We are back after a short holiday break – yes, the dramatic improvement in the weather was very timely, thanks.
However, the sunshine has not prevented the Trust’ merry gang from working hard in the FRT shed and, as previewed in recent blogs, there was a most notable move forward through the re-wheeling of Wootton Hall‘s tender chassis. 
On Wednesday, 26th May, the final wheelset had been fitted with its axleboxes and was being readied to be moved under the chasis.
On Saturday, 29th, Keith, Neil and Sam, with assistance from the massed ranks of the RSR workshop volunteers to ensure each wheel was perfectly located, lowered the chassis on to the wheels. Later that day the vacuum reservoir was fitted, followed by all the refurbished springs and finally the spring hangers.
By the following Wednesday, the cotter pins had been made and added to the hangers, and a rolling chassis had been achieved.
There has also been further progress with FR 20. On Wednesday, 26th May, the decorative brass covers on the firebox were fitted by Tim, John Dixon and (new volunteer) Ron Crowe.
With the injector steam pipes then fitted into position, it was possible to fit the cab sides and, after somewhat of a battle, the sand boxes. It will now be possible to start the painting process on the cab sides and valances as well as complete the rest of the pipework and fittings.
We have received the positive news that 5643 has been working again on the East Lancs Railway, and also the rather more negative news that the steam pipe from the dome to the driver’s injector steam valve on Cumbria has developed a leak which admits unwanted water to the injector causing it to fail. There is also an issue with the fireman’s side injector to be resolved. Heads are being scratched and an initial plan has been formed.
A few pictures this week of progress in fitting the new injector steam valves on Furness Railway No. 20. The first, taken last Wednesday, shows Alan marking up one of the new flanges that is being fitted to the left hand steam pipe.
The right hand steam pipe can be seen lined up nicely with the valve after a bit of tweaking.
It was left to Sam to remove the pipes and the new valves so that the cladding sheets could be fitted.
Both cladding sheets were duly fitted on Friday by Roger, John Dixon and Tim. The sheets are a ‘nib fit’, so it took some time to get them exactly in the right location and screwed down without damage to the new paintwork.
We are pleased to be able to report that Keith was happy with the lubrication trials on the first two of Wootton Hall‘s tender axleboxes. The chassis is now being raised so that the wheelsets can be rolled into position underneath.
This should pave the way for placing the tender chassis on to the wheels in due course.
Tim has produced a dozen new lubrication trimmings which will siphon oil from the upper oil tray. The first two axleboxes have now been assembled and fitted with the new pads and trimmings and the rate of flow of oil from the trimmings will be checked over a period of time.
Last Wednesday saw another welcome step forward in the overhaul of Furness Railway No. 20. With the assistance of the Ribble Rail staff, FR 20 was pulled out of the FRT shed to enable the hi-ab on the self propelled TRAM to lift into place the dome cover and cab spectacle plate. Tim is seen wielding a spanner during the course of tightening up the nuts holding the spectacle plate in position.
Whilst out of the shed, it was also a good opportunity to re-fit the ashpan, which needs to be done whilst the engine is situated on sleepered track to allow sufficient clearance below the firebox. Ade used the large fork lift truck to convey the ashpan to the far end of the shed.
Fitting the heavy ashpan can be an awkward task and no less than Ade, Matt Crabtree, Tim, Sam, Ed and Alan are involved. Needless to say, brute force and plenty of wooden packing won the day.
On Friday, Roger was found lying down on the job as he painted the Furness Railway water crane.
Fred also took advantage of the better weather to add some paint.
John Davis also made the best of the weather to polish the copper top of Fluff‘s chimney.
With much relief, John Dixon successfully removed the formers from FR 20’s brick arch without any unplanned collapse. The engine’s hand rails have had to be fully stripped of any paint to enable them to be fitted through the stanchions, which gave Fred a job on Friday. Even then it was quite a fight to fit the right hand rail, but persistence won through and FR 20 is shown below in its current state.
In the meantime, Alan has been adjusting the smaller dome cover to enable the new larger injector steam valves to the fitted.
The Fluff gang of Paul Newton, John Davis and Phil Bell have refitted the left hand sand box.
It was then the turn of the cab side to be fitted back into place, under the supervision of Mike Rigg.
The work on FR 20’s overhaul continued this last week with the casting of a new brick arch. As Tim had successfully cast the previous two arches in the confined spaces of the locomotive’s firebox it was deemed that he should go for the hat trick. John duly supplied the concrete and, six bags of concrete later, the task was completed. Let’s hope that all is well when the formers are removed!
The new replacement steam valves for the injectors have now arrived and Alan is seen here sizing up how they are going to be fitted. The previous steam valves had to be opened to their maximum to get the injectors to work and experience had shown them to have a limited life span if not handled gently.
We have been pleased to welcome back Roger Benbow, Paul Balshaw and Phil Bell after their respective periods of absence. Roger and Fred worked on the former Furness Railway water crane last Friday whilst the full Fluff team of Paul Newton, Paul Balshaw, John Davis and Phil Bell were back in action last Wednesday.
With Alan allocating his time on Wednesday to dressing up for filming for the RSR’s new web site, Sam took on board polishing the copper pipework that had been annealed the previous week.
Ed rubbed down FR 20’s right hand running plate ready for filling and painting.
John Dixon continued his work on the formers for FR 20’s new brick arch, which hopefully will be cast this next week, while Tim smartened up FR 20’s smokebox, chimney and lower front end with a coat of grey undercoat.
Ade was seen giving Caliban‘s smokebox a tidy up with a wire brush.
Paul Newton returned from giving assistance to the vaccination process to refurbish a cab seat from Fluff.
We are heading towards the casting of a new brick arch for FR 20 with John Dixon now in the final stages of constructing the formers in the confined space of the fire box.
With the injectors now fitted, Alan has been annealing the copper steam pipework that now needs to be connected. Meanwhile Ed has continued his work cleaning up the chimney.
John Davis has been painting the controls in Fluff‘s cab.
Fred has been back in action after the lockdown break and has been cleaning up the former Furness Railway water crane from Foxfield. Needless to say, it didn’t take him long to wear out his first cup wire brush of the year!
Meanwhile Keith has finished fabricating a new fire box for the water crane.
Sam and Alan (grandson and granddad) spent time making up joints (steam joints, that is!) and test fitting injectors on FR 20.
Ed has been cleaning and rubbing down FR 20’s chimney.
John has nearly completed the formers for the construction of FR 20’s new brick arch.
Tim has completed the lining out of FR 20’s splashers, which are now ready for fitting.
The ending of lock down will make it easier to search for and view a potential replacement engine for Fluff. With this in mind, John Davis and Mike Rigg have been measuring up the dimensions of Fluff‘s engine compartment.
John went on to paint Fluff‘s cab windows, a job that has been put on hold for over three months.
Finally, the components of the former Furness Railway water crane from Foxfield have recently been unearthed and placed outside the mess room in order for restoration to take place.
Keith has been busy making a replacement fire box for the water crane; these were fitted to prevent frost damage in winter.
As previously reported, it has been possible to make some progress over the past three months on the priority project of returning Furness Railway No. 20 to steam this summer. It is hoped to start mounting pipework and fittings over the next few weeks and Alan has made a start on making new steam joints for the injectors.
John has continued his work in making up formers to enable a new brick arch to be fitted.
There was a successful effort on Friday morning to lift the lower part of FR 20’s vacuum cylinder back into position after it had been serviced. The lifting table that was purchased last year has certainly proved its worth and Stewart Waugh is seen here fitting the retaining nuts on to the vacuum cylinder.
Tim has again been busy with the paintbrush and the paintwork on the dome cover has been refreshed. We are now ready to lift the cab spectacle plate and the dome cover into place using the Ribble Rail hi-ab when a date can be arranged.