Tag: 280364

  • 26/01/20 – Winter Gala

    This weekend has of course been the GCRs winter gala, we stepped away from Rothley and ADB977107. To open the doors at Quorn and allow you to see what we do, see Test Car 2 and Madge.  It was great to see so many of our followers and supports and thank you for taking the time to come and see us.20200126_121242

    Work, however, did not stop.  Nick, Ross, and Jake re-floored E280364 and changed the few rotten planks on E281882.

    Dave and I along with Eddie and Harry played hosts for our visitors.  Dave explaining the Test Cars past and I demonstrating some signwriting, namely the W.H.Smith & Son wording for the kiosk at Loughborough83421767_1095605867498752_7962423583538413568_n

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    Once the floors had been completed Nick, Ross and Jake then moved on to the overhaul of the 15″ vacuum cylinder from B385782.20200125_141559 Sunday and an unscheduled visitor into the yard, namely 46521 deputising for 4953 which had failed that morning. We took advantage of the vist and had the Iron Ore tippler moved to the centre road so we could fit the 15″ cylinder before we opened the doors.

    Once the loco had left the cylinder was placed back under the Tippler and the doors of the test car opened.

    A vacuum test was carried out after a hose change and the vehicle deemed to be fit, just awaiting better weather to complete the vehicle.

    Madge was on display and had the opportunity to make some friends on the few trips around the yard.

    The sign painted Saturday was cleaned of chalk and will be collected next weekend to be fitted to the Kiosk at Loughborough20200126_193937

    Jakes final task was to clear the build-up of moss from inside the tippler and in due course extra drain holes will be being added to the wagons floor.20200126_152036

    Finally, for this update a few views from the gala the visiting NER petrol although Diesel-powered rail car and our van train “plus” including Shochood B and Loaded Conflat.image5

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  • 22/09/19 – Conflats and Containers

    With our thanks to the Ops department, we are back in our usual position with Test Car on the front road and our next project brought up from the yard. First task a brake test to find out how the two vehicles behave. B507489 held vacuum for 10 minutes with B505313 being no better after fitment of a Branch pipe, the original one having long since perished, new vacuum hoses were fitted all round.

    So next we looked at the Release Valves.  Both were removed and overhauled by Dave. This has become second nature to him and both valves were done very quickly.

    The next test and B505313 held for just under an hour but no change to B507489.  With only one 15″ rolling ring in stock B507489 was chosen to receive it. With the “Lighter” cylinder the decision was taken to drop it manually rather than use the loading shovel.

    Once out it was split and found to be in remarkable condition. A quick hoover new ring fitted, rebuilt and refitted to the vehicle.

    A final test and after 3 hours it was still holding and another Defect Card filed.

    Whilst this was going on, my attention was on BD4303B, voids were filled with expanding foam. Surface and full cracks, as well as dents, were scolloped out.

    One of the doors had a hole straight through it. The top hinge was unbolted, loose fibreglass removed. Tape was applied to the inside and again the void filled and taped over

    Full through cracks received a fiberglass matting and resin to restore strength and then a fiberglass filler applied along with the other areas prepared earlier.

    Finally, for Saturday we welcome Eddie and Harry who have started with the paint preparation removing loose paint and verdigris.

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    On to Sunday and the weather was not in our favor.  Despite this Ross and I continued with work on Nicks Container.  The areas of foam added were cut down, scolloped exposing original layers of Fiberglass

    Matting was then resined into position to provide strength and support, this will then have a layer of filler applied to restore the smooth outer layer although only if we have a drier day.

    Ross’s task was to begin the sanding of previously applied resin and keying of the gelcoat ready for painting,  we would have liked to of restored the gelcoat fully, unfortunately working outside this is ni on impossible.20190922_180933.jpg

    Nick replaced a number of floor planks as well as removing the remains of the bottoms of the chain boxes.  These have not faired well so the decision has been taken to open them up to limit further rot20190922_163848.jpg

    Eddie and Harry continued with their cleaning regime, with the conflats complete they moved on to E280364 20190922_181730.jpg

    With rain towards the later half of the day Ross and I took a trip to Swithland to fit our refurbished first aid kits to our brakevans, replacing the modern kits with more period looking items.

    Being at Swith also gave us a chance to see our latest van with the rest. With all of our restored vans in the one train,  well all apart from the fishvan and tool van. 15 Bauxite vans in one train, is there anywhere else that can offer this?

    Our final image.  The two proud Container owners with there rare items.received_2507036179515307.jpg

  • 15/09/19 – Back on the Wagon(s)

    15/09/19 – Back on the Wagon(s)

    We are back to normality following the Diesel Gala, and have been working on wagons and wagon loads. However, before work on that started, we had some goodies to investigate with regards to getting the intercom system working in Test Car 2. Using the 3 speaker boxes we have, we can get the intercom working in the slip end, Main saloon and Kitchen. There is the hope of finding some more Speaker boxes to expand the system as necessary. Having proved it, we have developed a plan for its continued usage.

     

    On to Wagons, and I started by continuing to grease the pins in the brake linkages on the Air Braked Steel High. Armed with a 12-ton hydraulic jack, 2 hammers and various punches, (oh and a big bucket of grease) I  crawled under the wagon to remove a few more pins, clean up the holes and replaced the pins with a fresh smear of grease.  This resulted in the successful repair of this vehicle’s hand brake and removal of the defect labels.

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    In the past, it was thought to be the slack adjuster causing the brakes to lock up. After surveying the vehicle, it was found that a number of linkages were seized, causing the brake to jam on. The slack adjuster is working absolutely fine, much to our relief. A number of linkages were done the week before the Diesel Gala, with Nick sorting a few more once TPO duties had finished.

    Getting sick of crawling around from under the Steel High, I decided to remove the floor with assistance from Nick. The floor is due replacement as all of the boards are rotten. The floor came out in no time, thanks to a novel feature included by the LNER on this wagon. Instead of the floor being fixed in by bolts, the floor is held captive in a C-channel attached to the wagon side. there are 2 cut-outs to drop the boards into, and provide the planks are appropriately sized, should slide along to where needed.

     

    While I was crawling under/over the Steel High, Dave, Jake and Matt started work on the Fibreglass containers. Matt started fabricating a plate to repair the end door of his container, while Dave and Jake set about freeing the end doors on Nick’s container.

     

    Matt disappeared early in order to take part in a photo charter at East Kirkby with their Lancaster “Just Jane”.

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    Having got the Oxy-propane cutting bottles out, Dave, Nick and I started to heat up and manipulate the bent straps on Nick’s container and loosened the rings on Matt’s. In the meantime, Jake was on the roof of Nick’s container cleaning out the debris which had found itself under the lifting frame.

     

    On to Sunday, Matt finished the repair to his containers door as well as removing the box from the locking bar and adding a missing staple.

     

    Nick continued Jake’s task from Saturday by completing the roof de-veg of both Containers.

     

    The final task for the weekend was to secure the strapping of Nicks container, this was drilled by Matt and then secured in place by both.  As a safety measure and to keep the 2 containers looking similar, the same was done to Matts.

     

    This concludes this update, more as always next week.

     

  • 01/09/19 – Test Car Done

    01/09/19 – Test Car Done

    We begin this weekend with an exciting number of items.  Our thanks go to Serco Rail Technical Services for the loan of these items that will aid in telling Test Car 2s story.

    The most exciting of which being the Slip Coupling, with the coupling and coach reunited we re-hung it back in its rightful place.

    All of these pieces of equipment will be discussed further during our tours over the diesel gala. Work of cause continues with the gala target in view.  My first task was to progress the “A” end door, marking out, masking and applying the stripes to the door.

    Jake cleaned up and applied undercoat to the buffers. Whilst Dave continued with the “B” end headstock details before being assisted by Jake.

    Nick and Ross scrapped down the eastside underframe before once again Jake took the lead and sprayed it black.

    We also had a look at our new signs for next weekend’s opening. Hopefully, these will leave visitors in no doubt whether we are open or not.

    On to Sunday and preparations continue, sometime in the late 80s a member of the testing team applied a car sticker to the “A” End door, we decided to recreate this detail.

    The rest of the team continued with the eastside underframe springs and axle box covers as well as the buffers receiving black a coat of black.

    With the car sticker complete I continued sign-writing, Brake Stars, ETH Lightning bolts, wheel profile markings, and the builder’s plate.

    Nick and Ross then turned their attention to the defective hand brake on the Steel-High

    Dave, Jake and I then turned to preparing for the public.  Tidying, an extension to the fence and adding the components to the steel high required for slip/brake testing.

    We shall not go into detail yet, all will be revealed next weekend.  The last thing to do, however, test the operation of the slip coupling.

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    All is in place for our first public opening for Test Car 2.  6th, 7th and 8th September Quorn and Woodhouse station behind the signal box. Please come and see us and we will explain this unique vehicle’s place in Railway History.20190901_201016.jpg

  • 26/08/19 – A Splash of Colour

    26/08/19 – A Splash of Colour

    Welcome to another Quorn Wagon & Wagon update. This weekend has been of the hot, Bank Holiday variety which meant 3 days of shade seeking to keep cool. In between this, we’ve been working towards the completion of ‘2 car’ which is becoming tantalisingly close. Matt started by applying the coaches identification to the east side, while Jake painted the door shuts in Rail Blue. Nick and I cleaned, scraped and painted the ‘A’ End headstock, so we would be ready to colour code everything later in the weekend. Nick also took the black paint and touched in anywhere on the bogies that required more paint.

    With the South End signwriting completed, Matt moved to the ‘B’ end sliding gangway door to paint it into undercoat for the Warning Yellow paint. Once completed, he then started the ‘B’ End signwriting.

    I cleaned and then painted the ‘A’ end ETH boxes into their Mid Red undercoat, ready for the Light Orange. This took a while as it required a steady hand. The undercoat dried quite quickly, so Jake followed me, painting the ETH boxes into the Light Orange enamel paint. I performed a repair to the Volvo loading shovel, which enabled its movement to the other side of the turntable road in preparation of the upcoming Diesel Gala. This also involved moving Danny, which proved a farcical affair, as said dumper is currently without steering. With the end door undercoat dry, Matt applied a layer of Warning Yellow to the gangway door and the finished off some of the ETH Orange. As a final act, Matt mixed up some filler and applied it to the Slip End gangway door, ready for Sunday.

    Matt began Saturday with a quick maths exercise, as he attempted to work out the spacing of the B end wasp stripes, as these are unequal.

    I sanded the filler applied to the Slip end door, and then undercoated the door, ready for Warning Yellow Gloss. At some point in the future the Slip End door is going to have to be removed and planed down as it catches both the frame at the top and the floor, but for now, it can stay in place, especially as it won’t be opened regularly. Dave concentrated on the ‘B’ end where he cleaned and painted the headstock black. Matt also wire-brushed the OLEO buffers fitted to the slip end. We had planned to quarter them, however with the amount of wagons it has been coupled to, the buffers are quite scratched and to polish them will take quite a lot of work. These will be painted black in due course.

    Matt and Jake then fitted the Main Reservoir Cocks back to the Air Braked LNER steel high. This has been chosen as the ‘wagon under test’ for our opening of the Test Car at the Diesel Gala. These were then painted up into the undercoat for the yellow, by Jake.

    The undercoat on the slip end door had dried, so I gave it a first coat of Warning Yellow. This got a second coat on Monday morning.  Matt also painted the Lighting bolt on the Orange painted ETH boxes.  Monday also saw a shunt take place in the south yard, which mainly removed the Test Car from the dock, and replaced the GUV in the dock.  After reconnecting power and resiting the steps to the Test Car and the tool van, we got stuck in.  The ‘B’ End of the test car was the focus of the attention, with the Air and vacuum pipes picked out in Red and Yellow, and the ETH boxes painted into their mid-red undercoat.  Matt also applied the ‘essay’ to the end of the coach.

    Dave painted the air cocks on the Steel High. The east side fuel filler cap also got a polish.

    And finally, some finishing pictures of the Test Car in its Gala Position.

    With the Test Car in the final furlong to the finish, we find ourselves completing smaller and smaller jobs. Next week will see the East Side underframe and bogies cleaned and painted black, and a big tidy to open the test can to the public. Thanks for reading!

  • 02/06/19 – Independent Test Car

    More mid-week work but not from me this time.  Ross has been popping in of an evening pressing on with Test Car 2.  First the removal of the stickers and vinyls on the dockside.

    Once the lettering was removed, the task of preparing the bodywork for paint was started, Nick also joining in after work to assist and focused on the roof. 

    I was not idle in the week either having ordered and collected the paint for the vehicle.  We also had a delivery of our next few projects. The 2 LNER Steel Highs E281882 E280364, the iron ore tippler B385782 and back from the loco shed; our centre shock shocvan B854782 . This has had significant repairs to the two ends, our thanks once again to the loco department for their excellent work.

    On to Saturday and work continues on preparing Test Car 2,  Dave continuing the work started by Ross in the week. 

    Whilst Dave was sanding away the rest of the team returned one of the overhauled vacuum cylinders to its position under the center Shockvan20190601_104030.jpgOnce back in position all of our attention turned to the Test Car.  Due to the poor condition of the inward opening door on the “A” End or the Slip End as its known the decision was taken to change it for another held in stock.  This was trial fitted and due to some accurate measuring previously, fitted with no problems at all.

    The door was removed so I could carry out my major task for the day.  A set of edging strips were fitted either side of the Slip end doors when they were modified from outward opening to inward opening.  Unfortunately, the weather has not been kind to these and the usual bulging due to rust had occurred.  I removed the internal trimming and handrails before de-riveting the edging strips themselves.

    Once cleaned up and straightened, red oxide was applied to all parts a wooden backing applied and the strip screwed back into place followed by refitting of the hand rail.

    Whilst the new door was off Dave took the opportunity to sand it down. 

    Jake also assisted with some of the coach prep whilst Nick replaced the rotten step board. 

    The final task for Saturday to refit the new door and admire the prep carried out

    On to Sunday and continuation of the body prep.  Red Oxide being applied to areas requiring it and once dry the filling began.  Dave and Nick also continued with some of the detailing, cleaning out window runners and prep around the end components.  I also had another go at cleaning the windows in preparation for applying the window film as we will be spraying the vehicle.  As part of our sanding down, we were able to see the layers of paint applied over the years, right down to the first application of maroon when the coach was built. 

    Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas and attention turned to dryer activities.  Ross and Dave took the lead on giving the generator some TLC. With the water and oils checked, the battery charged it was coaxed into life.

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    With it running smoothly, the leap was taken and for the first time since at least 2010 the shore supply was switched off in preference to the generator supply.

    The compressor was then tested as well as the 240v supply all successful.  The compressor was also connected to the main reservoir and charged.

    The last task for the weekend was to vacuum test the shocvan and after 8 hour the brakes were still hard on and so deemed a success.  20190602_192401

    That concludes this weeks update and our hope is for better weather so progress can continue with Test Car 2

  • 06/05/19 – Brakes hard on.

    500954 has left us to have its actuating arm welded at Rothley and will return to traffic as part of the Parcels rake at the upcoming Goods Galore gala before it joins the rest of the vans for future events.

    On to this weekend and first a trip out to collect a Hydrovane Compressor kindly donated to us, this will be a great asset for the future and our thanks go out for this kind donation.20190505_182152

    Due to the changeable weather, our attention has turned to the vacuum system of the Shockhood B.  This had been isolated sometime ago and was picked up during our routine maintenance. The vehicle has an Empty / Loaded change over valve which once selected to the loaded position introduces an additional 15″ cylinder into the brake system as well as the standard 18″ cylinder.  When we last looked at the vehicle we connected the 15″ Cylinder direct to the train pipe of the vehicle.  After replacing the south end vacuum hose we carried out a brake test. 

    This performed unsatisfactorily even after the replacement of the release valve.  We swapped the direct connection to the 18″ cylinder and again this did not meet with expectation.

    The piston gland seal was replaced and again no change to its performance. So with a new release valve, gland seal and a missing nut replace from beneath the cylinder the issue must be internal.

    With a plan formulated for Sunday,  we removed the release valve from the 15″ cylinder as well as the now redundant pipe work.

    The final job for Saturday was a spot of signwriting for Renaissance Railcars20190504_215306

    On to Sunday and we dropped the 18″ cylinder from the Shockhood.

    The cylinder was last overhauled in 1993 and its internal condition was remarkable only the seals were in very poor condition.

    With the seals replaced the cylinder was reassembled and the top of the dome painted in bitumastic paint.  Once it is refitted this area will be inaccessible.  Once together the cylinder was refitted, plumed back in and a test carried out.  This time the cylinder held until we released it after a tea break.

    With a boost in confidence, we turned our attention to the Medfit and again cylinder out.  This time however we lifted it out.

    This one shows the importance of sealing an out of use cylinder,  the Shockhoods was sealed when isolated keeping the elements out of it, the Medfits however left to the open and internally it was very poor.

    With a scrape, wirebrush and then Red Oxide it was time for another tea break.

    This allowed the Red Oxide to dry so we could reassemble the cylinder with another full set of seals and it was refitted to the vehicle.  The two vehicles were then connected to the test rig individually, the cylinders operated a number of times and then the brake finally destroyed and left.

    I finally brought my latest bit of signwriting out into the sun.IMG-20190505-WA0000.jpg

    On arrival Monday the vehicles still had their brakes applied. Hardly any drop on either cylinder.

    Our task, however, was gala prep.  Next week is, of course, Goods Galore and a few of our vehicles are in operation.  We were asked by the Operations Manager to look over not only our vehicles but all those in operation.  It also gave us the opportunity to complete the Winter Maintenance of E280364 and DB916549.

    Back at Quorn and to complete the day I manufactured a blanking plate for the now redundant 15″ cylinder on the Shockhood and Nick manufactured 2 chalkboards for the Medfit.

    As I mentioned above next weekend is Goods Galore so feel free to come down and see a substantial number of our collection in operation.