Category: Overhaul Update

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Overhaul Update Overhaul Update

Chairman’s Report June 2022

Welcome to the June Chairman’s report.

Work has continued on cleaning up the inside of the frames. There has been more needle gunning action on the inside of the frames. We are now in the front section just behind the smokebox saddle where there has been a lot less heat damage, so the frames are in a very much better condition. They’re still covered in oil and grease though. Work now centres on removing the this before preparing for painting.

Inside the frames under and towards the smokebox saddle area.

We’ve also made a start on needle gunning the paint off the wheels and bogie frames.

More black shiny new paint has been applied to the Tender steps, brake cylinder hangers and cab fall plate and vacuum brake cylinder. These will all shortly need to be moved to the containers for safe storage.

The superheater elements and other components stored in the tender coal space are now being removed as we are next in the queue for the lifting jacks now that the J94 has been re-wheeled. This will allow the bottom sections of the coal space to be removed to access the inside of the tank.

The recently stripped down the cab reverser mechanism has been carefully measured up and the parts taken to the machinists for the new collar to be made.

The large pipes for the steam supply to the exhaust injector have been externally cleaned and await the dirty job of removal of the accumulated cylinder oil from the bores. Where does the oil come from? All locomotives have some form of cylinder lubrication either by a mechanical or hydrostatic lubricator. This delivers thick “steam” oil to the atomiser to spray into the cylinder when the engine is moving. The exhaust injectors use the steam coming out of the cylinders to pick up the water in the injector. As the steam travels to the injector the oil is deposited in the pipes. Best way of cleaning this out is with a steam cleaner which blasts steam down the pipe. As you can imagine this is a necessary but dirty job. Any volunteers want to come and have a go?

Exhaust Steam Pipes

The more volunteers we can get working on Sir Lamiel the quicker we can complete the overhaul. Please contact comms@5305la.org.uk

Alan Berck-May

Chairman

5305 Locomotive Association.

Categories
Overhaul Update Overhaul Update

March 2022

Welcome to the March Chairman’s report. Unfortunately, a skiing accident has precluded me from doing much real work this month. I’m on the mend now and it was great to get back to Loughborough last week.

Not much progress on needle gunning the frames this month but the needle gun has still seen some serious use.

The brake gear on the tender continues to be removed. After the brake cylinder was removed attention turned to the brake beam support brackets. These took some serious hard work to remove, as did the tender front steps. I’m assured there was some heat and a significant amount of swearing involved. Once removed the steps and brackets were needle gunned and finished.

The good news from the boiler inspector in January work was quickly underway to start the stay removal. This involves drilling out each stay starting with a very small drill and gradually using bigger drills until the drill touches the sides of the platework. This must be done on the outside and inside of each stay. We need to drill out 70 stays!

In the locomotives’ cab the floor has been removed. The cab “Fall Plate”, which bridges the gap between the engine and the tender, has been removed and needle gunned. All the electrical gear associated with the TPWS system has been disconnected to enable access to the rotten back boards.

As all the components are being removed and cleaned up the next stage is several coats of paint. The area round the tender is the main painting area. There is a range of parts in various stages of painting drying off.

We have our initial materials shopping list. A growing concern is the rise in inflation and how that will impact our material costs. So, although it will be a year before we need things, like tubes, we will be placing orders in the next few months. Fund raising continues. Over the first three months of this year, we have raised over £1500 through the sales stand and shed shop. Anyone who can help us source or pay for these materials please get in touch (Comms@5305la.org.uk)

Current material requirements

New valve and cylinder liner castings £10k

Copper bar for stay production £1k

Boiler tubes – Small £7k

Boiler tubes – Flue £3k

Bottle ends for flue tubes £1.5k

Steel bar for set screws £1k

The next few weeks will be continuing to get the tender ready for lifting, needle gunning the frames and dismantling the wooden underfloor structure to remove the rotting boards.

We are planning a big working weekend over Easter. If you’re visiting the GCR over the Easter weekend, please drop by the loco shed and stay hi.

Alan Berck-May

Chairman

5305 Locomotive Association.

Categories
News Overhaul Update Overhaul Update

January 2022 Update

Work continues on Sir Lamiel. We have made some good progress on cleaning down the inside of the frames, and we’ve now started the noisy phase. The needle gunners, Mike and I, have been hard at work and the pit at Loughborough is now filling with red paint chips. Once all the paint is removed, we will then mechanically wire brush the frames and apply some new paint.

Alan needle gunning the between the frames of 777

On the tender, work has continued on removing the brake gear in preparation for the lift. The heavy lifting gang, Jim and John, were in at the weekend to remove the vacuum cylinder bracket and the front steps. The tender is now virtually ready to lift as soon as the jacks are available.

We’re making some great progress already this year. We’ve also had the boiler inspector examine the boiler. The good news is that we had already identified and planned to do all the required repairs the inspector has identified. This means that our work schedule is not affected by additional boiler work. We can now make plans to buy the materials required to do the work.

We’ve also carried on fitting out our containers with racking so that we can store components. There are volunteers working most weekends now, as well as Mike and I doing a couple of days a month in the week. There’s plenty to do now that the boiler, frames and tender have been separated.

The shed shop is also being modernised with improved electrics and shelving. We’re aiming to get the shop open at least once per month.

Our new shed shop open during the bitterly cold Eastern Weekend

If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact comms@5305la.org.uk We want to involve as many members as possible to help us get Sir Lamiel back in steam. Even if you can only have a few hours a month to open the shed shop, it will be really useful.

As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, the challenge of fundraising remains. The news from the boiler inspector is very welcome. However, the cost of the copper bar for the replacement stays and new tubes etc will not be cheap. Orders will need to be placed soon if we are to meet our target of 2024.  There are a few ways you can help us. If you haven’t already you can  :-

Please help us to complete Sir Lamiel’s overhaul in any way you can.

Thanks for your support

Alan Berck-May

Chairman

Categories
News Overhaul Update

January 2021

We ended last year on a bit of a high with some significant progress on Sir Lamiel. Unfortunately, the news of the renewed lockdown and restrictions on access at Loughborough means that work on the overhaul has now stopped until restrictions are lifted.

We have rescheduled the project plan for the overhaul and still expect to have completed the overhaul in time for Sir Lamiel’s centenary year in 2025. Work has also stopped on the D6535 and other volunteer work at Loughborough. We are working closely with our colleagues at the Great Central Railway so that we can return to work as quickly as possible as restrictions are lifted.

 One area we still need to do further work is fund raising. We have launched the Knights of the Round Table and have raised around £20k so far. There’s still a long way to go. This year will be a challenge financially as opportunities for hiring of our locomotives will be restricted until the heritage sector returns to running normal timetabled trains.  We are looking into a Heritage Lottery Funding application to support the Sir Lamiel overhaul. This is quite a task as we have to build a good case for their support. A small project team is being set up to work on the application. If anyone has experience of HLF applications or other fundraising ideas, please contact us via comms@5305la.org.uk

Maintaining our fundraising momentum is key to the success of our work. There are a few ways you can help us.

  • If you haven’t already you can join the Knights of the Round Table is main way of supporting the overhaul of Sir Lamiel https://www.sirlamiel.org.uk/index.php/supporting-the-quest/ 
  • There is also the opportunity to make one off or regular monthly donations. Please follow the link above.
  • There is also the opportunity to make one off or regular monthly donations. Please follow the link above.
  • Become a working volunteer.  https://www.5305la.org.uk/Membership
  • Purchase gifts and accessories from our website shop. https://shop.5305la.org.uk Please follow the link to see our current range. More items will be added to the shop in during the year.

Thanks for your support with Sir Lamiel.

Alan Berck-May

Chairman

5305 Locomotive Association