Of steps forward

4th August 2019

If that dam fails at Whaley Bridge, not only will the town be inundated, but the historic interchange between rail and canal (the top of the CH&P) will be in the firing line as will the firm that made all our floor paint. Let us hope the weather gives the engineers some respite, but rain features a lot again this week.

So, given the recent propensity for the Tunstead pit to turn into a sheep dip, we were scarcely surprised that our first task last Monday was to pump the pit out again. But with added dimension since the stores floor had taken on the appearance of a wetlands, with standing water over some eighty or more square yards adjacent (and nobody else semed bothered). Previously, the submersible pump has done its stuff and the sink away/oil trap or whatever the manhole adjacent is supposed to be has kept pace, but this time the manhole was on a go-slow and the water found its way under the rails and back down the pit wall. That, and the various holes in the delivery hose one of which returns a not-inconsiderable flow right back down again, contributed to extending the time taken to getting the pit somewhere near dry, if still slimy and a bit pongy.

Andy took a large broom and started sweeping some of the adjacent surface water across and into the pit, while I watched and periodically stopped the pump while the manhole caught up. Eventually, we got around to doing some (proper) work. I had brought up a step kit which I had largely cut the previous evening at Darley Dale and hoped would fit without adjustment. No chance really, but it didn't require too much cutting/surforming before I transferred to the adjacent workroom and started assembly. By lunchtime it was all together and Andy insisted I must proof test it before it was taken to grace the loco.

I measured up for the bleed hose and loosely assembled one end but being out of stock for the other, that was as far as I could go. I also measured up for the heater circuit - with one radiator in place and end connections available, I might as well plan the route and lay it out. There are some spare holes through the bulkhead which should suit: I suspect originally they dropped through the cab floor and connected underneath. Both radiators appear to have grease nipples where the bleed nipples ought to be. We have tried undoing them but they are mightily seized and all I have succeeded in doing is taking the corners off the hex. So they will probably have to stay (as original historic artefacts) and as the modern bleed valves appear to come as a 1/2 BSP cap, I'll incorporate it into a tee at the other side.

Andy meanwhile continued with painting, notably the grille which required a lot of careful work with a small brush to get at all its surfaces. Finally I replaced the desk extension piece. Originally all the cab front was obscured by tinplate cover pieces, which were peeled back and generally ruined by those determined that any piece of copper pipe was theirs to take. I don't intend to replace them, but the centre section covers (largely) the gap in the floor through which the handbrake chain goes and protects against touching it, so that at least is returned and the cab looks the better for it.

Part way through the day we were engaged by a member of the quarry staff, who was a member of the 8F group that restored 48624 at Darley Dale. He started by saying he had hoped we were going to restore RS8 as a steam loco: whether it was a deliberate taunt I wasn't quite sure, but I think we won him round a bit and the conversation got on fairly well until his colleague became impatient to get some real work done. The new fuel filler caps were fitted, and promptly removed again by Andy in order to give them a coat of black paint, and last but not least we hooked up the batteries and tested the loco's LED headlamps - but not long enough that I got a photo.

A mixture of news during the week - on the one hand, the fabricators reckoned the new casing doors wouldn't be quite ready by Friday, so they've dropped back a further week: on the other hand, I collected a very modern and moderately priced cab light ready to go into the back corner of the cab. It is by way of an experiment to see how effective it is. By Friday/Saturday I was back in the shed, mostly on commercial work (and bear in mind it was month end this week and I had a VAT return, suppliers to pay, invoices to raise, my personal tax bill to settle and on top of it all a call out to a customer when his loco suddenly stopped changing direction in the middle of the day. I never get a quiet life.)

By Sunday however, not only was I back down, but Andrew and Jagger there too. Andrew made a start on the gatepost, capping it off and then we took it out by sack truck and trialled it in place to ascertain how best to secure the hasp. With that agreed we brought it back inside and he welded the hasp pivot, plus tabs to hold the section of wooden fencing from there to the adjacent boundary.

All it requires is some holes to hold the latter and a coat of gloss before it goes in place. Meanwhile Jagger had checked fuel was flowing from tank to pump on Ashdown and primed through the lines to the injectors. Andrew changed the batteries for a pair I had collected for him last week and dragged the loco outside and left it on charge while we had lunch. After sausage and bacon sandwiches (ours, not a secret diesel fuel supplement) it fired up almost immediately - the first time for several years.

It would be nice to report that everything worked perfectly, but that would be too much - one air valve leaked badly and the clutch plates appeared to be dragging, which in theory they ought not, but it did at least drive itself, although needs a bit more TLC yet.

Jagger meantime was making a determined effort to improve the interior to 03 901s cab. Although the outside of the loco was painted at Scunthorpe, the cab interior received little other than a coat of primer and the rust has come through this. Since 03 901 is heading out to attend a gala event at the end of this month it needs attention and Jagger made a start rubbing down and re-repriming both doors and door frames.

There's still a lot to do! At around 6pm there were several rolls of thunder and Jagger made a quick departure just as the rain started - whether he made it out the gate without drenching I don't know. I might have followed him but 10 minutes of very heavy downpour meant that our doorway was now a pond too great or me to step over.

I mimicked Andy from Monday, sweeping it away with a brush once the rain eased - this is where a new slot drain is planned to deal with where it collects. And that's about it really. We're up to Tunstead tomorrow, I think I've enough to keep me occupied but it would have been good to have a van load of casing doors to drop in to place. At least I don't have to buy another 5 litres of Golden Yellow quite so soon. Next week is the Peak Rail 'Mixed Traffic Gala' for which we'll have a front row seat. If any of you are attending and would like a look round at our end, don't hesitate to ask. Else I'll be back, same time, same website - see ya then.