Of pipe dreams

2nd August 2020

There was an astonishing video on Youtube of a Bombardier class 221 rolling down a siding at Ilford two weeks ago with a railworker in front desperately trying to hold it back. He must be a descendant of King Canute. Unfortunately it was taken from a security camera and so Bombardier assert it's their copyright and have had it pulled.

The last few days of July have seen a gradual increase in activity. Down at our hauliers' yard it took two men 4 and a half hours to get the leaky ram out of the trailer (so one new pin and two spherical bearings needed thanks to heat damage) and it is in Sheffield being repaired. I've been doing research on the charge system fitted to Charlie to see if there's any tests I was unaware of or defects that others have encountered, but I haven't been back on the loco yet. I have though bought a fresh set of drive belts - I don't think that's the cause but best to eliminate it as the present set are down to 3 (should be 4 Z-section) and look tired. On Thursday two potential volunteers arrived to look Charlie over with a view to repainting it. Charlie's new belts were of course in company with the belts for Ashdown, and once again this loco is taking the bulk of this evening's missive.

A few weeks ago I delivered to a firm - I had better not name them, let's call them Firm X - some speedo and tacho heads for checking over. One I knew had had water in somehow (the glass had turned opaque) but as Firm X claim to have parts and expertise from the former Smiths empire. I have used them from time to time for the last 25 or more years. The last time that I recall was probably just before this blog started, and concerned a 3-phase electronic speedo head for 14901. We had in stock  'heads supplied by Rolls for the C range engines, but needed one converting to suit the DV8 engine. I forget how many weeks and visits it necessitated. In fact it took a while even to find them as I arrived at where they used to be and they had moved to premises about half the size and a quarter mile away behind a car hire showroom. You often hear firms being lauded for having a 'can do' attitude. Firm X has a 'why should we bother?' attitude.This time when I took these 'heads in, together with a broken tacho cable for Ashdown, they told me that their 'man' was in on Monday and they'd come back to me after that. Two weeks later I chased up and got the 'oh they're obsolete, can't get the parts...' tale of woe.

Now, if you're waiting for them to to say 'but we can offer you this as a replacement...' you'd still be waiting. His attitude was why bother. He finally agreed to have 'a think about it over the weekend' and get back to me. He didn't. Ten days later I rang him and got a 'didn't ring you back because I can't suggest anything' lecture - what service. What about the cable?, I asked. Well it's no use without the 'heads so I haven't touched it, he said. (I had stressed that they were for different machines when I brought them in.) On being reminded of this he promised it would be ready late afternoon of the next day (which would have been Wednesday). On Friday I detoured well out of my way to pick this up, and the 'heads having concluded that I might as well find the solution from a different direction. Was the cable ready? No. Blaming someone else he went to finish it off while I twiddled my face covering in reception: I think it may have been my last visit to Firm X.

But come Saturday the drive was put on to Ashdown. Although the original cable and replacements I have bought over the years have all been plastic/rubber covered, this is bare aluminium, convoluted like gas poker hoses used to be (yeah, showing my age). Not sure I'm keen on it, but I've routed it as best I can and you can see it snaking around up the right and across to the head in this photo, taken from my regular perch on the fluid coupling.

Andrew meanwhile was at work on the other side of the bulkhead, drilling holes through to mount valves and regulators- and narrowly missing a conduit on one occasion! He had ordered up a stock of my favourite re-usable fittings for nylon pipe, and had ordered pipe as well, but that got lost along the way. We had also investigated an alternative to hydraulic (wire armoured) hose to form the half inch air lines: Andrew had reminded me that we had an air line I bought years ago which had swaged fittings but was lighter and more flexible - turned out it was half the price per metre and the ferrules cheaper too, but uses the normal threaded inserts. So feeds from the driver's straight air brake valve and air to and from the vac proportional valve to the shuttle valve - sorry double check valve - that guards the line to the brake cylinder is made off in that.

As well as saving cost, it is easier and quicker to work with being cut with a sharp Stanley knife, and requires less effort with the swaging machine. It'll be standard in our repertoire in future (as I bought far too much..).

On Saturday I had popped out to get something from the van when I saw two enthusiasts leaning over the level crossing gates, so I wandered up and keeping the appropriate social distance, engaged them in conversation. Their first question was when would we be running trains? Now, I knew they probably meant when would Peak Rail be running again, but I decided to play dumb and ask if they meant here or the railway. For one thing all we've heard is that the railway is still on lockdown, and enquiries of other volunteers only ellicit blank expressions and shrugs. Anyway, these two came in for a look round and I did my usual tour of what was in, but they declined the offer of tea, which prevented me from casually pointing out the donations tin!

Today piping has been continued, using my remaining stock of nylon until a fresh replacement roll arrives. The shuttle valve (centre of picture) that was once in the brake cylinder line (and was quarter inch bore despite the line being half) is now the joining point for output from either of the train brake control valves, and connected in turn to the air/vac valve which is almost finished up front.

The belts are now on the compressor and dynamo. The manufacture of the extension piece for the air cleaner has progressed but not quite completed, and although the vac train pipe gauge stands looking majestically down from on high in the cab, its connection must await that further pipe delivery.

Andrew says we're on the home straight, and that's true, but the Finish Line isn't quite in sight.

I glanced out of the shed to see an orange-clad figure painting an electrical cabinet. It had to be Dom B, so we invited him in for a tea and a swap of information - at an appropriate social distance. In seems that several heritage lines that have re-started services are reporting them running at a loss (the Festiniog I know have cancelled a number of trains) and our local EVR is reckoned to be just better than breaking even. It should be hardly surprising, that after the Government has implored us all not to use trains unless neccessary, the over-arching interpretation for the public will be 'trains aren't safe' - so why take the risk of riding one when it is anything but necessary. Maybe those that are are determinedly showing their support, but as declared enthusiasts comprise only 5% of passenger numbers according to most heritage railway surveys, that doesn't suggest a tremendous pool to draw from.

A busy week ahead with lots to sort and hopefully more progress on Ashdown such that it's ready to depart 'ere long. Andrew's after various bits of essential equipment that he's asking me to collect for him with the van and the week after the trailer's due to be in use. Stay tuned for next week's thrilling instalment. See ya then.