106 Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces – Autumn 1985 – 2
Mention should be made here that Brian Hames has been forced to resign as General Manager due to McGregor’s decision to redeploy him at Point of Ayr, following the closure of West Cannock No.5. (Mr. McGregor was the Chairman of the National Coal Board at the time!). Grateful thanks are due to young Brian for services rendered and his successor is Tony Sale (formerly Assistant GM) and the new Assistant GM is Nigel Canning.
Loco News
I’ve tried to remember the numbering system of the locos but failed – miserably. I have to keep going back through the mags to find them – enough is enough I say!!
The Hibberd diesel is still for sale at a very reasonable price.
Barclay 1223 – all the superstructure of the loco in undercoat, attention has reverted to the boiler and firebox. The front tube plate is being built up with weld whilst the eighteen stays that were unsuccessfully inserted in the firebox, as mentioned in the last issue, are in the process of being removed in an attempt to straighten the buckled walls of the inner firebox. The man says ‘this is in fact, proving quite easy’
The boiler inspector has been and wants a 9” square piece of the outer firebox to be cut out to investigate the extent of a small crack which has been welded over during a previous overhaul.
Brighter news about Asbestos, rapidly coming to the end of her prolonged overhaul with a return to steam being a matter of weeks rather than months away.
The new GM has been hard at work reassembling the boiler backhead fittings, all attached with new studs, whilst the Fat Controller has been making various bits and pieces which have needed replacement. The outside motion is being reassembled to find someone a job to keep him off the streets. During one of the Hairy Youths infrequent visits various pieces of the machine believed to be lost were rediscovered whilst several pieces believed to be ‘in the shed’ were not, so replacements will have to be made.
The Boiler inspector has been and performed an ultra-sonic test to his satisfaction and is returning for a steam test prior to Gricers’ day.
On Sentinel, the Fat Controller has busied himself making good various faults found during the January steam test, and has also painted the beast in an attractive black undercoat after much rust treatment and filling. A coat of gloss black is to be applied before Gricers’ day. The Boiler Inspector has been and carried out an ultra-sonic test and having been satisfied he will return for a steam test shortly. He has also decreed that the boiler needs to be split every five years, not every 14 months as previously feared.
The Controller has carried out his threat of giving the beast a pseudo British Railways identity and has constructed a jolly fine smokebox number plate No.59632.
As yet nobody has had the heart to tell him that vertical boilered Sentinels don’t have smoke boxes!Work on Peckett 917 proceeds as other commitments allow. The new cabside and the rest of the cab have received several coats of paint whilst the component parts of the new bunker await fitting. Several men have been seen struggling to excavate layers of fire brick out of the smokebox in order to expose the front tube plate to the eyes of the Boiler Inspector. Not a wise move as the tube plate appears to be somewhat bulged. Following further descaling work the Boiler Inspector will return to pass sentence.
The GM has made his first major decision which is that S100 is to be moved into the shed as soon as possible – a sign perhaps of old age creeping up on him? To speed this process up the loco will be re-wheeled as an 0-4-0 i.e. only two axles will be re-fitted out of doors, the third one will be done under cover. The owner is at present wrestling with the task of fitting and securing the new main bearings into the axle boxes.
The Other Gentleman made a start on removing the tubes from the Neilson as a mid-summer madness wager that if they were all gone by the end of July then a certain bearded person would purchase a new set! It is now the end of August and many tubes remain to be removed as those concerned are busy on ‘Asbestos’………Will the offer still hold……. Will the ancient Neilson steam again? ………………Who knows? …………Watch this space! Late note; yes the offer does still hold!
Coaching Stock News
In between making cups of tea, Mr. Bull and his crew have been busy repainting and varnishing the interiors of both the Wickham cars in preparation for Gricers’ Day. As ever, more help is needed as several panes of glass need replacing and seats and tables need to be secured to the floor, however, the work done so far is a definite improvement.
Task Force
Still not happy bunnies! Nuff said!
Company News
Working on the precept that no news is good news it would seem that the Company is doing just fine.
Well informed sources indicate that the overdraft has virtually disappeared (along with several of the Directors!) but shouldn’t there be an AGM (or three) due?
An unusual piece to end with…
Steam Hauled Sunday Dinner
As an experiment a steam hauled ‘Sunday Dinner’ train will be run on Sunday, 17th November.
In conjunction with the Rob Duffill Catering Corps a steam hauled train will depart from Brownhills West and at the current end of the line a roast chicken dinner will be served in the Wickham Buffet aka ‘The Norton Nasher’. This is open to members only and is a trial run to see if such a service will be feasible when public services resume.
Would-be guinea pigs should contact Barry Bull as places are strictly limited to twenty. Remember only working members can travel on CLR trains until the Light Railway Order is granted
N.B. It is expected that all participants will be prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon working so come prepared!
Chasewater Railway Museum 