Monday 31 May 2010

Bank Holiday Monday

Today's engine was Atlas again, but to mix things up a bit, I turned it around for a different perspective on things (and to avoid breathing its toxic gases when it powers uphill!) It ran mostly ok, one of the air hoses worked loose and fell off once, and towards the end of the afternoon it started making loud screeching noises as it entered the Abbey station. Inspection revealed that it had developed a hot axlebox, and needed to come out of service imediately. It turns out that the springs of the oily pad that presses against the axle to lubricate it have broken, and the axle hasn't had a supply of oil to keep it moving freely. It should be fairly simple to put right, but we have to take the entire axloebox off to access it, which could prove to be quite an involved process. So for now it is out of action.
But fear not, Druid to the rescue! Druid itself had problems early on today with its brakes, but this was put right easily enough. It's also looking rather shabby, having picked up some more scratches while being used for scrap collection.


Meanwile today, The sleepers were surveyed, to see which most deperately need replacing now the evenings are light enough to do some sleeper changes.

The Lawnmower takes a well deserved rest.
Justin and James have replaced this little bit of track off the turntable for one with a buffer stop on it. They have made a very tidy job of it too, It just needs some adjustment so that Vulcan can fit on the turntable again.





Sunday 30 May 2010

30th May

Today, I started off using Odin, but this only managed one trip, as it was suffering from problems with it's air supply, and the radiator has developed quite a leak.

There isn't supposed to be water dripping out of this bit, So Odin had to come off for repairs.


So instead, I used Atlas, which ran well all day. Passenger numbers were a steady stream, never enough to fill the train, but we were not sitting around waiting for custom.

This is what we have to put up with sometimes. Two young gentlemen (early teens, perhaps) were spotted on the track, they ran up it and put some of our signs across the track. I took this photo as evidence of what they'd been up to in case they had done anything else more criminal. It makes me wonder how stupid they really are though, they outran a small 1943 diesel engine, put a sign across the track (was that meant to derail us?) and wrapped the chain loosly around the point levers, and what is this meant to prove?? Anyway, whatever thrill they get out of it, I hope they've had their fill of it now and leave us alone.

I thought I'd include a photo of the battery electric actually working isntead of just standing around, Here is is shunting the skip wagons away, with my Dad grinning like a madman.
Also today, some more scrap has been gathered. I'm told we have made enough money from the scrap now to pay for the Muir Hill's wheels, and a few more loads and we'll have enough for it's axleboxes as well.
The O&K's gearbox has been lifted out of the frames again to fit the oil drain to the new sump.
And that is all, we'll be back at the railway tomorrow.








Sunday 23 May 2010

Today was a very warm and humid day, great for people making the most of the sun in the Abbey grounds. However passener numbers were a bit down on what we were hoping for on such a nice day.

Running round the train would have been hard work in this heat, so we ran with an engine on each end. Richard took Atlas on the top end and I manned Little Ruston on the down end. A much easier arrangement for a day like today (but uses twice the fuel).
Richard in action!

Tommy was back today, doing a fine job of keeping the grass short, if getting a bit close to the track at times.
Druid and the crane wagon were in use getting some more steer bar out of the compound. this is being cut up and is going for scrap.
With the O&K's gearbox sump almost finished, it was lowered into position to mark out where the oil drain needs to go. Although this is only in place for now, it looks promising.

Saturday 22 May 2010

More scrap pictures

Justin sent me these pictures of some further scrap being cut up for weighing in. However, these are quite sad as it's the first time a sort-of historic item has met the cutter's torch.


The green object on it's side is Druid's original cab. Now don't get me wrong, this is not part of the locomotive any more and will never be again. But it is still a semi-historic item and it was sad to see it cut up. It is really a sad reflection of the society we live in that we were resorted to this, rather then risk it being stolen by being left outside in the yard.
The sad sight of Druid towing it's former cab, now in flat pack form, in the scrap wagon.
And if you thought the subject of the pictures couldn't get any worse, here is me driving the Little Ruston. Its not often I get included in photos on here or the website, as its usually me behind the lens.



More photos from Wednesday night

These photos were sent to me by Ian Dobson, who visited with the Leeds & District Traction engine club last wednesday.

Little Ruston on the passenger train at the Abbey

Atlas shortly after being dragged out of the shed and bump started.

Odin, next to the hog roast. the chimney protruding out of Odin's cab belongs to the steam roller behind it, not a log stove installed in the cab (now theres an Idea for those cold winter Sundays)
The Lister, on the ramp line.
The Gogo Tractor, having made it to the Abbey with Druid and coaches in tow. Druid was there purely to operate the train brakes, the Gogo was doing all the pulling.
Gogo tractor meets steam roller.
The Baguley-Lister combo
And Ian himself, having driven George the electric engine up the line. This was so he could claim to have riden behind (or on) all our operational locomotives in one night!
Thanks for the pics Ian.







Thursday 20 May 2010

High-tech automatic lawnmower

We welcome Tommy the horse to the railway. He is owned by the landlord of the Bridge Inn, on Bridge Road, and is allowed to graze on the platform during the day. In return, he is keeping it nice and short for us, which saves one volunteer a few hours toil with the lawnmower and the cost of petrol to run it. he is only a young horse, so Wednesday when we were running for the traction engine club was probably the first time he had ever seen a train, and a steam roller for that matter.

"WTF?"

Steam engine at the railway!

On Wednesday 19th, the Leeds and District traction engine club had a hog roast at the railway. One member brought along this beautifully preserved, and imaculately turned out steam roller, which became the first steam engine at the railway since Peter Pan visited in the early 2000s.

The hog roast company were back, serving pork sandiwches and drinks from a gazebo again, and we got all our engines out and ran them all in turn on the passenger train. Even the Gogo tractor hauled a train, and did very well until when it was uncoupled from the coaches and was going to run back through to the yard, when it stalled and wouldn't restart.
Here it is seen hauling Druid and coaches towards Bridge Road, very very slowly.
Odin gets some admiration at the Abbey station.
Vulcan also hauled a train, and it started without a problem on it's electric start. The lights have also been repaired, so it is back to full health.
Unfortunately my camera ran out of battery, but Justin has taken some more photos, which I will put up when he emails them to me.


Monday 17 May 2010

16th May 2010

Yesterday it was the turn of Loweco, the Lister, on the passenger train. Although it was a nice sunny afternoon, passengers were a bit thin on the ground. Just as well as the Lister is the smallest diesel on the railway, and the loaded passenger train uphill is really pushing it. (However I did manage one almost full uphill train without grinding to a halt!).

Meanwhile, more scrap has been gathered, including some steel rod with was retieved with Druid and the crane wagon between passenger trains.

Progress has also been made on the O&K gearbox, with the fitting of some more bits to the new sump.

Sunday 9 May 2010

9th May

Today's engine was the Little Ruston. But despite the fine weather in the afternoon, there were not many passengers about. However, it did the Ruston good to run all afternoon and its exhaust was nice and clear by the end of it.

With long waits at the Abbey station, I had chance to mess about with my camera and take some 'artistic' pictures of the train out of focus with some of the wild flowers in the foreground. Probably a bit amateurish if your a professional photographer, but they still look quite nice.

This picture was taken from on top of the sleuce gate at the top of the mill race next to the Abbey station. It is a view not often enjoyed by us volunteers.

The scrap drive also continues, unfortunately with the scrapping of some sort-of historic items today. Druid's original cab has been cut up for scrap, along with some Fordson tractor parts. It does seem a shame, but when nobody wants to buy these things (and they have been offered for sale many times) the options are either leave them and risk having them stolen, or weigh them in ourselves for scrap and make money from it, so we have done the lesser of two evils. Them money raised from all this scrap is going back into the railway anyway in the form of parts for the O&K and Muir Hill.


Bank Holiday Monday

I was travelling down to Devon for a job interview last Monday so couldn't report on what happened. However, I can now. The train was going to be hauled with the little Ruston, but because of the drizzle Druid was used instead. I also got the job. :-D

Sunday 2 May 2010

Today's loco was Atlas, and we did ok, hauling a good number of passengers for a somewhat miserable May bank holiday Sunday.
The continuing srounging for scrap metal continues, with these stainless steel sheets the next to go. Here they are extracted by Druid and the crane wagon in between passenger trains.
Work continues on the O&K gearbox, with the holes in the sheet of metal that the base is made of filled.
The railway will be open tomorrow, Bank Holiday monday, but I will not be there to report on goings on, so apologies for the lack of a report tomorrow.