Hello and welcome to the first March 2025 update from Quorn. This week we welcome another arrival, the chassis from an ex. Esso 35T tank, and we get to work freeing off the seized brake rigging.
The chassis was built in 1958 by Charles Roberts as a 35T tank for Esso. It passed to the CEGB at Meaford Power Station and was renumbered 48521. At some point the tank barrel was removed and it was preserved at the Foxfield Railway in 1991. As yet we have not established it’s original Esso identity.
The chassis had arrived with a number of old sleepers stored on top; the first job was to get these removed which Nick did on Friday.
With the chassis empty and looking very much like a part-built Airfix kit, we could give it a proper inspection. In general it’s structurally in very good order, although the brakes are completely seized on, the couplings are seized up and all the rubber hoses are perished. On Saturday with Nick, Ernie, Ross, Charlie, Harry and myself on-site we made a start trying to free up the brakes so the chassis could be moved. A couple of pins were removed from the brake rigging to separate the rigging into sections so we could tackle each end of the chassis separately.
The seized brakes were however being really stubborn, so the Volvo was called upon to provide a little extra grunt to move the bow girders and subsequently get the brake blocks free from the wheels.
This proved successful and allowed us to move the chassis from the yard into our working area. Once there we could get the power tools and heating equipment to the chassis. Ernie got to work removing the spark guard plates which Ross had numbered up. Some of the old tank barrel mounting rivets were also removed.
The pressure washer was used to remove as much of the muck, debris and old grease from the brake rigging joints, whilst the remaining parts of the old barrel mountings were dealt with.
The brake blocks and carriers were removed from the south end, a number of which required a little heat to release the pins; these were then cleaned up by Charlie and Harry.
We worked our way back along the south end brake rigging joint by joint, heating where necessary to free up the pins and allowing each section of the rigging to move freely. The joints were then well oiled.
Pins were removed from the vacuum brake cylinder piston rods, and heat was applied to the cross shaft, however despite this the centre section of the rigging and cross shaft parts were not wanting to move freely. All the joints were well oiled and left to soak.
A start was made removing the brake blocks and carriers from the north end and the brake cylinder mounting trunnion bolts were freed off; whilst Nick and Ernie had a go at freeing of the south end coupling with a little heat.
Sunday continued much the same with Nick, Ross, Ernie, Mark, Tom, Oliver, Dan, Charlie and myself on-site. Despite the oiling up yesterday our efforts to try and un-seize the cross shafts failed. We therefore decided that it would be easier to get the vacuum brake cylinders out of the way; they need to be removed anyway for overhaul. The piston rods and safety loops were removed from both cylinders, one release valve came away easily however the other was seized solid. Dan made a start refurbishing one release valve.
Nick and Charlie continued with the north end brake gear dismantling and cleaning up whilst Ross, Ernie and myself got the vacuum cylinders ready for removal. The Volvo was used to lift the cylinders out of the top of the chassis, a much easier task without a tank barrel in the way, rather than having to drop them out underneath. In order to release each cylinder from their trunnions we did need to burn off the lower mounting bolt as these had been fitted the wrong way round.
The second cylinder was removed in the same manner, with a bit of heat needing to be applied to the trunnions to release them.
Making the most of the sunshine, Mark, Tom and Oliver got to work with some Black Gloss on the north end of the GUV.
With the tank chassis vacuum brake cylinders out of the way we were able to dismantle the brake adjuster and apply some heat to release the cross shafts.
We then moved along the chassis towards the north end heating and oiling to release the each of the seized brake rigging joints.
The linkages between the north end bow girders needed dismantling to free them off.
The brake rods, links and pins were all cleaned up.
Then re-assembled with a good dose of grease in all joints.
The final parts to be assembled were the brake adjuster; to do this span-set straps were fitted across the bow girders at both ends to bring the blocks up to the wheels. Then with 1/2″ spacers fitted between one block and the wheel at each end, the straps tightened. The adjustment pin was then fitted in the nearest aligning hole and the straps released. The handbrakes were then checked for operation at both ends.
Although there is still much to do, we’re happy to report we now have a free rolling chassis with operational handbrakes.
Join us again next week; all the best, Dave
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