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| News archive page updated 30-Jul-06 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mainline activities |
[Sat 17-Dec-05]
With the return of 6024 to the mainline a busy programme of railtours is being planned for 2006, with
the prospect of up to 30 mainline runs, including participation once again in the Torbay Express programme.
These will be heralded by
Past Time's Thames-Severn Express<> from London to Gloucester during the
Xmas/New Year break on Friday 30 December. This train unusally starts from Victoria and returns to
Paddington and will also call at Reading and Didcot to pick-up/set-down. Seats are still available
on this train which should provide an excellent day out with a number of options for activities
in the interesting city of Gloucester,
or a vintage coach tour through the beautiful Cotswolds.
More detail on the Railtours page.
|
The Water Carrier |
| 
[Thu 15-Dec-05]
The 6024 Water Carrier completed a successful first mainline outing yesterday when it arrived at
Old Oak Common from Tyseley Locomotive Works at 1530 after its run attached to the ‘King’. The
vehicle demonstrated excellent riding characteristics, with no oscillation when fully laden or
partially laden.
The ‘King’ left Tyseley with 3,000 gallons in the tender, disconnected from the water Carrier which was full (nominal 7,500 gallons). A number a brake applications were carried out to evaluate the effect on the vehicle and the coupled coach. At Didcot the water in the tender had reduced to 1,200 gallons (1,800 gallons usage) and the water was then allowed to flow by gravity from the Water Carrier to the tender. At arrival at Old Oak Common the amount in the tender had risen to 2,500 gallons, which with estimated usage of about 700-800 gallons indicated a transfer of 2,000 gallons from the Water Carrier to the tender. The Water Carrier will return to Tyseley from Old Oak Common with the King in early January 2006 when it will be evaluated with the water connected continuously. Subject to final satisfaction of these tests the Society will then be in a position to propose use of the vehicle to certain rail-tour promoters on selected routes.
Mainline return |
[Mon 12-Dec-05]
The annual maintenance program on 6024 at Tyseley has now been completed, and the engine
has passed its annual test. The loco is due to remain at Tyseley until Wednesday 14 December when
it will move to Old Oak Common ready for the planned Past Time Rail tours from London to
Stratford-on-Avon and Gloucester on 18 and 30 December respectively.
Following this the loco will return to Tyseley on 6 January. Both the 14 December and 6 January
moves (but not the railtours) will include the Society's new Water Carrier wagon (see the
Rolling Stock page) in addition to the support coach. These runs will be used
as proving tests for the new wagon. Future plans for the wagon will be determined following analysis
of these tests.
|
Annual Maintenance at Tyseley |
[Sun 09-Oct-05]
Following successful completion of the busy summer railtour programme with the "Welsh Marches Express"
on Saturday 10 September,
6024 is now at Tyseley Locomotive Works, where annual maintenance is being undertaken in
preparation for the 12 monthly examination. This includes among other items, a piston
and valves exam, as part of which the two
inside cylinder valves have been removed for planned renewal of the rings. The inside right
hand valve ring was found to be cracked and this is believed to have been responsible for
the slight blow in the steam exhaust system in the last two mainline runs. | Since completion of the overhaul and return to the mainline last October, 6024 has run on 25 tours and covered 5,998 miles. The mainline railtour programme is due to resume on Saturday 29 October (*) when 6024 will haul Past Time Rail's "Thames Severn Express" from London to Gloucester and return. Details of this tour may be found on the railtours page. 6024 and support coach will move from Tyseley to Old Oak Common on Thursday 27 October in preparation for this tour. A further tour is booked for Sunday 18 December on the "Yuletide Bard Express" from Marylebone to Stratford-upon-Avon and return. 6024 and support coach will return from Old Oak Common to Tyseley on the following day Monday 19 December. (*) Amendment (21-Oct): The date of this tour has since been changed to Friday 30 December.
The Torbay Express - 31 July 2005 |
[Thu 04-Aug-05]
After performing impeccably throughout the day, No. 6024 suffered an air-brake failure at MP 211 at
17.54 hours, two miles east of Newton Abbot, on the return working from Kingswear. With no air pressure
in the main train pipe the fault was initially diagnosed as a defect in the air/vacuum relay valve.
As an emergency contingency the train crew converted the locomotive and train for going forward at
low speed to Exeter in vacuum braking mode, in order to clear the line and avoid disruption, as permitted
by the working rules. This was proposed to Network Rail control by Gareth Jones, the EWS Traction
Inspector. | Gareth was surprised to hear that this proposal was refused by Network Rail. This resulted in the line remaining blocked until rescue could be achieved at 21.33 hours by Class 57 No. 57603 of Laira, which dragged the train back to Newton Abbot where No. 6024 + POB were detached from the train. Class 66 No. 66182 of Barton Hill returned the train with its passengers to Bristol from Newton Abbot, and in the meantime No. 6024 was permitted to move forward under vacuum braking to Exeter Riverside EWS yard for water and stabling. On Monday the 1st August the 6024 support crew fitted a replacement air/vac relay valve but this did not cure the braking problem. Consequently a full diagnostic investigation was carried out by Keith Evans, EWS Engineer, and a small pipe-work leak was discovered under the footplate floor. This was remedied in a few minutes and full air braking was re-established. A movement back to Bristol was arranged for No. 6024 + POB with a Class 66 pilot for Tuesday morning and the engine arrived at approximately 1300 hours in readiness for the Torbay Express on Sunday the 7th August 2005.
The Cathedrals Express to Weymouth |
| 
[Tue 07-Jun-05]
The 6024 Preservation Society shares the disappointment of both Steam Dreams and their passengers on the
Cathedrals Express of 4 June with the late arrival of train at Weymouth, and the abscence of steam
on the return leg. This was caused by operational problems concerned with the diesel locomotive.
An already-complex operation was initially made more difficult by the unexpected presence throughout of
the diesel, further jeopardised by the diesel's defect and the resultant unscheduled stop at Westbury,
and finally defeated by the subsequent measures to alleviate the impact of delays. Despite difficulties
associated with all the changes of the programme, the performance of 6024 was fully up to expectation.
As a group we did everything we possibly could do to cope with the problems as they arose - none of
which were of our making. Some additional info on the events of the day may be found
in this statement. Photo: 6024 climbing Evershot bank on 4-Jun-05, courtesy
Huw Button http://huwbutton.fotopic.net
6024 on the mainline |
| 
[Sun 10-Oct-04]
Following its return to steam last weekend, 6024 completed a light mainline test
run on Thursday 7 October, running with the support coach from Tyseley to Bescot and
return. Then the same evening it hauled an empty coaching stock set on a loaded trial run
from Tyseley to Stratford-upon-Avon and return via Dorridge. Both runs were completed
satisfactorily. A photograph taken at Stratford (C) Clive Hanley may be found
here
at the Vintage Trains website.No 6024's next mainline outings will be on a series of running-in turns when it will haul an Evening Shakespeare Express train from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon and return, every evening from Monday 18 to Friday 22 October inclusive. See the Railtours page and the Vintage Trains Website for details and booking arrangements. [Amendment: Now Tue 19-Fri 22 Oct from Acocks Green to Stratford, returning to Birmingham Snow Hill] Then on Tuesday 26 October, 6024 will work the return leg of the "Royal Worcester" railtour from Worcester Shrub Hill to Ealing Broadway, running via Cheltenham, Stroud and up the Golden Valley over Sapperton Bank to Swindon, then along the Great Western mainline via Didcot and Reading. This train starts in the morning from Ealing Broadway and the outward leg to Worcester via Oxford and Evesham will be diesel hauled. Following this train, 6024 will be based at the EWS Old Oak Common Depot in position to haul several tours for Past-Time Rail. For full details of the railtour program see the Railtour page.
The King is back |
| 
[Wed 06-Oct-04]
The culmination of the two year overhaul of 6024 was marked on Friday 1 October when steam was
raised in the boiler and the engine moved under its own power for the first time since November
2002. The loco passed its official examination with flying colours. During the weekend no 6024
was put through its paces in the yard at Tyseley Locomotive Works, when minor adjustments were
carried out.
Photograph courtesy of Martyn Bane.
A slight delay | [Tue 31-Aug-04]
As the last items of pipework were being assembled in the smoke box recently, a small
crack was discovered in one of the flanges on the superheater header. The specialist
repairer was unable to do the repair in situ, so much of the fitted pipework, the
superheater elements, chimney and regulator all had to come out again, so that
the header could be worked on at ground level. This coincided with the busiest
time of the year for the contractor and we have had to patiently wait for his services.
The job has now been completed. The opportunity was also taken to strengthen the
flanges to hopefully prevent a future reoccurrence. The task is now underway to
re-assemble all the smoke box components. Realistically, this is going to take
longer than is necessary for the engine to be available on the dates intended for
the running in turns. New dates will be announced shortly | Progress on overhaul (2) [Wed 24-Jul-04]
The overhaul of 6024 at Tyseley has progressed steadily during the first half
of 2004. The rear driving wheels fitted with new tyres, together with overhauled
springs were returned to the chassis in early May. A key milestone was achieved with a
successful boiler steam test on 17 April. Following this the boiler was returned
to the frames on 11 May.
The support coach returned to Tyseley Loco Works in June following a C4 mechanical
overhaul, body repairs and a repaint carried out by Lancastrian Carriage and Wagon
Works.
See
Martyn's website for a weekly picture record showing the latest progress.
| Progress on overhaul (1) [Wed 24-Sep-03]
The overhaul of 6024 continues to make good progress at Tyseley and
remains on schedule for completion in mid 2004. Fabrication and installation
of new tender coal space has been completed. Retubing
of the boiler is now well in hand with more than half the small tubes now in place.
Two new tyres for the rear driving wheels have been manufactured in South Africa
and have now been delivered to Tyseley. These will be fitted to the driving wheels
under contract. A comprehensive pictorial record
on weekly progress of the overhaul may be found at the website of society member
Martyn Bane | The Water Wagon [Tue 05-Aug-03]
Work on the Society's first Heritage Lottery project, the water wagon, is making good
progress. By the end of June work was focused on modifying the tanks and reconstructing
their frames about one foot lower than the original design. The next couple of months
will see the fitting of pipe work and overhauling the air-braking, buffers and bogies.
Subject to VAB approval, completion by the autumn is planned and the Board is actively
pursuing discussions with another locomotive operator with a view to the wagon being
used on the mainline behind another locomotive pending the return of the King. | Heritage Lottery Fund Award [Tue 05-Aug-03]
The Society has been awarded another Lottery grant of up to £50,000, representing
approximately 40% of the cost of the overhaul of the locomotive. The grant
application has been coordinated by Richard Corser in consultation with fellow
Management Board and other Society members, and was approved by the Heritage Lottery
Fund on 2 July 2003. The grant will alleviate pressure on cash resources whilst
three separate projects are underway (locomotive, support coach and water wagon) and
provides a sound financial footing with which to complete the overhauls and test runs
before subsequently starting running on the mainline again. | Restoration shed [Sun 20-Jul-03]
Progress on the restoration of the locomotive will be greatly aided following the
acquisition and erection in May of a shed over no 19 turntable road at Tyseley. The shed is
large enough to accomodate both the locomotive and tender under cover. The shed also
houses an inspection pit which has been provided with lighting. | Progress on overhaul [Tue 15-Apr-03]
Following the premature withdrawal of 6024 for overhaul, the decision was
taken to carry out the overhaul at Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham.
The boiler overhaul will be undertaken under contract by Tyseley Locomotive
Works, while the remaining work will be undertaken by Society volunteers.
| Much of the early stripping down work has already been completed and the boiler was lifted from the frames on 6 February. The boiler has been inspected and is in excellent condition. A new set of small tubes has alreday beeen delivered and new flue tubes have been ordered. The existing superheater elements are nearly new and can be reused. A comprehensive pictorial record on progress of the overhaul may be found at the website of society member Martyn Bane
The Water Wagon chassis and tanks have been moved to Rampart Carriage and
Wagon Services Ltd, Derby for detailed design and technical specification work
will be undertaken. It is planned to install a basic cladding at this stage.
Negotiations are in hand with the owner of another locomotive with a current
main line ticket with a view to trial use on the main line shortly. The final
cladding of the vehicle will be undertaken at a later date. 6024 Withdrawn for overhaul [Fri 29-Nov-02]
(6024 Preservation Society Limited - Press Statement)
King Edward I's final 6-monthly mechanical examination in November
has revealed that the locomotive will not be able to conclude either its
2002/2003 mainline rail-tour programme or its commitments on preserved
lines, due to the accelerating deterioration of the condition of the
driving-wheel tyres. Tyre-thickness has been a concern throughout the
locomotive's life on the mainline in preservation and prior to the first
mainline ticket which started in 1988 the Society set up a specific fund
for the tyre renewal. The tyres have lasted a lot longer than expected
but are now almost at scrapping thickness.
| On some of the routes planned in the remainder of the locomotive's programme, and the likely indifferent rail conditions the locomotive will encounter at this time of year, there is inevitably a considerably increased risk of wheel-slipping. Therefore the Society has reluctantly decided to withdraw the locomotive from operating on either Network Rail lines or preserved lines.
As it will take a number of months to procure and fit new tyres, and in
view of the advanced stage of the boiler ticket and the need to maximise
the Society's resources for the impending overhaul, plans are now underway
for starting the overhaul as soon as possible in order to return the
locomotive to mainline service in 2004. The boiler ticket is due to expire
on the 3rd March 2003. |
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