Lancaster Green Ayre - The Barn Owls have returned.

[The Stationmaster]

On 19/10/2022 at 08:18, Oldddudders said:

I think he was one of the first Eurostar drivers?

Yes Pete was in either Group 1 or Group 2.  He was the only one who managed to get in the full Eurostar/Virgin exchange scheme we ran fora little while.  So he had a Virgin Atlantic pilot accompany him on a London - Paris working and then he accompanied the pilot on a round trip to New York.  I'm not sure who got the best bargain there as the 373 had to be driven all the way so would probably have been a bit more interesting than sitting there with an autopilot - and no system changes or neutral sections to deal over the Atlantic so more workload to see in action.

[daifly]

8 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

 So he had a Virgin Atlantic pilot accompany him on a London - Paris working and then he accompanied the pilot on a round trip to New York.  I'm not sure who got the best bargain there as the 373 had to be driven all the way so would probably have been a bit more interesting than sitting there with an autopilot - and no system changes or neutral sections to deal over the Atlantic so more workload to see in action.

To suggest that there's nothing interesting going on just because the autopilot is engaged displays a complete lack of knowledge and understanding of the job. At 600mph, things are changing constantly and rapidly. 

Dave (48 years an airline pilot, instructor and examiner)

[MrWolf]

Or worse, being expected to jump out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente, where it's not actually raining. Some more progress has been made.  The chassis has been mounted on my rolling road, that I had to excavate from the shelf of shame.  That went well and the pickups on the first 2 axles work well.  Next job is to fit the rear set then the brake gear.   On the bodywork I finally managed to get the smokebox front on and aligned with the rear of the firebox.   I thought that the rear of the firebox needed some stiffening so soldered a cover onto that.   To make this easier i soldered some scrap etch round the inside of the wrapper/boiler etch and this gave me a step that I could solder the rear plate to.  Difficult to explain but it worked well.  Then I couldn't resist putting the boiler mountings on and posing it.   I had drilled holes through the cab front and the plate that I'd just fitted.  An 8BA nut and bolt held everything securely.

Overall I'm very happy thus far.

The board that it's sitting on is sagging and I need to work on getting the loco and tender footplates in line.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Another couple of evenings and a bit more progress.  It's been quite warm over here the last few days so I decided to try and get the tender painted.  This is after the coat of etching primer which followed a good scrub with Ajax and letting it dry out thoroughly.

I then carried on with work on the loco body and tried to sort out the front of the smokebox.

I wasn't happy with that so last night as the smokebox door wouldn't fit and I didn't think that the joint to the valve chest looked right.  Last night I unsoldered it and then made a new smokebox front plate from some 0.5mm brass sheet.  A trip was soldered across the base to give the right spacing to the valve chest cover and this was the result. The smokebox door was tacked on with a bit of UHU.  I'd also sprayed the tender in matt black.  Result a happy bunny.

I need to sort out the bolt that holds the smokebox down to the footplate to get everything level but overall I'm happy.

 

Jamie

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

There was a pause in construction whilst birthday celebrations took place and some family surprised me by visiting.  However last night I got back to the shed.  The main task was fitting boiler bands to the 2F.  these actually went on quite easily.  I also fitted some 1.5mm copper to the clack valves. 

My birthday had also been helpful as not only did I get an Amazon voucher that was spent on a new Dremel but a Pirate Models white metal kit for a Ford model T railway delivery van appeared from a friend.   I glued the first few bits of that together.  

The plan is to have it displayed on the roadway on the Skerton Bridge end of the layout. There are some LNWR transfers with the kit so that would work well.  Another thread has been able to give me details of the livery.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Another few evenings and there has been progress, even with waiting for araldite to cure.  The handrails are on the loco and now the boiler fittings and one lamp iron.  There should be 3 but i managed to break two of them.  

Here's the loco last night with the chimney just glued into place.   Hopefully it hasn't fallen off in the night.

It's coming on well. Compared to the Mercian kit it's been a joy to work on.  Noe the boiler backhead and cab interior to sort.  If I can get this loco finished before the end of the month then I can start on a 2P/

The lorry is also coming along.

It has also gone together well.   A mixture of soldering and araldite for different parts.  

 

Jamie

[Compound2632]

8 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

The lorry is also coming along.

 

It certainly is - I can see it in LNWR livery now. it's a dead ringer for the Ford van illustrated in LNWR Liveries, Plate 144 (I'll PM you a scan). The waist panel would be spilt milk, as would the panel around the cab window and the squarish panel behind that, with:

 L&NWR

EXPRESS

PARCELS

SERVICE

in block letters.

The large rear panel should be ultramarine blue with a poster advertising some picturesque destination*. The arched panel facing forward over the windscreen would also be spilt mil, with the letters L&NWR sized to fit. The LNWR cauliflower sits on the lower, plum, panel, plumb below the beading between the two panels. Can't see the back of the van! 

 

*I have to confess the Midland did not have an exclusive monopoly on such!

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

It certainly is - I can see it in LNWR livery now. it's a dead ringer for the Ford van illustrated in LNWR Liveries, Plate 144 (I'll PM you a scan). The waist panel would be spilt milk, as would the panel around the cab window and the squarish panel behind that, with:

 L&NWR

EXPRESS

PARCELS

SERVICE

in block letters.

The large rear panel should be ultramarine blue with a poster advertising some picturesque destination*. The arched panel facing forward over the windscreen would also be spilt mil, with the letters L&NWR sized to fit. The LNWR cauliflower sits on the lower, plum, panel, plumb below the beading between the two panels. Can't see the back of the van! 

 

*I have to confess the Midland did not have an exclusive monopoly on such!

Fortunately  the Kit has a transfer for the side lettering.   Thanks for the scan.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  Some more work yesterday.  The van has come on a treat and is ready for a coat of primer.

The wheels aren't glued yet as they need painting.  The little brass strips to hols the mudgaurds took a bit of doing to solder on.

 

Then it was on to the loco and I finally got the three lamp brackets soldered to the buffer beam.

I'd not got the cab beading right so had to fabricate the bit the olds the handrails.  I got one done and will hopefully do the other tonight.  Whistle, top front lamp iron and cab interior to do.

Then time to finish and paint the frames.   At this rate I'll be starting the 2P before Christmas.

 

Jamie

 

 

[jamie92208]

A bit more work has been ongoing.   Some paint is now on the Ford Van and the loco body is now black rather than brass coloured.   However there has been progress on the tender.   The little loco acquired an identity last night.

It still needs coal, couplings and buffers but I like wat I see.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

A bit of progress over the past couple of days.  I tried to solder the guard irons on 2 nights ago without success.  Last night I went over with the intention of removing the wheels and motor, doing the soldering, sorting out pickups and then painting the frames.   After 20 minutes I found the right Allan key and got 4 of the wheels off but whatever I tried the front pair would not budge.  In my efforts a hornblock came loose.   I even tried gently tapping the slightly loosened st screw with a hammer.   Advice was sought and I was advised not to let penetrating oil near the plastic wheel centres.   Anyway, whilst awake in the early hours a solution entered what passes for a brain these days.   After barrowing a week's supply of logs and kindling I had a go.   First I cut a slot in a piece of scrap steel that would fit between the axle and the frames.   Next I ground the point off a 2.5" nail and made a square end that would just nicely fit into a wheel centre.   The whole lot was assembled on the vice and a few light taps with a smallish hammer sorted the problem. This is the jig set up.

And a personal appearance by my left hand holding the modified nail.

It worked a treat.  The metal is scrap from our first pool, so nothing is wasted.

 

Jamie

 

[lezz01]

What you needed was a gear puller Jamie.

If you can find one both big enough to accommodate the wheels and small enough to be able to slip between the wheel and the chassis. Although what you have come up with is in essence a gear puller it is better to pull with a screw thread rather than tap it out with hammer. If you get one with 2 or 3 legs then you could cut a disc out of the steel plate you have used with the slot cut into the middle which you slip behind the wheel to support the rear of the wheel and then grip the disc with the legs and then you just tighten up the central bolt which bares on the axle to push the axle out of the wheel that way you don't shock the wheel and axle. You may have to reduce the diameter of the central bolt at the bottom where it bares on the axle. Ideally you would turn it down on a lathe but if you fit the bolt into a drill you can use a first or second cut file, just make sure you hold the drill steady. I fix the drill to the workbench using two strips of wood and an old leather belt so I can hold the file with two hands. It's a bit crude and not exactly safe workshop practice but as long as you're careful it works fine. If you have a lathe or access to one then happy days.     

This is a 2 leg puller but there are lots of options and you can get a 3 legged one down to 3".

 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325285325476?hash=item4bbc842aa4:g:Q0gAAOSwM4RdOBbo&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4A84WfD0uLYI5AzA%2FHtP4kdRHGthmhBOyMIIwNzp2eyieXVEiftqxaz7GCE7OV6jhZlBw9uCL5vABqurBohYRtjeUod5BUBScCPwZplYYfVSaWaqYMX%2BSusJ0YDe8Pix043bXpPZIcfhr5m5zstquEBei1wqNGToaELZvfOEbO5XlDQsEP8fBpza0Tov%2B6tqTba%2F0aB9Lvxtpf%2F%2F0z7t3Ex1q7RIxEAHgH2xZ08m0htkTmEuvpKi7BoAirVgX4Qw4U6lhELlW1zy8DaiTEHIE9z6j%2B%2FvpLMwEgCwukWac5vq|tkp%3ABk9SR56rk-SQYQ

Regards Lez.

[MrWolf]

Whilst mending a 1963 Morris Minor in Halton last weekend, I was shown this.

 

 

I'm sure that you will recognise it as one of the wall coping stones from Green Ayre station and I thought you might like to see it.

[jamie92208]

@MrWolf, Thanks very much for those two posts.  I will look for a smallish gear puller. It is what I need.  I wanted to get on with the job tonight and was quite pleased to come up with a solution.  I do like the coping stone.

 

I have got a Unimst 3 so would be able to turn a puller screw down.

 

Jamie

[MrWolf]

Sorry, that was @lezz01 with the puller advice. 

I can provide you with a sketch of a split type puller designed for restricted spaces like that if it helps. You should be able to machine something up from bits of scrap.

[jamie92208]

38 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Sorry, that was @lezz01 with the puller advice. 

I can provide you with a sketch of a split type puller designed for restricted spaces like that if it helps. You should be able to machine something up from bits of scrap.

Please, that would be very helpful.  I have never liked having to wiggle wheels off axles.

 

Jamie

[MrWolf]

Hello Jamie, sorry it's taken a while, things are a bit madder than usual around here.

 

Hopefully this makes sense.

 

[MrWolf]

 

I also managed to get some pictures of the salvaged Green Ayre wall.

 

[jamie92208]

Thanks very much for those @MrWolf.  That looks to be just the job  though it might tax my engineering skills it's worth havi g a go at.  I would probably size it for 7' drivers so that it could cope with most wheels.

 

Also the bits of Green Ayre wall look great.  

 

Thanks again.

 

Jamie.

 

 

[JeffP]

That wheel puller looks very good, I might be tempted myself.

[ianLMS]

I have a GW Models wheel puller to remove wheels off axles, but it kept pulling the rims off.

 

I got one of these off Amazon instead and it works a treat as there is a plate which slips behind the wheel supporting the centre and the jaws are wide enough to miss the chassis frames.

 

partCore Flywheel Puller Gear Puller https://amzn.eu/d/ivQKrQ4

 

There are different options mainly designed for radio control car use but this one definately works. I wouldn't have the skill to make a puller myself so hats off to MrWolf!!!

Edited November 27, 2022 by ianLMS

[45156]

11 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

I also managed to get some pictures of the salvaged Green Ayre wall.

 

Is that Pine Close in Halton - I lived just over the river in Brookhouse, and used to go to writing classes in Halton Mill, and never knew that this was there.

[MrWolf]

4 hours ago, 45156 said:

Is that Pine Close in Halton - I lived just over the river in Brookhouse, and used to go to writing classes in Halton Mill, and never knew that this was there.

 

Corner of Pine Close and Saint Wilfrid's Park. The house itself was built in the fifties by a stonemason who wrote several books on local history and the industrial revolution in the Lune Valley.

Over the years he kept adding to the garden with bits of demolished buildings from Lancaster.

[Ohmisterporter]

4 hours ago, 45156 said:

Is that Pine Close in Halton - I lived just over the river in Brookhouse, and used to go to writing classes in Halton Mill, and never knew that this was there.

 

I served my apprenticeship at Halton Mill: fitter/turner/machinist/boiler maintenance, with a bit of electrical and welding work thrown in. Most of it has come in handy over the years although there is not much call for textile machinery maintenance these days. The mill was on one side of the river Lune just a short stroll over the footbridge to Halton station on the opposite bank.