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Group Information: North Wales Group West Midlands Group South Midlands Group Reading Group South West Group East Anglian Group Wessex Group |
East Anglian Group Activities December 2011 The Lineside Clearance Train Apart from a short period serving as a stand for a Halloween witches’ tableau (!) at Dinas, the wagons lay dormant until early December awaiting inspection and entry into service. They have received some minor modifications at Boston Lodge, including the building up of one of the 1920 vintage vacuum cylinder pistons. We are delighted that the final hurdle has been overcome, and now hear that they are in use on the combined railways. Mess Van Work is continuing on converting RNAD wagon No. 5004 into a vacuum braked mess van. The chassis has been cut in half, a drastic measure at first sight but a necessary prelude to letting in new steelwork. This will lengthen the vehicle and its wheelbase by around two feet thereby permitting a roomier body. The halves have been inverted, allowing easier de-rusting, surface treatment and painting of the under surfaces. Station Running In Board The sign for platform 2 at Pont Croesor is also making progress. The box section has been covered with black signmakers’ vinyl on its front and rear, and galvanised Unistrut added to strengthen and stiffen the sign. A start has been made on fixing the casings (hardwood mouldings) around the sign. September 2011 On September 8th the completed wagons were at Dinas, waiting to be examined and have the brakes tested. They will be on view during the Superpower weekend    Project completed! The EAG wagons 5002/3 left for Dinas on Sunday 4th September, using a HIAB vehicle which made easy work of loading the two wagons. It is hoped the pair will be on view at SuperPower, and they represent the fruits of four years hard work by the group. The wagons will have to pass a fitness to run examination, following which we expect them to be used on lineside clearance and other duties, perhaps sandwiching the cherry picker and other specialist vehicles. Pictures and report by Richard Watson   July 2011 The photos show progress with wagons 5002/3 - both very nearly complete. The first shows wagon 5002, complete apart from edging strip around the deck timbers, and lettering. The second depicts wagon 5003, now complete apart from lettering. Photos taken by Richard Watson on 2nd July.   March 2011 Richard Watson
The vacuum brake systems are also complete, though final testing will have to wait until the wagons reach the railway as we are unable to test them on site. The new style ball valve assemblies (in plastics) have a higher profile than the older, bronze type and we found that our example fouled the brake mechanism. Thanks to Boston Lodge we have been able to obtain an ex-Vale of Rheidol example in bronze, which provides better clearance. We started preparing the decking timbers on 19th March and some of these are now bolted down on No.5003. Vinyl lettering has been purchased showing vehicle numbers and ownership by the two railways. We contemplated, rather tongue in cheek, the wording “North Wales Narrow Gauge Joint Stock” but that would have been longer than the wagons!
The East Anglian Group now has photos of its activities on line, courtesy of member Keith Thomson. Please visit http://www.pbase.com/keiththomson/whreag February 2011 Richard Watson   EAG
lineside clearance trainWork slowed down over the Christmas period because of wintry weather but tangible progress is being made once again and conclusion of the project is in sight. New couplings and draw gear have been fitted to the pair of flat wagons. These replace the originals which had gone missing before we acquired the vehicles, but would have needed modification to suit the lower coupling height of FR/WHR vehicles. Substantial fabrications had to be made, including four new drag boxes, sprung coupling gear, two chopper couplings and two ‘Harlech Universal’ couplings which will normally run inboard of the pair. Roger Hornsby spent many freezing hours in his garage fabricating these items. The arrangement allows the ‘Universal’ couplings to marry with existing FR Co. rolling stock such as the cherry picker and crane vehicle – and perhaps a well wagon, one day – as a sort of through vacuum piped ‘MoD sandwich’. Vacuum brakes have been fitted, using recycled FR Co cylinders, and some adjustments will be necessary before the pair leave our premises. The vacuum brakes are a ‘first’ for this type of vehicle and are essentially untested as we do not have suitable equipment to do this task. That will have to wait until they arrive on the 40-mile railway.   The vehicles are being completed as straightforward 4-wheeled flats, in accordance with the wishes of the External Engineering Department and work began on decking No 5003 on 12th February. The wagons have been extended widthways to the full width of the FR loading gauge, and suitable boards purchased and rebated to accommodate longitudinal steel edging strips. The timbers have been pilot drilled and recessed to take coach bolts, and lots of Cuprinol sloshed on as preservative. With the end in sight at last, we are making enquiries about transport to North Wales – can anyone help please? If you can, please let Richard Watson know by email at richard.watson7@virgin.net. Many thanks........ (The overall length of each vehicle is approximately 4.3 metres and it is estimated they weigh about 2 tonnes each). Mess Van No 5004 Thoughts are turning to the prospective mess van no.5004, which will complement the two flat wagons. This will be more complex as the existing frames will be lengthened as well as partly renewed, and the F.R. Co. is being consulted as the van will be used on both railways. We need to maximise the headroom inside the vehicle as the chassis top is further above rail level than usual, so we propose building the body out to the full extent of the F.R. loading gauge. It is proposed that storage space for long tools such as tree loppers and strimmers will be provided under bench seats in the vehicle, along with hanging space for overalls etc., and other home comforts. The Phase 4 Hudsons The little ‘EAG’ Hudson flats used to good effect on Phase 4 construction were sold recently to the Penrhyn Railway at Bethesda, where they arrived in December. They are sure to find good use on Penrhyn construction trains when the time comes, and have already been teamed up with their Ruston diesel. http://amutek.co.uk/penrhynrailway/11Dec.JPG The money raised will be used to help fund our latest project, the construction of the useful vacuum-braked mess vehicle for the 40 mile railway. August 2010 The Lineside Clearance Train Project Richard Watson  It
will be remembered that the three out of the four RNAD (MoD) wagons
purchased by the East Anglian Group lacked any sort of coupling gear,
as the assemblies had been removed by the MoD. The original couplings
were - in any event - positioned much higher above rail level than
those on the FR and WHR. The opportunity has therefore been taken to
re-think the situation. As a result, we will be mounting new coupling
assemblies below headstock level to a design approved by Boston Lodge.
Much has been achieved in recent weeks as spring assemblies have been
scratch-fabricated in Roger Hornsby’s garage – homework in its truest
sense! Other work has included dressing welds and improving the
appearance of the wagons, but we’ve also been busy fettling the square
section bars for the coupling shafts in preparation for welding. The
chopper coupling side cheeks obtained from the F.R. Co. have been
re-profiled to match the shafts, and will be welded up shortly. The
two flats, nos. 5002 and 5003 will normally run as a pair, with F.R.
chopper couplings on the outer ends, with the inner ends equipped with
link and pin couplings similar to those on the FR’s diesel Harlech
Castle and Mess Carriage No. 1111. This will enable specialised
vehicles like the F.R.’s cherry picker to be coupled in an “MoD
sandwich”. Vacuum brake gear has been fitted to nos. 5002 and 5003, making them unique as no other RNAD wagons of this type are so equipped. The cylinders, brake gear and train pipe installation is substantially complete, and stanchions for the vacuum hose dummies have been fabricated and trial fitted. Flexible hoses have been cut to size and fitted between the two wagons so it’s now looking like a real train!  The
wagons now sport side plates fixed to the frames to carry the wagon
numbers and identification transfers. The frames of both
wagons
have been painted black, while the extremities of the brake levers and
axle box centres are painted “JCB” yellow – an EAG trademark. The steps
and wagon i.d. plates have been picked out in the same colour.We are now thinking about buying the timber decking, following which the wagons will be ready to be sent to the RhE. However, cash is still in short supply as we have to rely on donations, and materials are sometimes eye wateringly expensive. If you would like to contribute, please contact Richard Watson either by email richard.watson7@virgin.net or by phone on (07971)130829. Many thanks. May 2010  Signs
– Pont CroesorThe new sign was erected in time for the opening to Pont Croesor in May 2010 March 2010:  Signs – Pont Croesor
 Lineside Clearance
Train
Recent activities - report early March 2010
 
 
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The
lineside clearance train project is moving closer to completion, with
the drawgear in place and awaiting final adjustment. The wagons, when
delivered, will have two adapter couplings at the inner ends, and FR
style chopper couplings facing outwards. Careful offloading will be
needed to ensure that the adapters face one another, with vac hoses on
the correct side...
With
only a couple more sessions needed to complete these vehicles, we
expect them to be ‘ready to ship’ to the railway during the next couple
of months. Can anyone assist with transport please - preferably at
little or no cost to the Group? Each vehicle weighs an estimated 2
tonnes, and the dimensions are 4.090m over couplings and 1.834m width.
Very many thanks.
