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ISSUE 75 - MAY 2002
INTRO
At a recent HRA conference on Mark One coaches it was pointed out that proper records should be kept for every door lock, for al passenger stock. Detailed should be dates of examination, the exam carried out, what was found, and the personnel carrying out the exam. There have been several instances where accidents have happened on preserved lines with door locks and the HSE/Railway Inspectorate have demanded to see these records.
Initial reports are that a good day was had by all at the Dean Forest Driver Experience Day. A full report will be in the next issue.
Saturday 15th June is the deadline for Issue 76 of The Railcar.
SUPPLIERS
A.B.E. DIESELS LTD. Trevor Daw reports that this firm (Fleet Lane, Parr; St. Helens) closed down in late April. There will be an auction of engine parts at a date in the future. His contact says there are a lot of railcar parts to be disposed. They used to supply major items to BR workshops.
PAINTING Many groups tackle repaints at this time of the year. One often neglected part is roofs, and admittedly where roofs are very quick to paint, preparation is a different story. Whilst on the Severn Valley Railway recently staff at the Bewdley carriage shop showed us a device that allows the worst of roofs to be taken back to bare metal completely in one day! I immediately called up the firm that makes this and got a catalogue. The device is called a a scrabbler, and unfortunately is listed at £380+vat. The head on its own is £70+vat, and can be used on a sander/polisher which could be hired for a day from somewhere local. A worthwhile expenditure in view of the labour it saves? Particularly so if there are several roofs to do, or bought in conjunction with your railways C&W dept. It cannot be used on alloy, but can also be used on sides and ends. The firm is Refina Ltd., 01202 632270, www.refina.co.uk. Happy scrabbling!
RAILPART Apologies for giving the wrong contact details in the last issue. These should have been:
Graham Rogers 01302 388268 graham_rogers@unipart.co.uk
Phil Cuss 01302 388268 phil_cuss@unipart.co.uk
Kim Jones 01302 388214 kim_jones@unipart.co.uk
SPRINGS Alan R. Hawkins advises: With regards the request from Railcar Enterprises in the last few issues of the Railcar Association newsletter, for information on where to get DSD springs for their power controller, they might like to contact the two spring companies listed below. I've used both companies before, in my job of design engineer & found them both to be very helpful.
I know for certain, that Lee Spring Ltd also provide a custom made service, if for any reason there is not the correct spring in their otherwise extensive range. Not sure if Belleville Springs Ltd do they same, but I assume they do. Hope these contact addresses prove useful to Railcar Enterprises & other groups.
Lee Spring Ltd, Latimer Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 2WA
Tel: 0118 978 1800 Fax: 0118 977 4832
Belleville Springs Ltd, Arthur Street, Lakeside, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 8JY Tel: 01527 500500 Fax: 01527 517039
VACUUM HOSES Chris Bull found this firm when looking for fluted flexible hoses, about 24" long, with a 3/4" connection one end, and 1" connection the other. These go from the vac cyl to bogie. They do other types and have supplied for years apparently.
Rediweld Cerambond, Unit 6 & 7 Westfield Ind. Est., Horndean, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO8 9JX Tel. 02392 593979, web site
www.rediweld.co.uk.
PRESERVATION
DMU GROUP (WM) CLASS 108 Trevor Daw reports: Over the winter months all six working engines, gearboxes and final drives have received oil changes and filter renewal as appropriate. All engines have had injection pumps serviced and recalibrated. Four replacement throttle motors and four angle drives have been fitted. No 2-engine cylinder head gaskets on 51935, caused coolant to enter the bores. Luckily this was noticed before it did any damage. Our senior engine fitter Neil Lloyd, suspected the injector sleeves as the cause. They have given a lot of problems on this type of engine. With a borrowed extractor the suspect ones were exchanged only to find the problem had not been cleared. Off came the heads to find the rubber grommets in the waterways had broken up. The heads were sent out to a well known Birmingham firm for cleaning, pressure testing, facing, fitting new valve guides, re-cut seats and grind-in valves. Now the engine has been reassembled and run. The expense has been worth it, having transformed its performance.
Driving trailer 56208 has been stripped for major internal refurbishment. The lavatory has been dismantled to reveal the doorframe to be out of line owing to corrosion from the steel frame. The floor was sinking to the point that the pan was about to drop onto the bogie! All plumbing has been simplified to avoid frost problems, tanks and the 'loo cistern have been checked and serviced. The roof leaked badly at the ventilators. These have been removed ready for sealing and riveting into place. On advice from the SVR carriage & wagon dept. we are plating off thirteen of the sixteen ventilators. This will avoid water ingress in the future. When the roof work is finished, the ceiling panels will be replaced. A rebuilt brake cylinder will be fitted. We hope to have this car back in service ready for a busy Christmas season.
During the month of April the Group contracted Stuart Mackay to repaint 52064 and 51941. Owing to problems removing the old paint from forty-one he only had time to complete one side on each car and the ends. We hope to see him back in the autumn to finish the other sides!
Two group members Ian Parker and Robert Cresswell have passed out as Secondmen on DMU traction. We look forward to their passing out as Drivers, in time for next year's summer service.
- If you can help any of the following groups with their needs or information, please e-mail us at editor@railcar.co.uk
FOR SALE
Sewing Machine - Chris Bull advises: Free to a good railway home is an industrial type sewing machine powered by a single phase 0.25 horsepower motor. Until his recent untimely death it was used by John Davies for his tailoring business. His brother Bernard Davies, (ex-Director for the DFR) has now offered it to our DMU Group. We have no use for such a machine having our own seats upholstered by our 'man from Derby'. It is therefore free to any other group that would find a use for it on a railway.
Very Approx size 40" x 36" x 24" , buyer collects from Treorchy in South Wales. Two strong man lift! Please contact Bernard Davies on 01443 773280.
Seats - Over 30 Seat frames with newly upholstered backs but NO swabs for Class 119 A quantity of new seat covers for HST and unknown seats. Nottingham (GC) DMU Group.
Engine - A partially dismantled Leyland Engine. No Reasonable offer refused. Nottingham (GC) DMU Group.
Fluorescent Lighting - the strip lights and defussers 4 x 2 lights and 7x 1 light for sale at £10 each including plugs and inverters. Derby Works-Built DMU Group.
WANTED
Rubber Connector - Does anyone also know a source for the non-standard size toilet pan to flush tank rubber connection piece? Class 107 Ltd.
Valves - Does anyone know a source for the little footpump valves used in the toilet sinks? They seem to retain water and freeze breaking the plastic top and both our spares are now broke, but repairable with a new top piece. Class 107 Ltd
Pictures — Any Class 101 pics, particularly ones of the Lowestoft – Ipswich sets with aerials on cab, or any ScR ones. Sharon Gray.