Entry posted by drduncan
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There has, it must be admitted, been a hint of discord between the CME's and Operating Departments. The Operating department (Gareth), following Empire Mills recent foray to the nether regions of north London, had reproached the CME's department (Duncan) over the dross a certain Wagon and Carriage Inspector (again Duncan) had been passing as fit for use - apparently AJs were doing anything but uncouple at the time and place the operating department wanted, and his team were getting fractious as well as losing the will to live. The righteous indignation that resulted had to be heard to be believed and after the expostulations had come to a stop (due to lack of breath) it was pointed out that claims that they worked OK when tested on Hope under Dinmore were without value because of a lack of witnesses.
In a spirit of reconciliation (and nothing to do with the fervent hope that the Operating Department would be proved wrong) the CME agreed that the wagons should again be inspected, this time on Empire Mills and, lo, sackcloth and ashes were found to be needed.
The problem, it has to ruefully and publically admitted, had been predicted by that sage of Fareham and unwitting consultant to the CME's department, Mr Richard Butler (he of Westcliff fame). He had pointed out that using U shaped magnetic droppers ran the risk of them finding the steel axles more attractive than the electro-magnets, but his wise words had been laughingly dismissed by the CME as he had a deadline looming and needed something that was good enough rather than good. It seems the CME's solution was neither good nor even good enough and urgent rectification work was needed.
So it was out side cutters, soldering iron, solder and brown label flux to solder one end of the U shaped dropper firmly to the AJ coupling and snip off the end of the other leg so that it could be bent into an inverted 'L' - with the added benefit that the wheel sets could now be removed without having to take off the coupling.
(On the right can be seen one of the U shaped droppers, on the left one that has been 'modified'...)
Most of the recalcitrant couplings responded to this treatment, but one or two still failed to work properly when the magnet was energised. Further surgery followed and the rather light gauge soft iron wire that had been used for the droppers was replaced with much thicker stuff and now even these troublesome trucks were behaving.
The CME then fled the scene, wailing about all his GWR Edwardian period stock that would have to be redone....
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