Steam train maintenance at Ropley loco shed, Mid-Hants Railway, UK

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Recent News from Ropley MPD.   See also: Latest News, continuation and  archive pages

   

   

        

	22nd September 2000: Frank Boait removed the lhs valve spindle gland packings from Bodmin and made adjustments to cure a blow which had developed recently during its heavy mainline schedule.  Outside cylinders are outside admission so these glands take full steam-chest pressure.  Middle one is inside admission.  Centre motion photo  Above: An unusual view of Bodmin, 15th November 2000

28th June 2000 Tony Ball points out the corrosion holes in the removed section of the frames of Urie S15  #30499's tender. New I-section girders are being welded in, then the water tank (stored outside 'Ropley Manor') can be fitted.

           

Photo:  Tony Wood

2nd June 2000: Newly out-shopped, Bodmin reverses into the loop at Ropley to let the service train pass before running-in trials.    #34016: 'Bodmin':  Heavy General Overhaul:    Index of photos    (Sept '99 - June '00, step by step)    Bodmin on the main line:   reports, video and photos

   

   

Urie S15 #30506 was repainted in week ending 11th September 1999 in unlined BR Black with Bulleid 'Sunshine' lettering.  This is our oldest locomotive, popular with MHR staff and volunteers, and with our public.

     

#30506 was built at Eastleigh October 1920 and entered service at Nine Elms. Transferred to Strawberry Hill 1923, then to Feltham, Exmouth Junction, and back to Feltham until withdrawn in January 1964.  It had done 1,227,897 mainline miles by then. Removed to Barry  in May 1964. Purchased by Urie S15 Preservation Group and moved to Mid-Hants in April 1976, restored and entered service in July 1987. This photo of 30506 in BR days was found on a newsgroup and forwarded to us by Roger Traviss of Victoria BC, Canada.

U-Class #31625

28th March 2000: #31625's boiler at Ropley with smokebox removed.    #31625 was pulled from traffic for a thorough examination to see what the root cause of the boiler problems were.  It was thought that the boiler did not sit in the frames correctly, which proved to be the case. The boiler was lifted 8th March, and the smokebox removed 23rd March, using the 45-ton steam crane #31625's boiler is currently (11th June 2000) at Chatham.

#31625 was (since this picture of 13th July 1999) painted red (for the August 1999  "Thomas" events). #31625 was completed at Ashford Works March 1929, entered service at Nine Elms. Transferred to Guildford in 1933 and to Basingstoke during WW2. Converted to oil burner at Ashford 1947, but back to coal after a year. Subsequently based at Nine Elms, then Eastleigh, and back at Guildford in 1953.

 The wheeldrop mechanism is still operating  jury-rigged* and is being used regularly.  Full installation of the electric motor and controls awaits a shed to protect the 600v DC electrics.

(*After some careful maintenance and by fitting a bigger-bore compressed air supply pipe, an air motor proved just up to the job of driving the wheeldrop to remove loco driving axles.)

 Austerity 0-6-0 "Barbara"  is being converted into a tender engine, and features in the Medstead Millennium Train Project.
 Loco and a six-wheeled chassis for the new tender have gone to John Uphill in Dorset for work on the conversion of this J94.
Owner Colin Fuller offers the original J94 saddle water-tank and chimney for sale.  

Rebuilt Bulleid Merchant Navy #35018: "British India Line" is in the running shed and work is on hold at present because of the priority accorded to maintenance work on other locos.  

U-Class #31806   is in the yard and has had its boiler, ashpan and cab removed as part of its soon-to-commence major overhaul.  

N-Class #31874 had a leak in its copper firebox declared terminal on 18th April 1998 and it is likely to be out of service for some time.   Repair to the firebox will involve replacing inner copper and outer steel lower half-sides and about 1000 stays, plus work on the foundation ring. Last estimate was nearly £30,000 just for materials.  

Bulleid West Country #34105: "Swanage" is stored awaiting general overhaul.  Main work required is on axleboxes, a boiler retube, and some attention to the thermic syphons. Memories of running it double-headed with Bodmin may make for early completion!  

AWS (Automatic Warning System) has been fully operational throughout MHR since January '98 - first (and still the only) preserved railway so equipped.

          
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