Of wagons with tail lifts

20th June 2021

Father's Day: I try not to think about it.

This week didn't start off particularly well. First thing Monday I headed off to collect a piece that my favourite fabricators had ready for me, and carried on from there to Burnley to collect the Lister engine that Andrew had acquired on auction. My route took me on the Motorways past Huddersfield then A roads following the twists and tuirns of the defiles through Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. I was struck by the impression that those valleys could be really attractive scenically if it wasn't for all the people living there - and their businesses that had re-purposed old mills and other buildings, left unsightly piles of clutter outside and generally created eye-sores. Sorry if any of you reading this actually live in that part of the world, but really a bit of practical 'housekeeping' wouldn't go amiss.

When I finally got into Lancashire and found the auctioneers, trying to blend in with the Indian takeaway next door, I couldn't quite figure where I was supposed to go in but was directed to a 'gate' on the other side of a closed-down granite-top kitchen showroom. After paperwork formalities I was taken to the object of Andrew's bid, lot 211. He had of course shown me a picture of it from the auction catalogue, but that gives you little sense of scale. Now faced it with it I returned to the van and got out a tape measure. For length and width it wasn't a problem: if I could take off the lifting frame that arc'ed over the top it still wouldn't have gone in, and if I took off the wheels on the bottom (where most people tend to favour fitting wheels) it might just, but with the bearing bits and the pivoting tow bar, and the need to get the forklift forks under it, even that was iffy. Moreover, I had not come prepared for work of that magnitude, and doubted if I could get it completed before they closed, so poltely thanked them for showing it to me and said we'd be back in touch. Later that evening we had arranged for one of regular hauliers to go in on Wednesday and collect it: it upped the cost but was probably still worthwhile. The engine is a TS2, slightly more powerful than the LV2s we've been collecting over the last few years, and is planned to act as donkey for a second winch set-up for low load trailer No.2, when I have it. At the moment it is attached to a Hydrainer pump set up, made by a firm in KIllamarsh, not far from Sheffield, and clearly intended for building site use hence the ability to lift it with a single hook or tow it around behind a dumper or JCB. (I did wonder whether to tow it back to Darley Dale but doubted whether it would survive the journey.)

On Tuesday I was in the workshops all day, and had planned to spend Wednesday catching up on outstanding paperworks, but failed miserably in that regard, and by 3.15 was back at the shed, getting ready to drag the train back so that I could unload the Lister when it arrived. I hadn't even got my ovvies on when the lorry pulled up outside and the driver walked in. His paperwork had merely stated 'Darley Dale' but he thought it might mean us and as his lorry had a HIAB he backed it in and lowered it straight down next to the shed.

And here it is: and somewhat to our surprise (given that it has no air cleaner, the air duct has rotted and there's a bird nest inside, and its missing a starter motor and the voltage regulator) it barred over and shows all the signs of being runnable: we'll give it more attention later.

Thursday was supposed to be one transport job but as the loco wasn't ready instead we got to do another, and here it is a 25tonner on way to a new home. Phil G was driving with Adam in support.

Another setback occurred when the cheap battery impact wrench that we use to assemble the ramp fishplates and tie bars stopped working, and then smoke came off the battery. I concluded it had impacted its last.

Normally I like to be with the trailer when we're on these jobs, apart from showing my face it might generate other business, however, Friday's was primarily Andrew's trip (though he was at work) and would have meant an awfully early start for me, so Adam and Ian went down to Wallingford to collect it without me. (Being a wagon it doesn't require half as much effort to build the ramp as we can use fewer rails and shorter tips, and needs less packing). What it was was another WW2 German flat wagon. The history to these is that they were built in 1942 or thereabouts as tank wagons, carrying fuel to the Nazi rocket test site at Peenemunde. When the Allies overran the installation, the Russians and the Americans grabbed the high-tech hardware and the scientists, while we Brits proudly returned with the tank wagons, which, having aluminium tanks, were worth a bob or two in scrap and would make good flat wagons for the WD.

We used to think that there were only two of these surviving, Andrew had one and the other at Bo'ness, but more recently we realised that there were 4, with one at Fawley Hill and another, apparently via Fawley Hill, at Wallingford, but the Fawley Hill pair had had Ratcliff tail lifts welded to their sides in the 80s. The Wallingford one had come up for sale and Andrew moved to acquire it.

Adam reckoned he'd be at Rowsley 2 to 2.30, so I drifted down to Rowsley just before two to find the lorry already there, the ramp assembled and the wagon just coming off.

Although Andrew had sought permission in good time, Peak Rail had declined to allow it to be moved that day and so I dragged it up to the gate with the van, before securing it for the weekend. As you can see it lacks a floor at present, and the installation of the tail lift on the side (now incomplete) meant removal of the brake linkage (most of it still there, just no V iron, cross shaft or handles) which he aims to replicate in due course. For now some basic TLC plus a new floor as a load carrying wagon is in prospect.

Saturday saw Andrew aiding me on the Janus loco returning its middle axle, lowering it back to the rails, refitting side rods and most of the remaining brake gear replaced. We had hoped to complete that in sufficient time to shunt it out of the shed, but that was not to be: Instead, joined by Jagger, that was Sunday's main task. One of the Matterson posts has been giving me a little concern, now that that project is cleared the post will be going back to Rochdale for a check-over and Andrew was determined (especially after both he and I have had to slide on our backs along the floor under the loco) that the track area be cleaned up, sealed and painted before the next loco occupies the space. This area is known to regular readers as the 'Ornamental Pond' owing to its propensity to flood after very heavy rain, so not only is there concrete dust but general sediment that has washed in. So with the loco departed, the floor area tidied of remaining cables, tools, etc, the offending Matterson post was taken away and the rails detached from their fixings and lifted out, before several bucket-fulls of dirt, debris, spiders, etc were swept and shovelled up for disposal.

By then it was 6pm-ish and time for a final cuppa and head homeward. The floor now wants vacuuming and sealing.

So that's the lot for this last week. This coming one has me out and about with the trailer quite a bit, the wagon to bring down from Rowsley, and maybe get some other work done. Hopefully there'll be something to entertain and inform again this place, next Sunday. See ya then.