WN31 - The Serenity at the salt mines Flugel - by Kerry Young

8th February 2007

Thanks to all those who welcomed me back. Had the feeling I'd been away for ages. Also, in answer to the often asked question, both by e-mail and in conversation, I am working on a little something to tell of my travels, but am snowed under with other issues right now. Be assured that there will be something before too long. Now for today.............................

There's Ray, driving the weedspray unit, getting rid of all the weeds against the carriage shed. Mike Webb looks on and who can tell what great thoughts he has on the subject. There has been a great shunt to clear this line, all of which has to go back shortly. Early readers of these notes will remember when we laid this track, in order to get some of the clutter away from the front of the carriage sheds.

More recent readers will not have met 'Tr54', The Hudswell. A very early mechanical shunter is this. Powered by a Ricardo Paxman diesel, dry clutch, manual box and chain drive between the drive axles. Hasn't been used in a long while. Behind it is an assortment of bogies and trollies from beside the shed.

'Tr22' shunting the two railcar bogies back to continue their slumbers. Sir Colin beside 'Rm56' conducting the shunt.

Back in the factory. I had spent some time with 'F13' centralising the dieblocks in the expansion links of the valve gear. This done, I made up a rig to hold the lifting lever so it wouldn't move. Then the reach rod was removed and one end cut off............

Back in the factory. I had spent some time with 'F13' centralising the dieblocks in the expansion links of the valve gear. This done, I made up a rig to hold the lifting lever so it wouldn't move. Then the reach rod was removed and one end cut off............

Over at road eight, the ETG (Electric Traction Group) lads were beavering away at the list of things to be done. Inside 'Ec7' Mike had taken the bands off the MG (Motor/Generator = rotary convertor) set to inspect the connections as sparking had been reported. Nothing could be seen, but the covers were left off pending a run under power.

Not satisfied with the work done last week on the pantographs, our Bert elected to investigate the joints in the linkages further and applied more lube.............

We all know Bert and Joe well enough by now. For those who might be wondering about the safety of this operation, the substation is shut down, all pole switches are open and there's an earth between the conductor wire and the rail.

A point of interest. The cowcatchers on these engines are short enough to allow for multiple running, therefore allowing direct coupling as seen.

Tr156 moves two of these at a time with absolute ease. Seen here returning them to the shed.

Meanwhile, back at the glue factory, the carpenters are having a thicknessing session. Mark Webb (Mikes lad) is feeding the material to Graham, who loads the thicknesser to Bob the Builder. The pile of clean timber is seen to the left of Bob.

Roger left, is discussing with Steve, the proposed method of reducing the firehole size on the boiler backhead of the 'F'. As it is, the door falls though the hole. The hole had to be enlarged due to wasting at the firehole ring.

Today, Brian the lion applied the first finish coat of green to the 'F' cab.

That's it good people. Let's see what next week brings. Cheers, 'K'.