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Newsletter No.2 - April 2002 The Cranmore Loco Fund Appeal and this website have been launched in support of loco restoration work at Cranmore. The title and scope of the Newsletter have therefore been expanded to cover all projects in the workshops rather than just focussing on the E1. Work on the boiler has continued despite the adverse weather conditions over the winter. The smokebox has been removed allowing access to the front tubeplate which has also been removed. This was found, as suspected, to be badly wasted at the bottom and will need to be renewed. A quote has been obtained for a new tubeplate from Israel Newton but the cost can be reduced by machining all the tube holes ourselves. This we can do since our radial drill is big enough to handle the job but it will take some time – any volunteers to drill 175 tube holes! Then there are the rivet holes, the steam pipe hole, the washout plug holes and the longitudinal stay holes……
The task of removing the firebox has continued well. The firehole ring
rivets have been drilled out and stay removal is under way. The mag base drill
has proven to be a great help with all the drilling required, although some
ingenuity is needed to ensure a good clamping force to deeply pitted steel –
clamping to copper is even more of a challenge! Although the copper firebox is not too badly wasted, the stay holes in
the side sheets are already large and would require bushes to be welded in
before new stays are fitted. Since there are about 240 of them this would mean a
lot of copper welding in addition to making all the bushes. An alternative is to
cut out the side sheets and weld in new ones – not cheap either, but it seems
the better option at the moment. A decision will be made when the firebox is out
and the full scope of repairs can be determined. Fortunately, the back sheet,
which is formed to shape around the firehole, and the throat plate look to be OK
with just the stay holes to be drilled out to the next size. The regulator and steam pipe have been extracted from the boiler. The
steam pipe looks in good condition and can be reused.
Work on the valve seats has progressed only slowly due to the need to attend to repairs on 5637 and 705. Initial assembly and test of the valve seat cutting machine shown that the machine will cut but it will also be necessary to add stiffness to prevent the tool being pushed away thus preventing even cutting. Horn guide bolts on the driving axle have been removed and reamers
obtained for fitting the new bolts. The old bolts were found not to be of the
correct “fitted” type but just plain bolts, which explains why they have
worked loose. Some bolts on the leading axle have been found to be loose and
will need to be replaced The big ends have been found to be worn oversize by as much as
3/8” and are considered beyond repair. New brasses will therefore have to be
cast. The crosshead slippers have been re-white metalled and are ready for machining. The eccentrics have been stripped down for white metalling.
Agreement has been reached with the owners of the “Yankee Tank,”
Project 62 Group, to bring the loco to Cranmore from Swanage, where it has been
based for some years, for completion of its overhaul. This will be highly
beneficial to all concerned as the return to steam will be much sooner than
would be the case at Swanage and the ESR will obtain the use of another loco.
The loco is much more capable than the smaller Andrew Barclays at the ESR and
able to pull the heaviest trains, but will be economical to run. It visited the
ESR twice in 1997 and was a popular loco having a large cab, and rocking grate
although its high firehole made it hot to work on the footplate. The main repair work will be on the boiler which has already been
removed from the frames. The bottom end was overhauled not long ago and is not
thought to require attention. Details will follow in the next Newsletter.
The Cranmore Loco Fund website as noted above has been set up with a link
to the main ESR website. The Hertfordshire Railtour visit last year produced a
disappointing response, but following the AGM when appeal leaflets were
distributed a number of donations were received. It has also been decided to put
the money raised from “Driver for a Fiver,” which has been very popular,
towards the appeal. This raises the amount of money raised already to over £1000
which is an excellent start. At the time of writing an official press launch for the appeal is
on the point of being sent out to the railway magazines and local press. Appeal
leaflets will also be sent out to all members with the next issue of the
Journal. |
