7th October 2014 - Tender Progress

 

 

       Whilst 'Dinmore Manor' travels far and wide in this

                    green and pleasant land, in a little corner of Gloucestershire

      that is forever Swindonian, slow but steady progress

 is being made on her 'new' tender

 

 

 

           Life expired piping from the tender is being sorted to act

     as patterns for new pipework. A section connecting to

 the vacuum cylinder, which is also being replaced,

 looks a little worse for wear

 

The section connecting to the reservoir cylinder

will be remanufactured

 

 

 

 

 

Two sections of steam heating pipe to be replaced

 

                                        On the brake shaft, the heavily corroded bearing sleeves
                                                                 have been removed

 

 

On the brake hangers, the dowel pins that hold the

pads that restrict the brake blocks movement

have been removed so that new pads can be fitted

 

One of the old pads can been seen after removal

from the brake hanger. 50 years of rust and corrosion

made them stubborn to remove

 

 

The supporting angle iron that stretches across the

  main frames and supports a host of pipes just behind

and below the drag box has been straightened and

trial fitted

 

Some of the new plate work and stiffeners for the

drag box are being trial fitted

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

Saturday 9th August 2014 - Midland Site

                                                   TENDER WORKING PARTY

                                         Work has continued on machining the large quantity
                                         of bushes required for the brake rigging. Work was                                       
                                         undertaken on the journals of the brake weighbar
                                        shaft to remove the heavily pitted sleeves which can
                                        be seen after removal. New sleeves will now be
                                        machined and heat shrunk onto the journals and the
                                              support bearing will be machined to suit.

Saturday 2nd August 2014 - Midland Site

                                                     TENDER WORKING PARTY


                                          In the great Gloucestershire outback, we continue
                                          to hone our bush craft on the tender brake rigging

The new pin has been drilled for the securing split pin

 and the bracket has been re-bushed and this brake

 hanger bracket is ready for cleaning and painting

 

 

With the six brackets well on their way to completion,

attention turns to the next item, the brake hangers.

One is set up for machining to shell out the old top

bush prior to replacement 

 

 

The boring bar being set to machine the old bush

as concentric as possible to the original bore

in the bracket before chiselling out the remains of the bush

 

The top end of the hanger bracket with the bush removed

 

 

 

 

The hanger bracket is 3" wide but had been bushed

from both sides with half bushes as can be seen from

these old bushes.

Saturday 26th July 2014 - Midlands Site

 

 

TENDER WORKING PARTY

 

 

Our gas cylinder trolley has completed is overhaul

 and is now resplendent in a coat of engine green

 

The three brake beams have been re-bushed where necessary

and friction washers added. These now require the top hat bushes

on the beam ends. Just another 12 bushes of the 70 plus 

                                              required to complete the brake rigging.

 

New pins and bushes for the brake hanger brackets

underway

 

One of the heavy components of the brake rigging

is the weigh bar shaft which fits beneath the front

end of the tender. This shaft is in particularly poor condition

requiring sleeves on both ends and new bushes and pins.

 

                                      The removal of the old bushes where the beam connects
                                      to the pull rods and adjusting screws proved to be a lengthy
                                    task as in a previous life the bushes had been welded in place.
                                    Six hours on and a few choice expletives and the four bushes
                                    finally succumbed. The faces now require the weld removing
                                              and yet more bushes and friction washers made

 

The new pin in place that connects the shaft to the

vacuum piston rod 

 

and a new pin for the hand brake connection. The

corroded condition of the one end journal can also be seen.

That will have to wait for another day!

 

Saturday 7th June 2014 - Midlands site

                                                        TENDER WORKING PARTY

 

    With the recent humid weather and rain, some much

needed gardening was undertaken to clear the prolific vegetation

                              Another casualty of the damp conditions was the gas cylinder trolley
                             where the base framework had corroded through - some TLC and
                                                   welding will soon restore it to service

 

    In amongst the gardening and equipment repairs, work continued

   on the tender brake gear as the adjusting screws were cleaned

 and dismantled for inspection

31st May 2014 - Midlands Site

                                    Hi folks - long time since we were in touch regarding
                                    Dinmore Manor's new tender but with the locomotive
                             now operational, attention has turned once again to the tender.

                                     A very stubborn pin on the intermediate brake beam had
                                     resisted previous attempts with a propane torch to free it
                                   and major surgery was required to remove the offending pin

 

 The thread was first cut off the pin and the shank was

   then drilled to leave a thin wall. The drilling produced

 a blind hole which allowed a punch to be inserted in

 the hole and a large 'knockometer' drove the pin out.

The remains of the two halves of the pin are seen

 alongside the link it once retained.

                                   The four pull rods are seen with the new pins inserted.
                                  The pins have been drilled with grease lubrication holes
                                                   to reduce wear and tear in service.

                                                              TO BE CONTINUED

17th May 2014 - A Day to Remember

                        
                                For the first time in preservation, two operational locomotives
                                of the Dinmore Manor Locomotive Group were paired up to
                      double head service trains on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

                                    7820 and 3850 run round their train at Toddington Station

 

The locos have a 'splash' of water at the column at Toddington

 

    Having reversed their order, 3850 leads 7820 as they

depart from Toddington Cheltenham bound

Saturday, 19th April 2014 'Return to Steam Special'

 

      7820 trundles light engine through Toddington Station en route 

 to the loco yard having stabled the stock of an afternoon

 service train

                                  Just after 6.00 pm 7820 returns to haul the Dinmore Manor
                                                            Return to Steam Special

 

   Approximately 130 Shareholders and Contractors joined the

    Special for a pleasant trip in evening sunshine much enjoyed

 by all who took part

Caption Correction

Apologies to Driver Andrew Beale for incorrectly calling him Ian Beale - driving a Manor is infinitely preferable to running a cafe in Eastenders!

Saturday 5th April 2014 - Gloucester / Warwickshire Railway

         DINMORE MANOR ENTERS REVENUE SERVICE

 

               Leaving Winchcombe on the 10.00 am service from Toddington to Cheltenham Race          Course, 7820 climbs to Greet Tunnel on her first public revenue earning trip

 

                  Driver Ian Beale keeps a watchful eye as he eases 7820 towards the tunnel.

 Note the tea can - proper job!

 

 

Steam billows from the roof as 7820 makes steady progress through the tunnel

 

 

                          Although not a race day, this Black Beauty runs round at Cheltenham
                                            - so we have reached the end of the beginning!

16th March 2014 - Toddington

                                                       ALL STEAMED UP

 

     The tender of 9017 has arrived at Toddington and is receiving

 some attention both internally and externally

 

  7820 is still paired with the Hawksworth tender and is in light steam

      as attention is focussed on the lubrication system in readiness for her first

 move under her own power

                            Having lifted the engine to the correct height above rail level by
                            adjusting the spring hanger bolts, the crucial task of weighing
                                                       each axle load is undertaken

 

       With volunteers crawling all over the engine and underneath,

          jacks under the buffer beam and in light steam, quite correctly

       the lamp bracket carries the warning instruction to all that

she is NOT TO BE MOVED

                               Finally, late on Saturday afternoon in the fading light and with
                               cylinder cocks open, she moves triumphantly along the yard under
                              her own power after nearly 10 years of storage and restoration.
                                                   Some finishing work is required but
                                              DINMORE MANOR is alive and kicking!!!

7th to 9th March 2014 - Toddington

                                                     INSURANCE STEAM TEST

 

 On Friday, paired with a Hawksworth tender kindly loaned by the

 7903 group, 7820 is prepared for her steam test

 

Steam up and blowing off

 

 

Final setting of the safety valves is undertaken during the steam test

 

  Measurements for the spacer tubes on the safety valves

 can now be taken, manufactured and fitted once the

steam test is complete

 

 

With the gauge at 225 p.s.i., 7820 passes her steam test with flying colours

 

 

         On Saturday, 7820 stands in the sunshine in the company of 5542.

        Running plating is being refitted whilst final setting of the

 piston valves is undertaken

 

 

   A new lubrication pipe is manufactured for fitting to the

regulator box inside the smoke box

 

  Steam chest cladding, which should have been fitted prior

   to the boiler being lifted in, has been modified to allow

it to be fitted after installation of the boiler

 

Steam pipe casing is cleaned ready for fitting

 

Steam pipe casing and seat hinges being prepared for fitting

 

 

    Inside the shed, 4270 will join 7820 as part of the GW steam

 fleet whilst work has started on 7903's 10 year overhaul

 

                                 Plenty to do when 7820 is back in service as 2874, one of DML
                               Group's Churchward 2-8-0's, waits its turn in the restoration queue.
                                               So if you are at a loose end for a few years,
                                                           you know where we are!!!!!!!!!!!!