RMweb Premium Foden Posted August 16, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2018 Not shunters that worked a busy yard, maybe ones that worked a slightly less busy yard when they might not have work to do for an hour, or more. Or maybe a station pilot during off peak hours. Did crews leave them idling away for lengthy durations, or were they shut down? I’m sure I read in here of an example once where an 08 was left running permanently (dodgy starter??) until eventually a clogged oil filter resulted in its demise. Or maybe I’ve imagined it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted August 16, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2018 08s in busy yards were kept running all the time and on depots if there was a requirement for a shed pilot they were rarely shut down, wasn't uncommon to see about five ticking over together Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 In the 80s locos were never shut down. When they started shutting them down it seemed quite strange. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted August 16, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2018 The soundtrack to busy depots was whining belts and rattling doors! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2018 Speaking for the Sheffield area at least, station pilots ran continuously as did the yard jockos. 41 area sheds switched them off, can't remember going round them with a background of EE 350 music. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2018 At Radyr and Westbury in the '70s they were only shutdown at weekends (unless they were going to Canton for fuel in the case of Radyr) although if one was a dodgy starter and in cold weather they were just left running, the same happened at Ebbw jcn when I was there. It was possible to 'bump start' a 350 but after one in South Wales finished up with some badly damaged main gearing (at Margam I think) the practice was outlawed. When I was involved at Tyseley in the '80s we only started ours when required and normally had no problems starting it. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Foden Posted August 17, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2018 Thanks for the replies guys. So shunters, and I’m guessing some locos in general were just left merrily idling away between jobs, often for days on end, and one would assume often unattended?! How long could a moderately used 350 go between fueling? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Foden Posted August 17, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2018 At Radyr and Westbury in the '70s they were only shutdown at weekends (unless they were going to Canton for fuel in the case of Radyr) although if one was a dodgy starter and in cold weather they were just left running, the same happened at Ebbw jcn when I was there. It was possible to 'bump start' a 350 but after one in South Wales finished up with some badly damaged main gearing (at Margam I think) the practice was outlawed. When I was involved at Tyseley in the '80s we only started ours when required and normally had no problems starting it. Interesting. How is it possible to bump start an engine that has no direct mechanical link to the running wheels? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Interesting. How is it possible to bump start an engine that has no direct mechanical link to the running wheels? Like this 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2018 Interesting. How is it possible to bump start an engine that has no direct mechanical link to the running wheels? There was a manually operated contactor within the desk. When the loco was dragged along this could be operated this diverted current generated by the motors to the starting windings on the generator which turned the engine over But as stationmaster mike said earlier there were incidents where severe damage was caused to some locos and this practice was outlawed. Most locos but not all had the equipment removed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2018 Thanks for the replies guys. So shunters, and I’m guessing some locos in general were just left merrily idling away between jobs, often for days on end, and one would assume often unattended?! How long could a moderately used 350 go between fueling? The header tank held /holds enough for about a day, so it would either run out which is a right pain in the @rse, or required someone to hand pump some more into it. Later I believe some were fitted with electric pumps and float switches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2018 The top tank held enough for more than a days idling but not much more. Ours used to get the top tank filled to the brim when they were refueled on the pumps. Trouble was if you pumped more than about 50 gal by hand into the top tank some of it would splash into the return pipe and back to the main tank when braking Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2018 At Llanwern steelworks, the 300 series shunters were never switched off. When we did Newport Open day, there was one permanently stationed outside the yard office. Come Monday (96 hours) the clag emitted was unbelievable! Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Thanks for the replies guys. So shunters, and I’m guessing some locos in general were just left merrily idling away between jobs, often for days on end, and one would assume often unattended?! I seem to recall reading that Tunbridge Wells West use to leave their collection of DEMUs with the engines running overnight in winter, and this caused complaints from the local residents. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Very true, it was the subject of grumpy letters to the ‘Kent and Sussex Courier’ every year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2018 Wintry weather you’d leave everything running anyway. Carriage cleaners were another problem, as they’d always leave the dmu lights on when they finished, so as a rule whenever a set came on shed, the chargers would be coupled immediately, and sets would left be ticking over. Wasteful, but you needed to be sure of getting everything off in a morning. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Davexoc Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2018 One was dragged back to The Factory which had been shut down, or run out of fuel. It had been particularly cold earlier than expected and the block had frozen, cracking it between several cylinder heads. Amazingly it was repaired by an outside conractor, who stitched the block back together with what resembled large staples. Normal practice was to bring all outstationed shunters back to shed for dosing with glycol, as the normal coolant was basically softened water wth Borax. Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 I always remember the fog and fumes at the Pier Head in Liverpool when it had the bus terminal and all the buses had their engines running. I was told it was because if you turned them off and on throughout the day then they wouldn't always come back on. Jason 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted August 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2018 One was dragged back to The Factory which had been shut down, or run out of fuel. It had been particularly cold earlier than expected and the block had frozen, cracking it between several cylinder heads. Amazingly it was repaired by an outside conractor, who stitched the block back together with what resembled large staples. Normal practice was to bring all outstationed shunters back to shed for dosing with glycol, as the normal coolant was basically softened water wth Borax. Dave Stitching by weld is a common practice, where bolts are drilled & tapped either side of the crack. The two bolts are then connected/welded together. Cheers, Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Stitching by weld is a common practice, where bolts are drilled & tapped either side of the crack. The two bolts are then connected/welded together. Cheers, Ian. It was also a method used to repair cracked peak bogie frames, so it must have been fairly robust. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 Stitching by weld is a common practice, where bolts are drilled & tapped either side of the crack. The two bolts are then connected/welded together. Cheers, Ian. Presumably, done right, the contraction of the weld on cooling will apply a considerable compressive force to the crack and create a better seal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted August 18, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 18, 2018 Got a definitive answer about how long the service tank will fuel the engine... 50 hours A friend filled one to fifty gallons and went back to it 25 hours later and it Was showing exactly 25 gallons Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 Blimey this thread brings back memories, pumping up the fuel on 08 944 'A Pilot' at Padd on the night shift, it was usually a case of 'ninety nine and change hands', it didn't half make your arms ache! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted August 18, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 18, 2018 99 and change hands; are you sure you were fuelling an 08... We had one on Cardiff Docks in the early 70s which was allegedly kept running for 18 months continuously, simply topped up with fuel, coolant, and occasional lubricant until the oil filter finally blocked and it had to be towed to Canton. Apparently it was a known poor starter and it was thought better to just leave it running! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
25901 Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 It had been particularly cold earlier than expected and the block had frozen, cracking it between several cylinder heads. Amazingly it was repaired by an outside conractor, who stitched the block back together with what resembled large staples. Watch a guy many years ago do that to 24081's block at Bury, It's one of them dark arts that is a life saving skill to many an engine now Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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