Of November blues part 2
4th December 2022
Yes, but most of the week was November, wasn't it?
Thus it was a silly o'clock start on Monday morning, but despite being on the road half an hour sooner such was the traffic that I still ended up later than I had on Thursday. In particular the Dartford area was completely snarled up - the exit that I had to take immediately after dropping down the QE2 bridge being saturated by traffic unable to get on the M25 to go through the tunnel. The only saving grace was that Adam and Ian were only a few minutes ahead of me.
The Crossrail staff were again very helpful and loading didn't take any longer than usual, so I set off back. In the lorry's case it must again take the M25 clockwise all the way past Gatwick and Heathrow, but I had the choice of going anti-clockwise through the tunnel. It wasn't much of a choice, the traffic was better than it had been in the morning - I only queued half an hour for the M25 junction - but concluded that as I was in the wrong lane to take the tunnel, I might as well go the scenic route, and did.
First thing Tuesday it was not up quite so early to get the loco unloaded, as Adam wanted it off and to head straight back to Crossrail for the third loco.
In theory we should have again been able to drive the loco away, but this one had a DPM filter fault and its control system shut it down after 30 seconds and the first loco was still being a little cantankerous hence dismantling most of the ramp while the loco was sill on it.
Adam and Ian were back on the A1 and were going to stop at Colsterworth for 'breakfast' but I opted for the M1 and wound my way south once again. I had an hour or so to spare at Plumstead before Adam rolled up at 2.25, which was good news as I did not want to finish loading in the dark. But by now the Crossrail crew were entirely familiar with what our practice was and the loco was on and being chained down within an hour.
The additional ramp rails and timbers were loaded with their telehandler and as it was agreed that Adam and Ian could park up there for the night (abnormal loads couldn't move from 3.30 to 8pm and that would have left Adam with about 45 minutes before he'd have had to stop anyway) so I left them to it, but at least went through the Tunnel this time.
Wednesday morning and it was back out to unload at a slightly more civilised hour. Adam had started off from Plumstead at three in the morning (claiming he couldn't sleep) so was earlier than I'd expected. Once off he headed back to base to change trailers for Thursday. I headed home for a rest and catch up on emails and such. So on Thursday it was off early again and I underestimated my running time down to Castle Hedingham but Adam too was late and we both arrived - from opposite directions - at much the same time. The object this time was a standard Mk1 64ft carriage which was loaded without too much difficulty other than one side of their loading area being in close proximity to undergrowth
What with turning around, loading and preparing to leave it racked up about 2 hours though, and Adam was anxious to get down and around the M25 before the axe fell at 3.30. So I stopped the traffic again to get them away and returned to the van to finish and get changed. I overtook them on the road between Braindead - er Braintree - and Stanstead, and cruised on in advance as I had a room booked at a motel in Lydney.
I got there a bit after 5 and booked a breakfast prompt for 7 am as Adam had hoped to be parked up at Lydney overnight, but later on I got a text saying they were stopping at Membury (M4) instead. I walked into Lydney town centre for the Lydney Chippy to see whether it compared with our own Darley Chippy just around the corner from the Briddon Country Pile. It scored quite well. Friday morning therefore I didn't have to rush. Adam had forecast 10-10.30 but I went down to the station at about half-nine to dismantle the fence and measure up the unloading set up. In doing so I attracted the attention of a passing DFR member who ended up being our shunt loco driver later! Adam arrived at 10.40 and once again I blocked the traffic while he turned around and then drew on to the loading area.
With my King trailer the winch is mounted on the back of the trailer and provided we have hoses that can reach, the tractor unit can park anywhere. With the carriage trailer, the winch is on the swan neck and normally we line it up behind the trailer. But space here prevented that, and so we backed up to the tent behind and snatch-blocked the winch rope from the Class 31 parked inside. The only remaining snag was that the ground sloped slightly and although most of the carriage was facing downhill, there was too much resistance to get it to roll initially on the winch cable. By now our newly co-opted driver had the 08 started, and with a couple of chains to play a tug of war, the carriage was pulled so far before the winch could control it safely down to DFR metals, after which it was hauled away. Adam and Ian reassembed the unit and got back on the road, I stayed on to finish reassembling the fence but was away by about quarter to one. A little while later the customer rang to ask 'how we were getting on' I was happy to tell him it was all ready and waiting for them.
At this point pangs of hunger were making themselves felt plus I was getting low on diesel and didn't want to pay motorway prices for either, so foresook the M5 north at Gloucester for an ill-fated foray into Cheltenham that was time wasting and unproductive, though did bring me out past the Gloucester Warwickshire Racecourse station. Now, if you've been adding this up, you may have realised that I've racked a fair few miles this last week, and depending where you draw the start line it has been a shade under or over 1500, so this next week I'm looking forward to a quieter one. But first there was the weekend, and as Andrew had special work on Saturday I wasn't going down first thing. Indeed, the Janus loco is to have two new alternators to replace the aging Simms dynamos and regulators and as these had arrived while I had been away I unpacked one to start preparing a CAD drawing for its installation. I did head down alone during the afternoon to put some batteries on charge, unpack the van (spare timbers I'd been carrying all week) and top up RS8 with anti-freeze. One of Peak Rail's first Santa trains of the season came by and was reassuringly well-occupied.
I was down for ten o'clock Sunday but Matt didn't show and despite his best intentions, Andrew didn't arrive until lunchtime. While waiting, I assembled the budget locks and door catch for the new access doors on the EE and made a start to remove the first Simms dynamo on the Janus. The original installation of this was something of a shoe-horn job. The 7 inch diameter dynamo (the normal one was only 5 inch diameter and shorter) was strap mounted and barely cleared the injection pipes at the fuel pump so has to be freed up and swung outwards, but if it hasn't been disturbed in years as this one, nothing wants to budge, and access is restricted by the front nose cone of the loco. Two of the mounting bolts for the main bracket are behind the saddle of the clamp, and one at least only accessible with a spanner, working blind. I got the dynamo out though and Andrew assisted with the bracket. Now I have the best of both worlds. The timing case is visible and I can measure up without restriction, but if there are any dimensions I require fom the original installation, I need only walk to the other end of the loco and inspect that. It is sobering to consider that many Jani were converted to the AC5 alternator which could produce as much or more power than the 7 inch Simms dynamo and the alternators today are still only 5 inch but produce 60% more amps.
Andrew had had the rear end vac pipe out from the EE during the week and cleaned and painted it and the clamps as he had the front end. That was refitted and he set too to manufacture a pair of capacity reservoirs in the light of experience with Ashdown's installation. Late in the afternoon we pressure-tested these and he traced a couple of pin holes in his welds which he opened up with the die-grinder before re-sealing. He was on a on-line auction during the week securing some s/h 110V grinders and such from Gainsborough which I am scheuled to collect tomorrow, but he also snaffled a large quantity of Whitworth bolts from an ebay seller which are at Newark so I have a round-robin to make for those. But first it will be down early to Rowsley as Adam is coming in to collect the second half of the 2HAP to re-unit with its mate 'before the snow falls'. Let's hope the weather doesn't get there first. I'll let you know next week. See ya then.