16/04/23 – Tanks for a wash and brush up

Written by

rloades109

in

Hello everyone and welcome to another update from Quorn! This week has been has seen the signwriting on the Plate wagon ,E212315, nearly finished and the 2 TTAs, 1802 and 1919, got washed and an initial survey of the vacuum pipe routing.

As we are opening Test Car 2 up for both a visit in the week and at the Diesel Gala, Dave spent the day freshening up the interior, making it ready for visitors. The flies that have made TC2 home over the winter have also been evicted!

Nick started by picking out the white details on the plate wagon, these being the handbrake ends and vacuum pipe swan necks. He then joined Mark, Oliver, Dan and I in washing the 2 TTA wagons.

Dave, now finished in the Test Car, continued the signwriting on the Plate, writing the tare weight on the east side and chalking out the wheelbase on the solebar for me.

As menitioned previously, I was in the main yard with Mark, Dan and Oliver washing the tanks. These look a bit better having had judicious application of Traffic Film Remover, agitation with a brush and being rinsed with the pressure washer. There is still a fair amount of bedded in brake dust to remove, so suggestions welcome for that!

It was just Nick and I onsite on Sunday, so I first spent some time on the Plate, signwriting the wheelbase which Dave had kindly chalked for me. Nick used the time to talk Rothley’s BEV back to the shed.

I also took a look at the air outlet on the Hydrovane. After the needle guns had become full of condensation, I have put a water trap between the outlet and the hose connection to better control this.

Thanks for reading. We’ll have the Test Car open on both Saturday and Sunday next week, so do pop down and see us if you are visiting!

Comments

4 responses to “16/04/23 – Tanks for a wash and brush up”

  1. Paul J avatar
    Paul J

    Another interesting update. Could I ask one thing. The plate wagon appears to be unfitted apart from a through pipe. Should it not be painted grey?

    Reply
    1. Ross Loades avatar
      Ross Loades

      Hi Paul, Thank you! You are correct in that the Plate is through piped only. The BR paint spec details that fitted and piped vehicles are painted in bauxite and unfitted vehicles are in grey. The swan neck then provides the guard the necessary information as to whether the vehicle is piped or fully fitted.

      Reply
  2. Paul J avatar
    Paul J

    OK thanks for the reply. But I would have thought the through pipe is down to modern operating requirements. The NYMR insist that a goose has a through pipe for instance. So you would never have any grey wagons. Would artistic licence not prevail for a bit of variety?

    Reply
    1. Ross Loades avatar
      Ross Loades

      Less so to satisfy modern requirements as the railway is able to run unfitted trains, and the pipe was fitted by BR when it was converted to a crane runner. The mineral rake paint everything grey, even if they are fitted.

      We could use some artistic license and paint one or 2 grey, our experience is vehicles that are painted differently to the tend to run less.

      Reply

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