in our “garden”, where I had previously planted some bulbs !!!
Roger
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